Bay given clearance to resume training

The outfielder hopes to be ready for opening day.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay may not spend another April in Florida after all.
Bay, last season's NL rookie of the year, resumed swinging the bat Tuesday for the first time since bruising a bone in his left wrist on March 8 and is optimistic he'll be ready to travel north with the Pirates for opening day.
Only a few hours before Bay was cleared by team doctors for normal spring training activities, manager Lloyd McClendon was fearful Bay might have to go on the disabled list -- and perhaps stay in Florida -- if he couldn't resume playing by early next week.
"It was one of my concerns," McClendon said. "He's been wanting to get out there and start getting some work done. He will have to tolerate some pain but, if he continues to progress, he should be fine."
Missed first month in 2004
Sitting out early season games would have been a familiar scenario for Bay, who hit .280 with 26 homers and 82 RBIs last season despite missing the first month of the season following shoulder surgery.
This time, the news was more favorable after Bay was examined Tuesday by Mark Baratz, a hand and wrist specialist from Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital. Baratz also examined the MRI performed on Bay after he was injured diving for a fly ball during an exhibition game against the Reds.
"We have two weeks left, so it gives me a lot of time to be hopeful, assuming there are no setbacks and everything goes well with the at-bats I get in minor league camp and the last week of [exhibition] games," Bay said. "That's going to put me in a good position."
Bay tried to be patient, but was unhappy with a second long injury layoff in as many spring trainings. A year ago, he didn't play in a single exhibition game and needed to stay behind at the Pirates' extended spring training camp in Bradenton before being ready in early May.
"The last few days I've kind of been bummed out that things haven't been changing, and then all of a sudden yesterday was good, and today was good news," Bay said. "Now I'm back to being excited and being part of the team again."
McClendon happy
No doubt McClendon was happy, too. He wasn't looking forward to another opener without Bay, the Pirates' No. 3 hitter and the key to an offense that is scrambling to replace Jason Kendall -- long the franchise's one dependable hitter.
Bay's injury is in his left wrist, so he was able to throw during his layoff. He hopes to start swinging off a tee today, then take batting practice by Thursday or Friday. If he can play in major league spring games by early next week, Bay thinks he will get enough at-bats to be ready for the opener.
"My arm feels great throwing every day, it's just get live pitching and my timing down and getting the rust off," Bay said.
Bay was 1-for-15 (.067) before getting hurt but, he said, "It's only been two weeks. It's not like I've been out for five months."
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