Chris Duffy walked into PNC Park about 2 p.m. yesterday, equipment bag slung over his shoulder, hoping to make it like any other day.

"I wanted it to be no big deal," he would say later. "No different than anybody else getting called up from the minors."

He knew it could not be.

	MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Tuesday's results INDIANAPOLIS (59-49) lost to Toledo, 5-2. RHP Britt Reames (4-2, 2.84) allowed five runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. RF Adam Boeve (.273) hit his fifth home run and went 1 for 3. ALTOONA (62-44) won at Harrisburg, 10-4. RHP Landon Jacobsen (12-7, 2.98) allowed two runs in six innings. RHP Chris Hernandez (2.77) allowed two runs in two innings of relief. SS Brian Bixler (.243) hit his third home run and went 1 for 5. 2B Javier Guzman (.270) went 3 for 4 with an RBI. LYNCHBURG (46-60) beat Potomac, 8-4. RHP Nerio Rodriguez (2-2, 5.09) allowed three runs in six innings. DH Juan Tejeda (.298) hit his fifth home run, a three-run shot, and went 2 for 4 with four RBIs. C Neil Walker (.281) went 1 for 4 with a walk. HICKORY (53-54) was off. WILLIAMSPORT (14-24) won at Jamestown, 9-5. RHP Henry Cabrera (5-0, 2.73) allowed one unearned run and two hits in five innings. 2B Jim Negrych (.260) hit his second home run, tripled and went 4 for 4 with three RBIs.

Not after he and Pirates management had disagreed on his hitting approach early in the season, when he had slumped to .194. And certainly not after he walked out on baseball for a month upon refusing an assignment to Class AAA Indianapolis.

So yesterday, Duffy set about the process of mending fences.

He spoke to teammates.

"They were all great," he said. "They were just congratulating me and welcoming me back."

And, most important, he had a private meeting with manager Jim Tracy -- whom he had accused of altering his approach from a line-drive style to dinking toward the opposite field -- and worked toward clearing the air.

"Great talk," Duffy said. "He let me know what he expects, and I appreciated that. Actually, I appreciate everything he and Dave Littlefield did for me through this. And I couldn't be happier to be back."

Tracy brushed off a question about his relationship with Duffy.

"There are no problems whatsoever," he said. "He starts over. Nothing has changed. Go out there and play."

Duffy will do that every day, Tracy added, after making him his center fielder and leadoff man last night.

"He's going to play there for a while," Tracy said.

As for Duffy's approach?

Upon finally reporting to Indianapolis a month ago, he had made up his mind to revert to the style that brought him a .341 average as a rookie for the Pirates last season, and he stuck with it. The result was a .349 average in 26 games for Indianapolis, along with a 13-of-16 success rate in steals that perhaps best displayed his return to an aggressive mind-set.

"I thought I had some catching up to do, so I just went for it," Duffy said. "I wanted to get back to having fun playing the game."

With no apologies and, apparently, no intention of changing a thing.

"Exactly. I'm just having fun playing the game again."

Nady: Wrist healing

Outfielder Xavier Nady, one of four newcomers to the clubhouse, downplayed the significance of the right wrist he fractured five weeks ago while with the New York Mets. He described it as non-displaced, meaning it is a simple crack that does not cause the bone to act differently.

"It hurts sometimes in the on-deck circle, and I feel it when I swing," Nady said of his bandaged wrist. "But it's getting better."

Doctors advised Nady the injury would take 2-3 weeks to fully heal if he stopped playing, 6-8 weeks if he continued.

Chacon starts tomorrow

Although Shawn Chacon has not started a game since July 6, the Pirates will insert him into the rotation tomorrow, taking the spot where Kip Wells would have been.

"I don't think I can go out and throw 120 pitches, but I'll be ready," Chacon said. "I'm really ready."

That was a reference to his reduced role with the New York Yankees in his final month. He was removed from the rotation after that last start and made only four relief appearances after that.

The most recent was a 65-pitch effort Saturday in which he allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

A step down

Nady and Chacon took a serious step backward in the standings by coming to Pittsburgh, but neither complained.

"I was initially shocked because you work hard all year to be part of a special team," Nady said. "Now, I just have to wish that team luck and do my best to help this team win."

"I don't think you can substitute being on a winning team," Chacon said. "But personally, it's more satisfying to contribute."

Buried treasure

Tracy said Jose Bautista will get most of the duty in right field. He did not start last night. Left-handed Jeromy Burnitz was in the lineup against John Smoltz.

Most of Nady's work will be at first base, Tracy said, and Nady took no issue with that: "I haven't take many grounders there this year but, hopefully, it's like riding a bike."

Reliever Salomon Torres, on not being traded: "I'm the happiest guy in the world. This is where I want to be. I believe in this team, in these players."

Major League Baseball yesterday suspended for performance-enhancing drug violations three players in the Venezuelan Summer League whose rights belong to the Pirates: Edison Barrios and Juan Casas were issued 50 games each, Alfredo Reyes 100 games for a second violation.