CLEVELAND -- Joe Torre isn't so sure slugger Jason Giambi
will be back with the New York Yankees this season. "It's getting more and more remote in my mind," the Yankees
manager said Tuesday. Slowed by a respiratory infection, Giambi has no timetable for
when he'll resume taking batting practice. "We don't have one right now," Giambi said after a two-hour
indoor workout in Tampa, Florida. Giambi started working out at the team's spring training complex
two weeks ago to get into shape after being diagnosed with a benign
tumor last month. "We've been taking it easy and trying not to over do it,"
Giambi said. Giambi also strained his left groin last week during a
conditioning drill, which has kept him from an outdoor running
program. "We tried the one day (Sunday) and was able to do a few
things," Giambi said. "I wasn't able to get running, so we cut
that back a little bit." The five-time All-Star's goal is to rejoin the Yankees this
season. And despite the setbacks, Giambi feels as if he's making
progress. "We're going in the right direction," he said. Torre said he'll wait until he sees Giambi take some swings
before making any kind of decision. "If he plays, I'm not sure how much of him we're getting,"
Torre said. Giambi has felt weak most of the season and hasn't played since
July 23. The Yankees first diagnosed Giambi with an intestinal parasite,
then said July 30 he had a benign tumor, without disclosing its
location. Before Giambi was put on the disabled list, he was hitless in 21
consecutive at-bats, dropping his average to .221. He has 11 homers
and 36 RBIss after batting .250 with 41 homers and 107 RBIss last
season.
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