YANKEE NOTES

When manager Joe Torre started Jason Giambi in the first three games off the DL last week it was assumed Torre wanted to chip away the rust and get his DH ready for October.

Now, after Giambi went 0-for-11, fanned six times and didn’t start the last three games, Giambi’s roster spot for the ALDS isn’t secure.

“It comes down to options,” Torre said prior to last night’s game against Toronto, when he used Ruben Sierra in the DH slot for the third consecutive game. “It’s Jason or somebody else. You have to figure who brings more to the table.”

Giambi, who is in a career-high 0-for-32 slump and batting an embarrassing .211, can’t provide Torre with any options if he can’t get his timing at the plate and start hitting. Torre could go with outfielder Bubba Crosby, who can play all three positions and be used as a pinch-runner. Or Torre could take an 11th pitcher.

Torre talked to Giambi yesterday and told him he sees a hitter rushing to get his timing.

“He is hurrying up to get better,” Torre said. “I will pick my spots [when to play Giambi].”

If Torre didn’t play Giambi last night against Blue Jays lefty Gustavo Chacin, who made his major league debut, it’s not likely Torre will start Giambi against lefty Ted Lilly tomorrow.

“We need for him to feel good about himself,” Torre said. “Right now he isn’t carrying the confidence he needs.”

Giambi believes there is enough time to get right but also knows there is more to the issue than him.

“It would be nice to snap my fingers and wake up and be the old player but my body got beat up,” said Giambi, who was out since July 23 until last Tuesday with an intestinal parasite and a benign tumor.

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Kevin Brown, who is not a candidate to start Sunday in Boston, had his broken left hand examined by Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser yesterday and received encouraging news but didn’t know exactly when the pins will be removed.

“He was very pleased with the way it is healing,” said Brown, who broke the hand foolishly punching a Yankee clubhouse wall on Sept. 3.

Brown is slated to see Rosenwasser on Friday and the pins could come out then.

“Hopefully, Friday the pins will come out and he could possibly pitch a game before the season [ends],” GM Brian Cashman said.

The next step after the pins coming out is to see if Brown can field a ball without pain.

As for the Yankees disciplining Brown, he hadn’t heard anything definitive.