BRADENTON, Fla. - Rick Reed would like to pitch for the team that traded him over a decade ago. First, he must prove he is healthy.

Reed, a 39-year-old right-hander, is trying to come back with the Pittsburgh Pirates by winning the fifth starter's spot.

His biggest adversary, however, might not be the other competitors in camp. It might be his creaky back.

Reed missed his start Sunday against the New York Yankees because of lower back stiffness, the same injury that forced him to the disabled list during the 2003 season. Tests taken on Reed's back were negative, but the Pirates don't know when he'll be cleared to pitch.

Reed injured his back during a bunt drill Saturday and felt fine on the bus ride to Tampa the next day to face the Yankees.

"I went to warm up and said, 'There's no way I can do this,'" Reed said. "If I went out there and tried to do something with this, I could hurt my arm."

Reed didn't pitch from Aug. 20 to Sept. 7 with the Minnesota Twins because of a back problem.

"I don't think it's the same thing," Reed said. "I could barely walk last year. I can walk now."

The Pirates signed Reed with the intent of giving him every chance to win the lone vacancy in the rotation. Manager Lloyd McClendon isn't concerned with Reed's 7.20 ERA through two starts. He simply wants to see Reed remain healthy.

"I want to make sure he's free and easy and not laboring to make his pitches," McClendon said. "I equate him to a guy like (Jeff) Suppan, a veteran who starts slowly and builds up better each time he goes out there."

Reed was drafted by the Pirates in 1986 and pitched in Pittsburgh for parts of four seasons before being released late in the 1992 spring training. It wasn't until 1997 that Reed established himself in the majors, winning 78 games over the next six seasons.

Reed, however, is trying to rebound from one of his worst years. He was 6-12 with a 5.07 ERA with the Twins and finished in the bullpen. Besides his back problems, he was bothered by groin and abdominal injuries.