Jose Bautista moving to center field?

Ryan Doumit trying first base?

Ronny Paulino suddenly entrenched as the starting catcher?

The Pirates already have done plenty of in-season shuffling with their young players, including the above examples, even though teams generally have such significant issues sorted out in spring training. Or, in the case of position changes, much earlier in the player's professional career.

	MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Wednesday's results INDIANAPOLIS (21-18) lost to Charlotte, 8-4. LHP Sean Burnett (2-3, 6.99) allowed five runs and eight hits in four-plus innings. He struck out one, walked three and threw 50 of 77 pitches for strikes. CF Rajai Davis (.244) went 1 for 2 with three walks. ALTOONA (26-14) beat Reading, 13-5. RHP Jason Roach (4-2, 1.81) allowed four runs, one earned, in 41/3 innings. CF Vic Buttler (.321) went 3 for 5 with his third home run, a grand slam. He also had his seventh triple and six RBIs. RF Adam Boeve (.333) went 3 for 4 with a walk and two RBIs. LYNCHBURG (18-19) lost to Wilmington, 5-4. RHP Matt Guillory (4-2, 5.35) allowed five runs in five innings. 1B Mike Carlin (.279) hit his sixth home run. HICKORY (15-22) won at Kannapolis, 8-0. RHP Todd Redmond (4-2, 2.61) pitched six scoreless innings. LF Jason Delaney (.324) went 4 for 5. CF Andrew McCutchen (.300) went 1 for 5 with a double.

Manager Jim Tracy, whose voice has been influential in personnel matters since his hiring, said he views it as a simple matter of a new coaching staff learning new players.

"It's unfair to paint a group of people based on six weeks of Grapefruit League games and say everything should be right in place," Tracy said yesterday. "You know, you guys have talked a lot to me about what's taken place over the course of the last 13 years. And you're talking about some people who were here that were dear friends of mine, people I hold with the utmost respect for their capabilities as baseball people. ... There's some work to be done here."

Tracy and his staff hardly have been timid in this regard, from the much-publicized tinkering with Zach Duke's delivery to the attempt to convert Chris Duffy into a leadoff man to Tracy's spring suggestion that ace relief prospect Josh Sharpless should try being a starting pitcher.

And that trend will continue today and tomorrow, when Bautista is expected to make his first starts in center field. Tracy explained that he wants to use Bautista and have Freddy Sanchez at third base because the Pirates will face left-handers Dave Williams of Cincinnati and C.C. Sabathia of Cleveland.

"I'd have to see Jose Bautista show me that he can't do something," Tracy said.

It is highly likely that, when the Pirates get some injured players back, Bautista and Nate McLouth will share center field.

The catching situation also has developed on the fly.

Barely a word was spoken about Paulino in spring training, partially because he missed time for the World Baseball Classic, but the staff now raves about his handling of the pitching staff to the extent he will start for the foreseeable future, Tracy reiterated yesterday.

He added that Doumit, who had been expected to have that role, might be best cast as a first baseman.

"I believe he can play that position very well at the major-league level," Tracy said.

General manager Dave Littlefield said that not all such moves are intended to be permanent, that some are being made in response to current events.

"These are not decisions set in stone, made for the next five years," he said. "We're looking at a situation where we can get bats and athletes in the lineup. Right now, we've got a situation where we have a bunch of injuries and we're not hitting extremely well."

Healthy Wilson benched

In a surprising move, Tracy did not start shortstop Jack Wilson, even though he was fully cleared to play from a strained right hamstring.

Tracy did not divulge why Wilson was held out, but he added there was "a real strong chance" Wilson will play this afternoon. That would mark his first action in the field since May 6.

Buried treasure

The Pirates' final season-ticket count for the year is 11,320, as measured by full-season equivalents. That is a sharp increase from 9,250 last year, fueled in part by the lure of All-Star Game tickets.

The Pirates today will promote their top two prospects from Class AA Altoona, Sharpless and outfielder Adam Boeve, to Class AAA Indianapolis. Each is 25, and each was excelling for the Curve. Sharpless, a Freedom High School graduate, had eight saves and a 0.86 ERA. Boeve batted .333 with three home runs and 24 RBIs.

Wilson's annual bowling tournament to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation will be May 28 at the AMF Noble Manor Lanes in Crafton. There will be a limit of 200 bowling spots and 100 spectators. For information, call 412-325-4969.