The Associated Press

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte had just arrived at spring training Sunday when Houston Astros manager Jimy Williams announced that neither one would start on opening day.

But the decision to go with Roy Oswalt came as no surprise to the ex-Yankees.

"Jimy and I talked about it a couple of weeks ago and that's how we talked about it," Clemens said. "To me, all the guys are deserving. We've all had our opportunities to start opening day."

Oswalt, one of three holdovers from last year's rotation, along with Wade Miller and Tim Redding, is one of the best young pitchers in baseball. But he was hampered by chronic groin injuries in 2003 and had surgery in the offseason to correct the problem.

Clemens and Pettitte were the Astros' two big offseason acquisitions, but Williams decided to go with Oswalt against Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants in Houston on April 5.

"He has come through the (farm) system and he was injured . . . three times with his groin, and basically could have packed it in," Williams said. "He could have said, 'I'm injured, I need an operation, I might hurt myself if I try to continue pitching.' "

Pettitte will go second in the rotation, followed by his pal Clemens. Miller, the club's opening day starter in 2002, will pitch fourth, and Redding is No. 5.

Setting up the starting rotation two weeks before exhibition games begin gives the pitchers time to prepare their throwing routines in February, a luxury Pettitte said he and Clemens never had in New York.

"Usually, that's top secret where we come from," said Pettitte, who shares famously rigorous workout habits with Clemens.

Oswalt, a 19-game winner in 2002, was on the disabled list three times last season. But he returned to the mound and won four games down the stretch as Houston's bid to catch the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central fell just short.

"If I go first or I go third, it doesn't matter," Oswalt said. "It's an honor, so of course it's special, but I don't see (the others) behind me. I see them with me."

Despite constant pain and limited action, Oswalt, 26, went 10-5 with a 2.97 ERA in 21 starts. His 2.92 ERA the last three seasons is better than either Clemens or Pettitte.

Williams' decision was partly to reward Oswalt, and to position the left-handed Pettitte between the team's top right-handers.

"I basically thought that way after the season, before these other two big pitchers came in," Williams said. "But we're certainly happy to have them."

Williams told the pitchers of his final decision just hours after pitchers and catchers underwent physicals and prepared for the first workout of spring training.

The Ast-throws

Holdover Roy Oswalt will start opening day for the Astros - not newcomers Roger Clemens or Andy Pettitte. A look at the Astros' starting rotation, and the pitchers' 2003 stats:

Pitcher	IP	H	W-L	ERA
Roy Oswalt	127	116	10-5	2.97
Andy Pettitte	208	227	21-8	4.02
Roger Clemens	212	199	17-9	3.91
Wade Miller	187	168	14-13	4.13
Tim Redding	176	179	10-14	3.68