DUNEDIN, Fla. - Jason Bay doesn't want to think about missing a second consecutive Pittsburgh Pirates season opener. A few more days of inactivity, and he might have to do exactly that.

Bay, last season's NL rookie of the year, hasn't swung a bat since bruising his left wrist diving for a fly ball March 8. That layoff reaches two weeks today, or what Bay was told would be the maximum amount of time he would be out.

"I'd like to get him back out there," manager Lloyd McClendon said Monday. "We're going to have to get something determined in the next three or four days. We're going to have to make a decision, and I'm not sure what it's going to be."

The Pirates hoped Bay would be ready to swing the bat again last Friday, but he has been held back by persistent soreness in the wrist - a discouraging setback for a player who missed spring training last year following shoulder surgery.

"It's frustrating," said Bay, who has been limited to 15 at-bats and an .067 average this spring.

If he's not ready by the end of the week, it's likely Bay might have to stay behind in extended spring training, just as he did last year when he missed the opening month of the season.

"The rest of this week is certainly important for him," McClendon said.

After getting married and moving into a new house in the Phoenix area during the offseason, Bay was looking forward to a normal spring training and a full season.

"But if he's not able to do it, he's not able to do it," McClendon said.

The race for the No. 5 starter'sjob appears to be down to left-handers Dave Williams and Zach Duke, the rookie whose unexpectedly good spring has complicated the Pirates' plans.It now seems likely that Ryan Vogelsong, who struggled as a starter last season, will start the season in the bullpen. He pitched in relief Monday against the Blue Jays, allowing two runs in five innings. Albie Lopez, the Devil Rays' opening day starter in 2001, hasn't pitched in a game in 10 days due to a calf injury, effectively eliminating him from consideration.Duke has been the better of the two pitchers and almost certainly would be McClendon's choice to start the season - unless, of course, he pitched terribly for the rest of camp.But financial and medical considerations also factor into the Pirates' decision, and they may not weigh in Duke's favor.Duke was the Pirates' 20th-round pick in the June 2001 draft, which means he doesn't have to go on their 40-man roster until November. But they must create a roster spot for him if he stays - possibly exposing another prospect to being claimed on waivers - and he immediately starts on the clock toward salary arbitration.---

With Justin Reid back in the minor league camp, three relievers appear to be competing for the final job on the 25-man roster: non-roster right-hander Mark Corey, former Twins reliever Joe Roa and Rick White, who broke into the majors with Pittsburgh in 1994.As of now, the Pirates' staff shapes up as:Starters: Oliver Perez, Kip Wells, Mark Redman, Josh Fogg and Williams/Duke. Williams may go back to Triple-A to start if he's not on the opening day roster.Relievers: Vogelsong, Jose Mesa, Salomon Torres, Brian Meadows, Mike Gonzalez, John Grabow and the reliever to be determined.The rest of the roster: 1B-OF Craig Wilson, 2B Jose Castillo, SS Jack Wilson, 3B Ty Wigginton, INF Freddy Sanchez, INF Bobby Hill, 1B Daryle Ward, C Benito Santiago, C Humberto Cota, OF Jason Bay, OF Tike Redman, OF Rob Mackowiak and OF Matt Lawton.Notes:The Pirates' minor league teams have started playing exhibition games at the Pirate City complex. ... Relievers Brian Meadows, Salomon Torres and John Grabow pitched at the minor league camp Monday. ... General manager Dave Littlefield said prospects Bobby Bradley and Ian Snell, who were among the 11 roster cuts Sunday, will begin the season in Triple-A Indianapolis' starting rotation.