Shortstop Jack Wilson, back with the Pirates yesterday after his wife gave birth last Wednesday, made clear his dissatisfaction with manager Jim Tracy's order that he return to the team within two days.

But he also stressed that he did not stay away from the team until yesterday as any form of protest.

"Absolutely not," Wilson said. "I was taking care of my family."

Wilson said there were minor complications just before his wife, Julie, gave birth to the couple's third child, and that resulted in her staying two extra days at a San Diego hospital. She checked out Saturday afternoon, shortly before Wilson's scheduled flight to Chicago, where he was to meet the team in time for the game Sunday.

Wilson phoned Brian Graham, the interim general manager at the time, and sought permission to stay two more days, including the Pirates' scheduled day off Monday. Permission was granted.

Wilson said yesterday that all teams should follow Major League Baseball's unwritten rule that players should get three days of paternity leave.

"Family comes first," Wilson said. "We have jobs to do, and I understand that. But even playoff teams give three days, and there's a reason for that: Our wives in baseball already go through a lot with us being away so much, and there are times when they really need us to be there for them. I needed to be there for my family."

When Wilson arrived at PNC Park yesterday, he saw his name out of the lineup, even though the right hamstring that slowed him last week was fine.

Tracy's explanation was that he had not conferred with the athletic trainers regarding Wilson before the lineup was made.

"I need to know 100 percent that the hamstring is no issue whatsoever," Tracy said.

Reliever Salomon Torres had a similar scenario last week, and he, too, appealed to Graham for an extra day.

"I was pacing back and forth the morning I was supposed to leave to go back to the team," Torres said. "I just couldn't do it. I couldn't leave her."

One more shot at 15

Tracy and Tom Gorzelanny met and agreed he would make one more start, Saturday night against the St. Louis Cardinals, even though he already has pitched a career-high 195 2/3 innings.

"He's feeling fine, and he wants to do it," Tracy said. "We've said all along that we want to get these young pitchers ready to pitch meaningful games at this point next year, and this is another step."

It also will provide a final chance at a 15th victory for Gorzelanny.

Buried treasure

Zach Duke will start the opener of that series Friday. The starter for the season finale Sunday remains to be determined. That would be Ian Snell's turn, but Tracy decided that Snell's start last night would be his last, as his inning count entering the day was a career-high 202.

Left fielder Jason Bay, still experiencing soreness in his right knee, was limited to pinch-hitting. He is not likely to play much in the final week.

Snell said last night he has instructed his agent, Joe Sroba, to engage the Pirates in talks regarding a contract extension. The Pirates own Snell's rights for four more years.