A rusty Jason Giambi met new Sky Sox teammates Monday and flashed the power stroke that prompted the Colorado Rockies to sign him.

The 38-year-old slugger isn’t expected to play for Colorado Springs until Wednesday but took batting practice during regular pre-game drills on his first day in town.

“I felt great,” said Giambi, who started slowly but looked better in his second and third rounds in the batter’s box. “I just need more game situations. I’ve been hitting off pitching machines.”

Sky Sox manager Stu Cole figures his newest player will DH against Salt Lake on Wednesday after knocking off more of the rust today.

Giambi’s last game with the Oakland A’s was July 19. He went on the disabled list a day later with a quadriceps injury and was released Aug. 7.

The Rockies signed Giambi to a minor-league contract and are expected to promote him when rosters are expanded Sept. 1. His fly-ball swing could be effective in the light air of Coors Field as a left-handed pinch-hitter or occasional replacement for first baseman Todd Helton

“I know my role off the bench,” Giambi said. “My ego’s not in the way at all. This is a good fit for me. I want to play a few more years.”

Giambi was the American League MVP in 2000 — he finished in the top eight in MVP voting from 1999-2002 — but admitted in grand jury testimony on Dec. 11, 2003, to using steroids. He ranks eighth among active players in home runs (409) and ninth in RBIs (1,319) but hit just .193 with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs in 269 at-bats with the A’s this season.

“It’s always a positive to have a guy that’s been around that long,” Cole said. “And when he’s done what he has, you hope it rubs off. I talked to some people who’ve been around him and they say he’s a good guy.”

Cole said adding a 15-year major leaguer “is just like having a guy join us on rehab.”

Sky Sox catcher Sal Fasano and infielder Mark Bellhorn are former big-league teammates of Giambi.

While Giambi rehabbed his quad injury and tried to stay in shape during his month-long hiatus in Las Vegas, he was confident of a return to the majors.

“We were talking to some clubs,” he said, “so I knew it was going to happen. I’m a little later in my career but I still love to play. I was honored (the Rockies) called.”

PIT STOP

Like most minor-league teams, the Sky Sox have a rich history of watching past players develop into All-Stars. Jim Thome, Matt Holliday, Juan Pierre and Sandy Alomar Jr. all passed through town on the way up the ladder. But, as with Jason Giambi, Colorado Springs has also been a brief home to established stars as they’ve worked through injuries or periods of inactivity on their way back to the majors. Here are some of the best:

TODD HELTON

The best player in Rockies history played in the Springs on the way up and for two short stops in 2005 and ’06 while rehabbing injuries. Of course, he hit here like everywhere else, posting a .354 average in 474 at bats.

GREG VAUGHN

All but three of Vaughn’s 355 career home runs had already been hit by the time he first played at Security Service Field in 2003. His time here was memorable, as he cracked 12 homers in 25 games.

ERIC YOUNG

The father of the Sky Sox’s current electrifying second baseman spent seven days with Colorado Springs during his only All-Star season in 1996, when he led the National League with 53 stolen bases and batted .324.

BRENT BRIGGEMAN, THE GAZETTE

Jason Giambi took his first Sky Sox batting practice on Monday. His first game will probably be Wednesday. Photo by Bryan Oller