Other than team president Frank Coonelly, who last week chastised the players for failing to perform, no one in the Pirates' management has taken vocal umbrage with this historically bad season.

Nor, for that matter, has anyone made much fuss in the team's few genuinely positive moments such as the 6-5 victory against Los Angeles yesterday.

Huntington was asked about the rest of management's even-keeled reactions all summer long, including that of manager John Russell.

"Our manager is about as passionate about winning as you can find," Huntington replied. "He might not yell and scream. You're not going to see me running around the press box yelling and screaming or throwing things, either. That doesn't mean we have any less fire than anybody else in the game. Our players are young. We're trying to help them develop."

The Pirates have Major League Baseball's youngest team.

"I think they understand that, if they go 2 for 4 and we lose, it's not a good night. But it's a young step for a young player in survival mode, focused on his own opportunity. We have changed the culture. We're in the process, I should say, of changing the culture. It's not going to change overnight. It didn't take two months or two years to get where it is. We need to get the talent level to where it's supposed to be, and that culture will change."

He stressed that accountability remains in place.

"Our players have to understand that losing is not accepted. There are going to be some guys who don't perform and will lose their jobs this offseason. There are going to be some who think that what they've done is acceptable, then come into next spring training not ready to go, then get passed by. We don't have an established major league player on this roster. We don't believe we have anyone who can rest on their laurels."

Pedro Alvarez and Brad Lincoln, the Pirates' top prospects, won World Cup gold medals with the United States in the 10-5 rout of Cuba yesterday in Nettuno, Italy.

Alvarez went 0 for 4 and finished the tournament batting .259 -- 14 for 54 -- with five home runs, 12 RBIs and 19 strikeouts.

Lincoln improved to 3-0 after pitching 4 1/3 innings of relief -- three runs, six hits -- and finished with a 2.70 ERA.

"Each did a great job," Huntington said. "Pedro has swung the bat well, hit for power, and our reports are that he's also played great defense. In Brad's case, he threw strikes, pitched in big games and extended his season."

• Reliever Joel Hanrahan, out since Sept. 15 because of a sore elbow, returned and pitched a perfect eighth inning yesterday.

• Huntington said the statuses of pitching coach Joe Kerrigan and infield instructor Perry Hill is "probably something we'll announce after the season." He said talks continue.

• San Francisco second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who will have season-ending knee surgery this week, told the San Jose Mercury-News he expects to test free agency this winter -- the Giants are not expected to pick up his $8.1 million club option for 2010 -- but does not expect to return to Pittsburgh: "I loved it there, but there aren't the same guys there. Everybody I came up with got traded. Once you make a decision like that, it's hard to go back."

• Shortstop Ronny Cedeno remained out with two strained hamstrings but is expected back early this week.

• Reliever Chris Bootcheck rejoined the team after missing the weekend for the birth of his daughter in Atlanta.

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