"If I break camp with the team, it's going to end up being the same role. I have to get ready to do that," Meadows said. "[Injuries are] going to happen. It's not something you'd like to see. But things like this happen."

It is unclear how severe Reed's injury is or how much time he will miss. But his ability to make the rotation as the fifth starter rests primarily with his ability to stay healthy.

Reed, who will be 40 in August, was on the disabled list with a lower back strain with the Twins last year. He first felt back pain Saturday while participating in a bunt drill, but it felt fine yesterday until he went to get loose for the game.

"I don't think it's the same thing. I could barely walk last year. I can walk now," Reed said. "Hopefully, it's not the same thing. We can get it taken care of now and I get back on the field where I belong. Hopefully, it's just a back spasm.

"Hopefully, it's just a couple of days thing. I don't know how many days it's going to take."

The Pirates would rather have Meadows and Salomon Torres pitch strictly from the bullpen this season. But if something unexpected happens, they provide some insurance.

"I hope I don't need him to spot start,'' Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "If that's the case, we're probably in trouble. We think we've got ourselves to a position where we have plenty of depth in starters. We're a better bullpen, a stronger club with both those guys in the bullpen."

Meadows had always been a starter until he was moved to the bullpen last spring. He adapted well to pitching in relief.

"I love it down there [in the bullpen],'' said Meadows, who made seven starts in his 34 appearance last season. "In the bullpen, you have more chances to get in the game, more opportunities to pitch. My arm bounces back pretty fast. The best place for me to help the team is in the bullpen.

"If you have somebody who can throw three or four days in a row, or if they need someone to eat up five or six innings, then, of course, that's valuable on any team. With me and Salomon, they have either one of us if they need somebody for a spot start. I knew what I was going to be doing. I knew that was going to be my role this year. I'm just trying to get ready to do it. You just have to be ready to take the ball whenever they say."

Meadows pitched the first two innings yesterday and gave up two runs, but he was not involved in the decision as the Pirates lost to the New York Yankees, 5-3. The goal is to get him prepared to pitch four innings by the end of camp. That way, he'll be able to swing back and forth if needed.

Having pitched for two seasons with Kansas City, he was familiar with the Yankees. While he was impressed with their high-priced lineup, he wasn't in awe.

"If you make your pitches, you're going to get the guys out," Meadows said. "They have a lot of big-name guys, but they're not people I haven't faced before. I've pitched against everyone in that lineup at one time or another. I just haven't had them back to back to back to back like that. It's impressive, but every lineup's tough.

"Once the game starts, it's just another game. The Yankees do things differently than anybody else. You know who they are. You really can't help but sit back and watch, but you always want to go up against them. They're like America's team. When you think of baseball, you think of the New York Yankees."