Don Long has emerged as the leading candidate to be the Pirates' hitting coach, and a contract agreement could be reached as early as today.

Long, 47, has been the Philadelphia Phillies' minor-league hitting coordinator since 1999, this after spending 12 seasons in the Los Angeles Angels' system as a minor-league manager and coach. His duty with the Pirates would represent his first job in Major League Baseball.

A shortstop in his playing days, Long batted .251 in three minor-league seasons -- 1983-85 -- in the San Francisco Giants' system, with 12 home runs and 76 RBIs in 198 games.

In the Philadelphia system, Long worked closely with new Pirates manager John Russell, who managed the Phillies' Class AAA affiliate the past two seasons.

Long's hiring would leave the Pirates with one vacancy on Russell's staff, that for first base coach. An announcement on that front could come later in the week.