He appeared headed to oblivion. An early season slump left him mired with a dreadful .195 average, and the Yankees tried to nudge him to the minors for some sorely needed adjustments. But Jason Giambi said no ? he had a different song in mind. Oakland A?s manager Ken Macha has heard the song too, and the memorable melody has also been heard throughout the league. Those old refrains finding their way back from the past. ?It takes a man to stand up and face the music,? Macha said. ?He did that. I commend him for that. He did a good job of rebounding from a bad last year and this year, particularly in light of the scrutiny from the media.? Facing the music must have been where he discovered his song. While not in contention for another MVP, the former slugger is having a better than solid season. He?s batting .276, with 26 homers and 67 RBIs. He also leads the majors with a .444 on-base percentage. ?Obviously, we couldn?t be more pleased with what we?ve seen, the explosiveness he?s shown,? said Yanks manager Joe Torre. ?Even through the times he was failing, he was dedicated with his work ethic. I know the players appreciated that.? They also appreciated Giambi?s 3-run shot Saturday, which helped the Yankees to a 7-0 victory over the A?s. The win tied them with Oakland for the wild card spot. ?This has probably been the toughest year in my big-league career, trying to come back from everything. So it?s been definitely gratifying so far. So we?ll see at the end of the month,? Giambi stated. Hard to believe it was tougher than last year. The BALCO case, and his subsequent admission to the grand jury about his use of steroids was the start of it. Then there was his rambling public apology where no one knew for sure exactly what he was apologizing for. Of course, all that stuff followed his pathetic 2004 season when he hit just .208 in eighty games, with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs. Plus, a sprained ankle, an intestinal parasite, a benign pituitary tumor, and you have quite the hideous chapter. ?I just felt sick. I just felt like I couldn?t function. I was dizzy all the time,? he recalled. ?I was a vegetable. I just wanted to sit in front of the TV or do nothing because I wasn't functioning.? Many felt it was because he was now off steroids. They believed he was scared to death of the ramifications, and would slither away into the darkness, never to be heard from again. Out of mind. Kaput. Don?t bother to write. Nobody thought he could come back ? a least not without the juice. ?They kicked dirt on me. They had the gravestone out. But I wasn?t going to let that ruin it for me because all I've ever wanted to be was a ballplayer,? he growled. He also wanted to justify his 7-year, $120 million dollar contract. ?I think New York magnifies everything. There were some unfair things that happened to him,? Torre said. ?The expectations are so high because the money is so high. Any time you don?t do it, you?re a bum and you?re letting people down.? Giambi is quick to credit his teammates for helping him through the fog. Derek Jeter stepped forward for him, and other teammates sheltered him from criticism. Former teammate Mark McGwire has called often to lend support and give advice. His off-season agenda has certainly paid off. The strict schedule of running, lifting weights and hitting gave him the physicality and agility he desperately needed. Working with batting coach Don Mattingly didn?t hurt either. At one point, the Yankees were searching for a way to terminate Jason?s contract. Apparently that thought is long gone -- as well it should be. Even George Steinbrenner said, ?I'm very happy for him. He?s gone through a lot. He?s proven to be a winner, and I'm proud of Jason Giambi.? Imagine that.