Were it not for the Detroit Tigers, the Florida Marlins might be the top "warm and fuzzy" story of this baseball season.

A team that held its second fire sale in eight years this winter, causing some pundits to forecast a 115-loss season, is competing quite well.

	MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Wednesday's results INDIANAPOLIS (53-42) beat Norfolk, 5-2. LHP Oliver Perez (0-2, 3.86) allowed two runs, one earned, and four hits in six innings. He struck out six, walked none, hit a batter and threw 69 of 106 pitches for strikes. RHP Jonah Bayliss (1.74) pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 12th save. RF Adam Boeve (.283) went 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI and two steals. CF Chris Duffy (.290) went 1 for 4 with a run. ALTOONA (55-40) won at Akron, 8-5. RHP Jason Roach (5-2, 2.63) allowed five runs in five innings. 2B Javier Guzman (.264) went 4 for 5 with a triple and an RBI. LF Nyjer Morgan (.312) went 3 for 5 with a double, a walk, two runs and two steals. LYNCHBURG (38-55) and Winston-Salem were rained out. HICKORY (46-50) lost to Lakewood, 9-6. RHP Brad Lincoln (0-1, 13.50), the Pirates' first-round draft pick last month, made his Class A debut and allowed seven runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out two, walked five and hit a batter. CF Andrew McCutchen (.286) went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. C Steve Lerud (.236) went 3 for 5, all doubles. WILLIAMSPORT (9-17) won at Staten Island, 3-1. LHP Kyle Pearson (1-0, 1.50) allowed one run in seven innings. 3B Jared Keel (.455) went 1 for 2 with two walks. -- By Dejan Kovacevic

The Marlins, who begin a four-game series with the Pirates tonight in Miami, are 42-51 -- despite using 20 rookies at various times and a $14.3 million payroll which is the lowest in baseball.

"They're very talented," said Pirates manager Jim Tracy, mindful the Marlins won two of three games May 12-14 at PNC Park. "They have very talented young players. And their pitching has stabilized itself somewhat."

Other than Dontrelle Willis, the Marlins' rotation averages a little more than 22 years of age. And Willis, the "veteran" of the group in his fourth major-league season, is just 24.

Willis, scheduled to start Sunday's game, gives the Marlins a piece the Pirates don't have.

"When you write his name on the lineup card every fifth day, you feel you have a pretty good sense he's going to go fairly deep into the game," Tracy said. "You sense the opportunity is there to re-charge [relievers'] batteries.

"He takes the onus off several of the kids. Guys like that do make a difference -- that buffer guy, that innings-eater, the guy who calms the waters."

So young, so good

Josh Johnson, tonight's starter, is 22 and has been in the Marlins' rotation for 13 starts. He's 7-3 with a 2.28 ERA as a starter after spending the first month of the season in the bullpen.

"He's been great -- unbelievable," Marlins manager Joe Girardi said. "He's a strong young man and he throws hard. He throws strikes, and he throws them down in the zone. That's why he's been so good."

Dial it down a notch

Joe Randa believes closer Mike Gonzalez should try to control his body language some.

"Gonzo's a high-energy guy," Randa said. "He's got to learn to harness that a bit. We try to calm him down, but he's a hard guy to calm down. Mariano Rivera is calm no matter how many guys are on base. I played behind Trevor Hoffman last year, and he's the same way.

"You never feel like those guys are rattled. Sometimes when the other team can see it's getting to you, they feed off that."

A lot to accomplish

The word around baseball is that general manager Dave Littlefield has "a lot of things" he'd like to accomplish before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

"When you're not playing well as a team and have guys who aren't signed for next year, you become sellers," Randa said. "As a veteran guy, you assume that anything can happen at any time. The approach is, 'Be ready to play each day until you get called in the office.' "

Wilson watch

Trading outfielder/first baseman Craig Wilson almost certainly is among the items on Littlefield's to-do list.

"I'm ready to play for whoever wants me to play for them," Wilson said. "I don't think [the next week or so] will be any more distracting than spring training. I'll hear a lot of teams I'm going to, but until something is actually done once the game starts, you go out and play hard and hope at the end of it you've got more runs than the other team."

Or in Wilson's case, one watches hard. "Something like that," he said.

A promotion

Third baseman Jared Keel, the Pirates' 31st-round draft pick last month, has been promoted from Bradenton to Williamsport, along with outfielder Albert Laboy, the team's 14th-round draft pick last year.

In 21 games with Bradenton, Keel hit .432, tops in the Gulf Coast League. His slugging percentage (.622) and on-base percentage (.476) also led the league. He had a home run and 13 RBIs. Laboy batted .267 in 19 games with Bradenton.

Both should be welcome in Williamsport. The Crosscutters through Tuesday night ranked last in the 14-team New York-Penn League in runs scored (61 in 25 games), team batting average (.210) and home runs (three).