DENVER -- The Pirates pondered a change to their starting rotation, but they decided against it.

For now.

		MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Monday's results INDIANAPOLIS (65-52) lost at Louisville, 7-5. RHP Neal McDade (0-2, 6.33) lasted one inning, allowing six runs and seven hits. SS J.J. Furmaniak (.267) hit his 15th home run, a triple and a single and had two RBIs. 1B Graham Koonce (.264) hit his 22nd home run, his second in as many games. C Ronny Paulino (.346), 2B Bobby Hill (.279) and 3B Ty Wigginton (.276) each doubled and singled. ALTOONA (61-53) beat Bowie, 5-4. RHP Jason Roach (4.76) allowed four runs, three earned, in seven innings. The Curve trailed, 4-3, going into the bottom of the ninth, but two-out RBI doubles by CF Rajai Davis (.287) and 2B Craig Stansberry (.225) capped the two-run rally. Davis went 2 for 4 with two doubles and a walk. He also committed his 10th error. LYNCHBURG (64-51) lost at Salem, 9-2. LHP Kyle Bloom (6-3, 3.47) lasted three innings, allowing seven runs, five earned. SS Brandon Chaves (.285) went 2 for 4 with a double. HICKORY (46-63) lost to Delmarva, 10-4. RHP Julio Guerrero (10-4, 4.49) lasted four innings, allowing eight runs, six earned. RF Antonio Sucre (.254) went 3 for 4. C Neil Walker (.285) went 1 for 4 with a double. WILLIAMSPORT (27-20) lost to Auburn, 6-4. RHP Joe Bauserman (2.85) allowed three runs, one earned, in five innings. 2B John Santiago (.267) went 4 for 4 with a double. CF Brad Corley (.264) hit his second home run. BRADENTON (21-18) beat the Reds, 7-3. RHP Julio Castro (3-1, 1.83) allowed two runs, one earned, in five innings. CF Andrew McCutchen (.274) went 0 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout.

Josh Fogg will make his scheduled start this afternoon against the Colorado Rockies, and Ian Snell will remain in the bullpen. There remains, though, a strong indication from management that that could change at any time.

General manager Dave Littlefield and manager Lloyd McClendon met Tuesday at Coors Field. Neither discussed specifics of their discussion, but pitching -- including Fogg's status -- apparently were among the topics.

"You think about every possibility when an individual struggles," Littlefield said last night. "As we say in the business, everything is subject to change. You're always considering what you can do to make an individual better or, if you feel you've given him enough time, if it's time to look at something different."

And why no switch?

"Right now, we're going with Fogg."

Whatever can be made of management's view, it cannot be interpreted as an emphatic endorsement of Fogg, who is 1-4 with a 5.65 earned run average in his past 12 starts.

Meanwhile, management is speaking of Snell in hopeful tones.

Asked if he plans to use Snell as a starter at some point this season, McClendon replied: "Sure. I'd like to see him start two or three more times. I'm not sure how that's going to play out. But I'm intrigued by his stuff."

He also described Snell's assignment to the bullpen as being "for right now."

Since Snell was promoted from Class AAA Indianapolis June 26, he has made two starts and nine relief appearances, including last night. That, Snell said, has not allowed him to feel nearly as comfortable as he did as a full-time starter in the minors.

"I just want to help the team," Snell said. "If they want me to stay in the bullpen, that's fine with me, even though I'd rather be a starter. If they want me to start, I'll start. But I want to stay in one place. That way, I can have my rhythm. I'm not staying in one place right now, so it's not really helping me focus."

Snell is coming off a poor start Sunday at PNC Park, having allowed six runs in two-plus innings. Since then, he said, several teammates have offered encouragement, including starter Mark Redman and relievers Rick White and Jose Mesa. Shortstop Jack Wilson made Snell a CD-ROM of Pedro Martinez highlights to inspire him.

"They really lifted my spirits," Snell said.

There remains uncertainty as to whether Snell will become a starter or reliever for the long term. Standard baseball thinking has it that a starter needs to be bigger than Snell -- 5 feet 11, 180 pounds -- to maintain stamina over the course of a 30-start season.

Snell apparently is not a subscriber to such thinking.

"Size doesn't matter at all," he said. "Look at Pedro. Look at Roy Oswalt. There are a lot of short pitchers out there. And I've never had a problem with my arm. I have faith in God. If you don't have that faith, you'll never stay healthy. I know I can start. I just don't have any confidence right now. Hopefully, I'll get that back soon."

North Side notches

Littlefield said he will decide McClendon's future and that of the coaching staff as individuals rather than as a group. All of their contracts expire after this season. Littlefield reiterated he has no timetable for his decision: "It's not something I'm focused on right now."

Outfielder Craig Wilson was examined by Dr. Mark Baratz, the Pirates' hand specialist, yesterday in Pittsburgh, and some progress was reported in his broken hand. The bone that was fractured is healing, but Wilson remains weak in the pinky and ring fingers. He can begin more range-of-motion exercises, and he is "getting closer" to swinging a bat, Littlefield said.

Utilityman Rob Mackowiak sat out last night because of tenderness in his left knee. He was injured while fouling off a pitch Tuesday. He remains listed as day to day, although McClendon said he would be available to pinch-hit.

Center fielder Chris Duffy sat out a third game because of a strained hamstring, but McClendon described it as "much improved."

When Dave Williams, Brian Meadows and White did not strike out any Colorado batters in the 12-4 victory Tuesday, they snapped quite a streak. The Pirates had gone 504 consecutive games of striking out at least one batter. In that span, they fanned 3,038.

Reliever Mike Gonzalez retired the side with a strikeout last night in his first rehabilitation appearance with Indianapolis, at Louisville.