OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jason Giambi's left knee is still bothering him and he has staph infections in both of his eyes.
"I have everything," the New York Yankees slugger said Friday.
Manager Joe Torre plans to keep Giambi in the designated hitter role until his health improves and use Nick Johnson at first base.
"If it was a danger, he wouldn't be playing," Torre said. "We'll use him more as a DH probably. He's been dealing with a lot of little things the last couple weeks. He hasn't been to the plate without something wrong. (His eyes) seemed better and came back again. This is his body. Let him talk about it."
Giambi, who bruised his left middle finger in April, has been taking medicine for his eyes and saw a specialist Friday in the Bay area. He also visited a specialist in New York last week.
He is hitting .213 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs, and Torre said he doesn't believe the eye problems are affecting Giambi too much in the batter's box.
"It's sore, but you just go play," Giambi said of his knee. "I'm just starting off slow. I'm dinged up a little bit. But with guys out of the lineup I have to play."
On Friday, he began a three-game series against his former team -- his second trip back to Oakland since signing a $120 million, seven-year contract with the Yankees after the 2001 season.
He was booed by the early arrivals at the Coliseum before batting practice had even begun.
"I like coming back to play here," he said. "It was home for seven years. It's fun to see everybody, to see the guys and the people who work here. They (fans) were sad to see me go, but they have moved on. Everybody is doing great on both ends."
Despite his ailments, the 2000 AL MVP is hitting 5-for-14 (.357) on the team's current six-game road trip. Giambi hit a three-run homer on Thursday in a 16-5 win at Seattle.
He enjoys facing the A's, and talked to several of his old teammates
"I have everything," the New York Yankees slugger said Friday.
Manager Joe Torre plans to keep Giambi in the designated hitter role until his health improves and use Nick Johnson at first base.
"If it was a danger, he wouldn't be playing," Torre said. "We'll use him more as a DH probably. He's been dealing with a lot of little things the last couple weeks. He hasn't been to the plate without something wrong. (His eyes) seemed better and came back again. This is his body. Let him talk about it."
Giambi, who bruised his left middle finger in April, has been taking medicine for his eyes and saw a specialist Friday in the Bay area. He also visited a specialist in New York last week.
He is hitting .213 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs, and Torre said he doesn't believe the eye problems are affecting Giambi too much in the batter's box.
"It's sore, but you just go play," Giambi said of his knee. "I'm just starting off slow. I'm dinged up a little bit. But with guys out of the lineup I have to play."
On Friday, he began a three-game series against his former team -- his second trip back to Oakland since signing a $120 million, seven-year contract with the Yankees after the 2001 season.
He was booed by the early arrivals at the Coliseum before batting practice had even begun.
"I like coming back to play here," he said. "It was home for seven years. It's fun to see everybody, to see the guys and the people who work here. They (fans) were sad to see me go, but they have moved on. Everybody is doing great on both ends."
Despite his ailments, the 2000 AL MVP is hitting 5-for-14 (.357) on the team's current six-game road trip. Giambi hit a three-run homer on Thursday in a 16-5 win at Seattle.
He enjoys facing the A's, and talked to several of his old teammates
