CHICAGO -- Joe Kerrigan will return as the Pirates' pitching coach in 2010, he said yesterday at Wrigley Field, and he will have some help.

General manager Neal Huntington also announced that the team will not bring back veteran coach/instructor Rich Donnelly and will use his spot for a second pitching instructor, someone who can learn under Kerrigan and, perhaps, take his place someday.

Neither side divulged the length of Kerrigan's contract, but the above scenario made it sound as if it is one year.

"We realize we're not going to have Joe for 10 years, so we're looking to add a pitching guy, someone to work with Joe as his mentor," Huntington said. "With Donnelly, we wanted to give Rich a chance to explore his options out of respect for the number of years he's had. It was a tough call."

Huntington added that the move was no reflection on Donnelly's work.

The Pirates' staff ERA under Kerrigan is 4.63, third-highest in the National League, compared to the league-worst 5.08 last year under Jeff Andrews. The starters have shown greater improvement than the relievers, largely because of the progress of Ross Ohlendorf and Zach Duke, perhaps the team's top two performers at any position.

"It's been a great experience because of the young pitchers, these great kids," Kerrigan said. "I really enjoyed it, as much as I have any season in baseball. And we'll be better. They've learned a lot."

The only issue unresolved with the coaching staff is that of infield instructor Perry Hill.

Manager John Russell and Kerrigan expanded on why Duke was lifted one out away from a complete game Monday, a move met with loud booing by the fans at PNC Park.

"It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision," Russell said. "Talking with Joe, he wanted somebody to pitch the eighth and ninth and not send Zach back out. I convinced Joe I'd like Zach to try for the shutout. The whole plan was, if he lost the shutout, we would take him out. We weren't going to push the envelope. Even though he was at 103 pitches, we'd be kicking ourselves for leaving him in if Blake DeWitt has a 12-pitch at-bat."

Russell cited when he pulled Paul Maholm late in a game against the New York Yankees last year, though Maholm was lifted before the ninth inning.

"He got an unbelievable standing ovation," Russell said. "It was a really nice moment for Paul, and I thought Zach would get the same thing. Unfortunately, they were so mad at me, they didn't really give Zach his moment."

Russell was asked how he thought the fans might have felt Monday.

"I'm not by any stretch trying to slight the fans. It was a predetermined decision, and there were a lot of factors involved. Unfortunately, it came out the way it did. I can understand the fans' reaction. It shows how passionate they are. Unfortunately for the fans, they can't be in the dugout and hear the discussions we have."

Kerrigan recalled expressing concern to Russell that Duke will have to return on five days' rest for the first time in six weeks. Duke actually pitched on five or fewer days' rest in five of his previous eight starts.

"Once the game gets out of hand, yeah, you'd like to see the guy get the shutout," Kerrigan said. "But we had a couple long innings at the plate, and their pitcher got hurt, so we're worried about Zach. And he did get a little stiff there in the seventh or eighth. We had Donnie Veal warming up before the ninth and we said, if they score a run off Zach, boom, that's it."

• Anthony Claggett, the reliever claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees last week, joined the team after a successful round of throwing in Bradenton, Fla.

• Shortstop Ronny Cedeno, out a week with two strained hamstrings, still has a chance to play this season, Russell said, but it grows dimmer by the day.

• Several more players have been stricken by the flu-like symptons spreading through the clubhouse, notably second baseman Delwyn Young.

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