CHICAGO -- It should have come as no surprise when starter Sean Burnett was not among the Pirates' recent round of September recalls.

	MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Thursday's results ALTOONA lost at Akron, 12-0, in the second game of the best-of-five Eastern League playoff semifinal. Akron leads the series, 2-0. LHP Josh Shortslef (0-1, 108.00) allowed eight runs and seven hits in two-thirds of an inning. RHP Chris Hernandez (10.80) allowed four runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief. LHP Dave Davidson (0.00) pitched two scoreless innings. 2B Javier Guzman (.400) went 4 for 5 with two doubles. C Neil Walker (.375) went 1 for 3 with a walk. CF Andrew McCutchen (.200) went 0 for 5 and stranded eight runners. WILLIAMSPORT (28-47) lost to Batavia, 4-3, to end its season with the second-worst record in the New York-Penn League. RHP Kyle Pearson (3-4, 3.92) allowed two runs, one earned, in five innings. RF Albert Laboy (.249) went 3 for 4. LF Alex Presley (.260) went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.

Although he is projected as a possibility for their rotation next season, he was coming off a season with Class AAA Indianapolis in which he went 8-11 with a 5.16 ERA. Perhaps more important, he was in his first season back from major elbow and shoulder surgeries on his left arm, so rest might be warranted after 120 1/3 innings.

Still, Burnett had held out some small hope.

"I definitely thought it wasn't unrealistic to get called up," he said from Nashville, Tenn., where he was visiting family after Indianapolis' season ended Tuesday. "I showed them I was healthy, and I thought they might want me to throw a little more in front of their eyes."

At the same time, he was far removed from complaining. About the lack of a recall or his performance.

"The numbers weren't great, but I don't think too many people were expecting great numbers," Burnett said. "I thought everything went pretty well, all considered."

That, he added, was because he made 24 starts without interruption.

"If you had told me in spring training I'd go the whole year without missing a start, I wouldn't have believed you. I was out there every fifth day and got my pitches in."

Burnett, who will turn 24 in two weeks, made a brief but exceptional entrance into Major League Baseball two seasons ago. And the Pirates continue to view him with promise, as general manager Dave Littlefield made clear.

"We continue to have very high hopes for Sean, and we're pleased with the progress he's made," Littlefield said. "He had a season similar to how we see guys coming back from injury, with some ups and downs, and I'm sure it's been frustrating for him."

The performance will have to improve, he added.

"Along with coming back from the injury, you want to see how guys perform. That does count. Each guy comes back at different pace."

The most glaring sign that Burnett was not close to peak form was his subpar control -- he had as many walks, 46, as strikeouts -- but that is par for the course after major surgery.

"Everyone says that having that arm slot be the same every day is the last thing that comes, so I knew it might be sporadic," he said.

"For the most part, I had control, but I would lose it for an inning. I'm not expecting to have that problem next year."

And how does he see his chance of cracking the rotation in 2007?

"We've got so many other young lefties, so it's going to be tough for anybody to make it. But I'll come in, know I'm healthy and look forward to the challenge."

Youman bumps Santos

Shane Youman, one of those recent recalls, will take Victor Santos' spot in the rotation Sunday in Cincinnati. And, if it goes well, he could stick, manager Jim Tracy said.

Youman, 26, opened the season in the bullpen for Class AA Altoona but rocketed through the system as a starter shortly thereafter, including a 4-0 stint with Indianapolis.

"He's had a very, very good year, and we want to give him an opportunity," Tracy said.

Santos is coming off a 3 1/3-inning outing Tuesday in which he gave up four runs.

It is likely, Tracy said, that another newcomer, Carlos Maldonado, will catch Youman.

Buried treasure

Shortstop Jack Wilson was in the starting lineup for the first time since Aug. 24, the symptoms of his inner-ear infection having cleared.

Third baseman Freddy Sanchez was rested, Tracy said, so that he can be in the lineup against the contending Reds over the weekend.

The team has not ruled out bringing up players from Altoona once the Curve's season ends, Littlefield said.

By recording the final out of the eighth with his lone batter, reliever Jonah Bayliss had his first major-league victory. "Feels great," he said.

The crowd of 27,105 was the smallest at Wrigley Field since Sept. 26, 2002.