OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jason Giambi is the kind of slugger that George Steinbrenner covets and when word of Steinbrenner's fascination with the A's first baseman wafted to the West Coast prior to the trade deadline, Giambi was flattered.

	Jason Giambi First Base Oakland Athletics Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R SB AVG 114 29 91 74 1 .330

"The man wants to win," Giambi told the New York Daily News on Sunday. "When he thinks highly of you, you take it as a compliment. ... That's a man and organization that's definitely committed to winning. That's apparent when you see all of their moves."

Giambi is a free agent after this season and, depending on what the Yankees decide about fellow free agent Tino Martinez, likely will be romanced by the Yankees.

Giambi and the A's were discussing a six-year, $91 million deal earlier this year, talks that collapsed when the A's refused to give him a no-trade clause. Giambi was still in green and gold after the trade deadline, so he's dedicated to making the playoffs this year.

Afterward, who knows? When asked if he had any preferences, Giambi told the Daily News, "I have no idea. I haven't even thought about it. We've worked so hard to get where we are now. Afterward, I'll sit down and go from there."

Giambi added: "There comes a point where you have to have that willingness to win. Mark (McGwire), one of Giambi's best friends) said it best when he was here. He didn't want to be part of the rebuilding process. He wanted to have a chance to win, that's why he left. You have to take that into consideration.

"We have an incredible team here, but there are a lot of what-ifs -- (Johnny) Damon, (Jason) Isringhausen. (Jermaine) Dye was a tremendous pickup, but those are three big boys who'll be free agents, too. We have to see."