Dale Sveum, a former Pirate who managed Class AA Altoona for three seasons, might attract consideration for the Pirates' managerial job.

"My name's going to get tossed around just because of the fact that I managed most of the kids there," Sveum said. "Whether things go any further, who knows?"

Sveum, currently the third-base coach for the Boston Red Sox, guided Altoona to a 213-211 record. His final team in 2003 included nine players who reached the major leagues with the Pirates and a 10th, Chris Shelton, who is in the big leagues with Detroit.

"He knew the game in and out," center fielder Chris Duffy said. "He studies the game as much as anybody I've ever seen. He probably knows as much baseball as any guy I've ever met."

"I guess you'd consider him very old school," left-hander John Grabow said. "He had some rules that taught you how to respect the game. After a loss, you couldn't [eat], couldn't get in the shower, until 15 minutes after the game.

"He was real strict on the fundamentals of the game and just playing the game right. I thought he was a great manager. He taught me a lot about the game and taught me a lot about the mental part of the game and how to battle through adversity."

Sveum said the Pirates haven't asked for permission to speak with him.

"It's nothing to dwell on now because you understand the whole process," Sveum said. "You don't think about it until it's a serious issue or someone calls. Until then, you don't dwell on it because anyone's name can get thrown out there.

"I want to manage. You're always going to be interested if someone wants to interview you -- and especially [in Pittsburgh] because I'm familiar with all of those kids and the city and everything."

One wonders if the Pirates will have a new manager in place by the time the organizational meetings begin Oct. 10 in Bradenton, Fla.

In Duffy's corner

Current interim manager Pete Mackanin could rate attention as the permanent successor to Lloyd McClendon, who was fired Sept. 6.

Whether he gets the job or not, Mackanin because Duffy has earned the regular center fielder's job next season.

"I felt he was capable of doing what he's doing," said Mackanin, who managed Duffy at Class A Lynchburg in 2002. "To me, the only question was offense. And he seems to have shown he can handle himself [offensively] here. I don't know if he's going to hit .330, but he's a good enough hitter. For my money, he's the center fielder next year.

"He's a legitimate center fielder [defensively]. He's a prototypical center fielder. He runs everything down. He's not afraid of the wall. He'll dive.

"For me, the job of the center fielder is to catch every fly ball that is hit, and he has the corner men to help him out. That's the attitude I think a center fielder has to have -- 'If it's hit, I'm going to go catch it. And, when I can't get to it, somebody's there to help me.' And that's the way Chris is."

North Side notches

Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson couldn't wait to get on the team's charter flight for Los Angeles yesterday. "I'm home," said Wilson, who grew up in suburban Thousand Oaks, Calif. "That's where home is. I get to spend most of the day at my house hanging out and then go to Dodger Stadium and play, then go back to my house and sleep in my bed. Yeah! Home."

Jason Bay's 14-game hitting streak -- the longest for the Pirates this season -- ended yesterday with an 0 for 4. During the streak, Bay was 23 for 55 (.418) with five home runs and 18 RBIs.