Former major leaguer Jeremy Giambi dies at 47

LOS ANGELES — Jeremy Giambi, a former major league outfielder and first baseman, died Wednesday at his parents’ home in Southern California, police and his agent said. He was 47.

Officers responding around 11:30 a.m. to reports of a medical emergency found Giambi dead at the residence in Claremont, east of Los Angeles, said police Lt. Robert Ewing.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause of death, Ewing said.

Giambi’s agent, Joel Wolfe, said the family requested “that we all respect their privacy during this difficult time.”

A brother of five-time All-Star Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi spent six seasons in the major leagues as an outfielder and first baseman with Kansas City (1998-99), Oakland (2000-02), Philadelphia (2002) and Boston (2002-03).

Jeremy hit .263 with 52 homers and 209 RBIs. His best season was 2001, when he batted .283 with 12 homers and 57 RBIs for the Athletics.

“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a member of our Green and Gold family, Jeremy Giambi,” the Athletics said on Twitter. “We offer our condolences to Jeanne, Jason, and his family and friends.”

Giambi played in the postseason twice with the Athletics and in 2001 was tagged out at home on Derek Jeter’s famous “flip” toss in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.

Born Sept. 30, 1974, in San Jose, he went to South Hills High in West Covina, then played for the California State University, Fullerton team that won the 1995 College World Series.

He signed with the Royals after the team selected him in the sixth round of the 1996 amateur draft.

Giambi testified before a federal grand jury in San Francisco investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative, or BALCO, the company at the center of the sports steroid scandal. He was quoted by The Kansas City Star in 2005 as admitting he used steroids.

“It’s something I did,” Giambi told the newspaper. “I apologize. I made a mistake. I moved on.”

In a 2007 report by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell into drugs in baseball, BALCO founder Victor Conte said he sold steroids known as “the cream” and “the clear” and advised on their use to dozens of elite athletes, including Jason and Jeremy Giambi.