LOS ANGELES -- The Giants should know within the next three days whether Barry Bonds will be able to return in even a limited role for the final three weeks of the season, said Brian Sabean, the team's general manager, and confirmed by the left-handed slugger on Monday.

"I'm just waiting on the doctors," Bonds told MLB.com. "I'll see what they say. But that's the direction we're heading."

Bonds, who had surgery three times this year on his right knee in a little more than a three-month period, passed Monday's initial test, taking three rounds of batting practice before the suddenly surging Giants played the Dodgers. He looked no worse for the wear, hitting five of the 17 pitches he swung at into the far reaches of the right field pavilion at Dodger Stadium.

He sprinted in the outfield, worked on some cutting movements and shagged a few fly balls. It was a first step only, Bonds said, noting that he still hasn't determined if he wants to come back in a lesser role than he is accustomed.

"Is it the level of performance that I want to see on the field or will I be satisfied with something else? I really don't know yet," Bonds told reporters after the workout. "When I get back on the field I want to be playing where I left off. I don't want to be playing as a substitute when I get back."

Asked if he would accept a role as a pinch-hitter for awhile, Bonds added: "I know there's a certain role I might have to deal with and that's fine with me. But right now, I want to sit back and get through today. That's the most important thing. I think I did pretty well today. So get through this day and work on tomorrow."

Bonds was cleared to practice by Dr. Lewis Yocum and physical therapist Clive Brewster, who have been overseeing Bonds' rehab at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic on the west side of Los Angeles since June 24. The pair will evaluate the knee on Tuesday morning before clearing him to work out again.

If Bonds makes it through the three days healthy and is released by Yocum and Brewster to the Giants, there's a chance he could be added to the 40-man roster when the team returns to San Francisco on Thursday to open an 11-game homestand against the Cubs.

"We'll know a lot more after these three days," Sabean told MLB.com in the Giants dugout before Bonds had his first workout with the team since mid-March. "If Yocum and Brewster are satisfied that he's ready, we'll move on. It'll be up to him to determine how he feels and how much he wants to do. We'll talk about it. That's the next move before he's reinstated."

After the workout, Sabean told reporters he was even more bullish about Bonds' condition.

"I was beyond pleasantly surprised," he said. "In my mind I thought it might be different than what I actually saw. He's obviously done a lot of work down here. The running drills impressed me. The integrity of his knee was obviously strong. Batting practice he can do in his sleep."

Bonds began taking batting practice last week in the cages at UCLA against long-time batting practice pitcher John Yandle and said that was the key to his positive outing at Dodger Stadium.

"I've been working hard at it," Bonds said. "That's why I hit good today."

Bonds hasn't played since the final game of the 2004 season, having ended the year with 703 homers, 11 behind Babe Ruth's 714 and 52 behind Hank Aaron's 755.

He had arthroscopic surgery on the right knee to remove torn meniscus on Jan. 31 and March 17 and then had surgery to purge a serious bacterial infection on May 2. He also had surgery to shave debris from beneath his left kneecap last October 12 just after the end of the season.

Sabean suggested that he'd probably want Bonds to go through a few simulated games as part of his re-entry. But that has yet to be determined.

"Before he gets into a game I'd like him to see some live pitching and do some base running," Sabean said. "Go from first to third, second to home. He can't do that in batting practice. Normally you'd do it in a (Minor League) rehab situation, but that's out. It depends on how hard he wants to push it."

Bonds said he felt under no pressure to rush back this season. His goal now is to be ready for 2006 so he can fulfill the final year of his contract with the Giants worth $18 million. But if he is cleared to try and play in the next few days, he said he'd be glad to take part in whatever baseball activity the Giants intend to stage.

"I have no problem with any of that," Bonds said. "I'll do whatever they want."

Sabean said that the initial workout was a landmark for both Bonds and the team, but particularly Bonds, who about five weeks ago said he didn't think he would be able to play at all this season.

"Mentally, this was the right thing to do, no matter how it turns out," Sabean said. "It's not like a pitcher, who can sit out the whole year. For a position player it's something you need to get through. A road you need to cross."