SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — San Francisco left-hander Noah Lowry missed his second straight mound session of the spring Tuesday after developing tightness in his left shoulder blade during pre-spring throwing sessions.

Lowry, attempting to win a spot in the Giants rotation after missing the entire 2008 season, instead threw off flat ground in the Giants spring training complex.

"You take a year off, you are bound to have a little tightness," said Lowry, who has not pitched since August 2007.

Lowry, 28, underwent surgery for exertional compartment syndrome in his left forearm March 7, 2008 and then had an arthroscopic procedure to remove a bone spur from his left elbow in September, as he was preparing to pitch in the Arizona Rookie League.

Lowry said he pitched off a mound only twice between his two operations last year.

"Of course I want to be out there," Lowry, who was 14-8 in 2007 despite missing the final month of that season with tightness in his left forearm, said. "I've worked hard all offseason, day in and day out, to get to this point. The main thing is (developing arm) strength, but at the same time I don't want to go out there and set myself back to a point where I might have to take a couple of days off."

Lowry led Giants' pitchers in wins in 2007 but enters camp as a candidate for the No. 5 spot in the rotation behind Tim Lincecum, Randy Johnson, Matt Cain and Barry Zito.

Manager Bruce Bochy said Lowry is scheduled to throw off a mound Thursday.