Signs are pointing to Jose Mesa staying on as the Pirates' closer next year.

Mesa wants it to happen, and the team apparently does, too.

"No question about it, I would love to be here again," Mesa said yesterday in his first interview in nearly a month. "But that's up to them. If I'm here, I will be very happy again."

Mesa, 39, is in the final guaranteed year of a contract with a salary of $2 million. He has a 2006 team option worth $4 million. If the team declines the option, Mesa is owed a $500,000 buyout.

The Pirates have not fully determined their plan for Mesa, but management is leaning toward bringing him back for another year. The team is not likely to exercise the $4 million option, though, and could seek to negotiate a lower salary.

Mesa has been wobbly at times this season, allowing opponents to bat .288 against him and posting a 3.76 earned run average, but he has nailed down 26 of 29 possible saves. His save total is seventh highest in Major League Baseball, and his three blown saves are second fewest among those with 27 or more opportunities.

In his two seasons with the Pirates, Mesa is 69 of 77 in save situations. Only Kent Tekulve (158), Mike Williams (140) and Dave Giusti (133) have had more saves in Pittsburgh.

Mesa has made no secret of his eagerness to remain a closer. His 318 saves are tied with Rick Aguilera for 12th on the all-time list, and he would like to continue climbing it with the Pirates, who have shown unwavering trust in him in that role.

"When I signed here, I wanted to prove I could still do this job," he said. "They were doubting me in Philadelphia, and I came here and did it. I'm still doing it."

The Pirates have been grooming Mike Gonzalez to succeed Mesa as closer, but Gonzalez's season has been disrupted by a knee injury that started troubling him in May and has had him on the disabled list for the past six weeks. Management will be reluctant to have him open next season as the closer without some experience in the role.

Mesa had not been speaking to the media since the All-Star break because, he revealed yesterday, he did not wish to address trade speculation.

The Pirates did try to deal Mesa by the non-waiver deadline that passed Sunday, but they drew little interest.

"I'm glad I didn't get traded," Mesa said. "This is where I want to be."

North Side notches

Outfielder Jody Gerut was held out of the lineup because of soreness in his surgically repaired right knee, but there was no immediate indication the injury represented a significant setback. The Pirates' medical staff determined Gerut's knee was slightly twisted Wednesday, causing discomfort below the patella tendon. He is listed as day to day.

Starter Oliver Perez threw a 35-pitch bullpen session. He said his toe, which was broken six weeks ago, has caused him "no problem at all." The team has not yet determined when he can begin a rehabilitation assignment.

Gonzalez threw a 45-pitch bullpen session. His next step will be a simulated game Sunday, a round of catch Monday and the beginning of a rehabilitation stint -- probably with Class AAA Indianapolis -- Tuesday.

A current starter will be removed from the rotation when Perez returns, manager Lloyd McClendon said. There is no indication who that might be. Only Zach Duke and Dave Williams have pitched above average of late. Mark Redman, Kip Wells and Josh Fogg all have struggled. Asked if there were any chance he could use six starters in some form, McClendon replied, "Highly unlikely."

Outfielder Craig Wilson, out because of a fractured hand, still has no timetable to resume swinging a bat.

In the 28 games Ryan Vogelsong has pitched since becoming a reliever in June 2004, including yesterday, the Pirates are 1-27 and have been outscored, 225-63. Vogelsong seldom has been brought into tight games.