General manager Neal Huntington is making progress on finding a new manager for the Pirates but don't expect the name to become public anytime soon.

Huntington first would like to appoint an assistant general manager to help him in the managerial search. And yesterday, Huntington began a two-day crash course in evaluating the Pirates' talent in the Instructional League in Bradenton, Fla., and meeting with minor-league staff.

Next week, he'll spend three days in meetings with the organization's scouting staff. Toss in that he also has to name a new minor-league director and new scouting director, and you have a busy guy for whom sleep seems way down on the to-do list.

"Oh, I'm getting enough sleep," Huntington said with a laugh.

Huntington, named Sept. 25 to succeed former general manager Dave Littlefield, said his list of managerial candidates is almost finalized.

"We're doing our due diligence," he said. "The overall list is a pretty big one and some of the names have been good names. I've been calling people I trust and respect [for evaluations], and I'm beginning to hear the same names."

By now, the interview list probably has been culled to fewer than 10.

"I'm not married to a date," Huntington said for announcing a new manager. "The playoffs are still a factor."

Because the Cleveland Indians, for whom Huntington was a special assistant to general manager Mark Shapiro, are still in the postseason, Huntington is reluctant to ask his former boss for permission to interview Cleveland staff at this point.

Huntington said a rumor that he had received permission to interview as many as four members of the Cleveland organization was not true, adding that he hasn't yet sought permission from any organization.

"There's really only one other club [seeking a manager], so I don't feel a ton of pressure from a competition standpoint," Huntington said.

The Kansas City Royals definitely have a managerial opening. However, the Cincinnati Reds haven't decided whether interim manager Pete Mackanin will lose his "interim" tag. And Tony La Russa hasn't told the St. Louis Cardinals whether he'll return for 2008.

As for Joe Torre and the New York Yankees, who knows what will happen there?

"I'm not in a hurry," Huntington said. "The key is to get the right guy for the long term."

Huntington's deal standard

There has been speculation that Huntington's contract as general manager is for only two years.

There is precedent for a first-time general manager receiving a two-year deal. Cincinnati's Wayne Krivsky signed for two years, but his contract included a club option for a third year, which the Reds picked up in June.

A source close to Huntington's situation said the speculation that he has a two-year contract is incorrect.

"It's longer than that," the source said, indicating Huntington's deal is in line with other contracts for first-time general managers. It's generally accepted that first-time general managers in baseball receive three-year contracts.