Reliever Craig Hansen, one of the four players acquired in the Jason Bay trade, revealed yesterday that has Parsonage-Turner syndrome, a condition in which a nerve deteriorates and shuts down muscles in the upper back, shoulder and upper arm.

That was the recent diagnosis after months of testing and, with that in place, all Hansen can do is continue to rest that area and try to keep the rest of his body in athletic shape at the team's facilities in Bradenton, Fla. Doctors have told him his return could take anywhere from seven months to five years, but a full recovery usually is the case.

How that affects a major league pitcher, who needs every muscle in that region, is less certain.

"There isn't a word right now," Hansen said. "I just come back every month for a retesting to see where the nerve is and, basically, we go from there. It's been very challenging. I support the team and everything, but I'll be honest: I haven't watched much. It's too hard for me to just sit back and watch."

Hansen, 25, is making $825,000 on a one-year contract.

Outfielder Garrett Jones was named National League rookie of the month for his remarkable July in which he batted .310 with 10 home runs, 17 RBIs and a .700 slugging percentage.

The home runs and slugging percentage led the league, but the overall player of the month was St. Louis outfielder Ryan Ludwick, who batted .340 with six home runs and .570 slugging percentage.

Writers and broadcasters vote for both awards.

"To win that kind of award your first month in the big leagues, that's a very special thing," manager John Russell said of the rookie award.

"It's cool," Jones said, smiling. "I know there were a lot of players who had great months."

• The Pirates signed center fielder Jon Van Every, recently released by Boston, and expect him to compete for bench duty next spring once he recovers from season-ending knee surgery performed in June. Van Every, 29, appeared in 18 games for the Red Sox the past two seasons and has a .257 career minor league average.

• In an exchange of minor leaguers, the Pirates traded Class AAA reliever Mike Koplove to the Seattle Mariners for shortstop Deybis Benitez. Benitez, 22, has a .247 career average and has played one game above high Class A.

• Russell, on Delwyn Young learning second base from infield instructor Perry Hill: "Delwyn's making progress. A couple of the double-play turns he's made, he was much more underneath himself, had much better balance, a much better exchange. He's been working awfully hard with Perry. If he's going to be an everyday player, that is where he's going to have to fit."