Jason Giambi, 42, is in camp with the Indians under a minor league contract.

He is hoping to catch on with the team as a designated hitter and mentor to Cleveland's young players.

Terry Francona holds him in high esteem as the type of veteran who can throw an arm around the kids and nurture them through the rough patches. He played a similar role with Colorado's youngsters.

"There's that fine line you teach the young kids," Giambi said. "I love the fire they have, but let's not overwork ourselves. Get in the cage and work on some key points instead of saying, 'I'm gonna take 500 swings and be 4-for-4 tomorrow.' It usually doesn't happen like that. It seems like the harder you try in this game, the worse you play.

"I try to keep the younger kids on an even keel so they're not on that roller-coaster ride where it's either 'I'm doing great' or 'I'm in the tank.' You'll see guys who are shot at the end of the season because mentally they're so exhausted. I want to help them smooth it out a little bit."