If the Pirates were to present third baseman Freddy Sanchez with a reasonable proposal for a contract extension, chances seem excellent he would sign it.

"It would be an honor for me," he said yesterday. "I'd love it."

He might have loved it even more this past offseason, of course.

Same goes for the Pirates.

	MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Friday's results INDIANAPOLIS (49-41) lost to Buffalo, 7-5. LHP Oliver Perez (0-2, 4.58) allowed three runs and two hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four, walked two and threw 41 of 72 pitches for strikes. The home run he gave up was his fifth in three starts. DH Adam Boeve (.270) hit his fourth home run and went 2 for 5 with three RBIs. CF Chris Duffy (.325) went 1 for 2 with a double, two walks, two runs and two steals. ALTOONA (52-38) lost to Erie, 3-2. RHP Jason Roach (4-2, 1.99) allowed two runs in five innings. SS Brian Bixler (.278) went 3 for 4 with a triple and an RBI. LYNCHBURG (37-51) was rained out at Potomac. HICKORY (42-48) won at Hagerstown, 7-3. RHP Dustin Craig (1-0, 5.19) allowed three runs in five innings. CF Andrew McCutchen (.279) hit his 10th home run, a three-run shot, and went 3 for 5. RF Brad Corley (.291) hit his 11th home run and also went 3 for 5. WILLIAMSPORT (7-14) lost to Brooklyn, 5-3. LHP Kyle Pearson (0-0, 1.80) allowed one run in five innings. LF Alex Presley (.196) went 2 for 4 with a triple.

It has become common for low-spending Major League Baseball teams to lock up promising players early in their careers. A team owns a player's rights for his first six years in the majors. The first three, the player receives at or close to the minimum salary. The next three, he is eligible for arbitration. By identifying a key player in the first year or two, then securing a deal that runs all through the arbitration years, a team can realize considerable savings.

That is how the Cleveland Indians have done it under general manager Mark Shapiro. In recent years, he has given several young players, such as Jhonny Peralta, Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner, contracts that carry through arbitration. Shapiro's thinking is that, even if he misfires with one or two players, the savings from the rest more than compensate.

The Texas Rangers did it, too, with Michael Young, giving him a five-year deal that paid him $2.5 million last year -- when he won the American League batting title -- and pays $3 million, $3.5 million and $4 million the next three years, bargains all.

Sanchez, making close to the minimum at $342,000, will be eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season. And, because of his outstanding performance in the past year, that process will ensure he receives much more money than if the Pirates had approached him this past winter, when they were signing Joe Randa to a one-year, $4 million deal out of free agency.

Matt Sosnick, Sanchez's agent, confirmed yesterday that the Pirates have not contacted him about an extension.

"Freddy's arbitration-eligible soon, so that process will take care of itself," Sosnick said.

Sanchez acknowledged he would have been eager to sign an extension in the offseason and that his price certainly would have been lower than it will be now.

"Obviously, I would say so," Sanchez said. "But you know what? I'm not the greedy type, and I don't get into any of that stuff. All I know is that I love it here, and I want to finish my career here. What better place to be for me than Pittsburgh? I love the fans, it's a great stadium, the atmosphere is awesome, and I see us winning soon."

The Pirates have one young player -- left fielder Jason Bay -- locked up through his arbitration years. But that signing came only after Bay had two excellent seasons, a clear sign of general manager Dave Littlefield's more reserved approach in this regard.

"For a multiyear contract, we want to feel confident in the performance that we're getting on the field over a period of time, what issues there might be with health and the type of character that is involved, too," Littlefield said. "The big issue when you give out multiyear contracts is that it's guaranteed money where, if you go year by year, it's not."

Sanchez, Casey switch

Manager Jim Tracy flipped Sanchez, who had been No. 5 in the order, and Sean Casey, who had been No. 3. And he sounded as if he would like to stick with it for a while.

"With Freddy doing what he's doing and Bay having done what he's done in the course of the first half, we're hopeful Casey is going to come to the plate with the chance to drive in some runs," Tracy said. ""I don't know if it's going to work, but it's worth a try."

It paid an immediate dividend last night. Sanchez doubled after two outs in the first -- he would not have batted in the previous scenario -- followed by a Bay single and Casey double that brought the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Santos: No complaints

Victor Santos, reinstated from the disabled list yesterday, took his new place in the bullpen without complaint. This despite having pitched well in four of five starts before his rotator cuff was strained, June 15.

"I've just got to go out there and pitch," Santos said. "That's the bottom line, really. It doesn't do me any good to let it bother me. I don't like to think about things I can't control."

Buried treasure

Brad Lincoln, the Pirates' first-round draft pick, made his second professional start yesterday and allowed one unearned run in four innings for Bradenton of the Gulf Coast League. He struck out five and gave up three hits in a 15-1 rout of the Twins' rookie-level team. Lincoln's next start might be for Class A Hickory.

Casey said management has not yet contacted him about a contract extension. He is eligible for free agency after the season and likely will be traded by July 31 if he is not signed.

Before Sanchez, no member of the Pirates was leading the National League in hitting at the break since Al Oliver's .360 mark in 1976.