In late March, his wife was arrested and charged with child abduction, which prompted him to announce angrily that she had lied to him and said the child was his. In late April, his hamstring was strained so badly, he missed the next six weeks with Class AA Altoona.

In late November, his emotional 2009 came to a baseball end in the desert, in the Arizona Fall League, as a Scottsdale Scorpion.

What's next for Jose Tabata, the Venezuelan acquired in July 2008 as part of the Xavier Nady-Damaso Marte trade with the New York Yankees?

The way Tabata battered AFL pitchers and played center field, he appears headed on the Andrew McCutchen Path: Start next April in Class AAA Indianapolis, then find an everyday place in the Pirates' outfield come June or perhaps earlier.

"We are very pleased with Jose Tabata's progress in Arizona," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said about the burly, future corner outfielder who finished third in AFL batting with a .392 average and first in hits with 47.

"He has made quality adjustments to his game, and those adjustments are paying dividends. While we are pleased with his progress, we still feel we have some development work left with Jose. As a result, he is likely to open the season in Triple-A, but, like McCutchen this past spring, the door is not fully closed."

Lastings Milledge is assured of holding onto left field unless he falters there. Garrett Jones is ticketed for right if, as Huntington reiterates, Jeff Clement proves he can handle first base in the majors.

"Overall, we feel comfortable with our corner options, but that comfort will not prevent us from exploring potential upgrades," Huntington added, referring to potential free-agent pickups in left, right or at first.

Tabata's performance from mid-June, when he returned after that hamstring injury, through last week has given the Pirates a perspective of promise that could arrive early in 2010.

"I got to say, that's a tribute to him, how well he's been able to handle everything," said Jeff Banister, the Pirates' minor league field coordinator who served as the Scottsdale manager. "Obviously, there have been tough times, and he's worked through them. I can't be proud of a guy more to work through the situations [he endured]. There were some days that were more of a challenge to him, I'm sure. One thing: He showed up ready to play every day."

At the time of his injury with Altoona, Tabata was hitting .242 with six RBIs.

Forty-three games later, he was hitting .303 with two homers, 25 RBIs and a promotion to Indianapolis. Thirty-two games later, he was hitting .276 with three homers, 10 RBIs and a spot in the showcase in Arizona.

Twenty-eight games later, he was more of an offensive force in suburban Phoenix than such heralded prospects as San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, the minor league player of the year and a Scorpions teammate, and Seattle Mariners outfielder/infielder Dustin Ackley, the 2009 second-overall draft pick.

The 5-foot-11, 210-pound Tabata, 21, also played a nifty center field.

The Pirates continue to position him there not as a possible McCutchen replacement, but rather to improve his defensive skills. In Scottsdale, they asked him to play a shallow center field -- a la McCutchen, who finished fourth in National League rookie of the year voting despite missing the majors' first two months. They wanted to improve Tabata's reads, routes, reactions.

"He's been challenged quite a bit," Banister said. "All in all, if I had to give him an overall grade out here, I'd have to give him an A-plus in everything he's done.

"He has taken the challenge and had fun with it. He's in a really good place right now. A very mature approach."

Once known for a long swing, Tabata worked this season on contact and plate patience. He pared his previously high minor league strikeout totals. In a league-leading 120 at-bats in Arizona, he walked 10 times and struck out 13. He finished third in triples, games and total bases, fourth in runs, eighth in RBIs and on-base percentage and 52nd in strikeouts. He had only one homer, but Banister sounds certain Tabata's power will blossom later.

"He's got the power," Banister said. "The homers will come when he gets to the point where he says, 'OK, let's get the bat out front.' "

Banister added that Tabata hit a center field triple recently that would have been a homer in PNC Park.

On the AFL season's final night, Tabata went 6 for 7 with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs and 4 runs. He hit safely in 17 of his final 19 games. He finished with an 11-game hitting streak (25 for 52, .480).

"We face some quality pitching out here, too," Banister continued. "It has been very impressive."

On deck for Tabata: The Pirates asked him to work on his strength this offseason. Then, Banister said, he can "go into spring training on a positive note."

NOTES -- Donnie Veal, a Rule 5 draftee who spent most of last season as a Pirates reliever, finished 10th in the Arizona Fall League in ERA at 2.14. He went 3-1 and finished sixth in strikeouts, one behind the Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg, the 2009 first-overall draft pick. "[Veal has] been as impressive as anybody out here," Banister said. He talked of Veal's tightened throwing motion and consistent velocity, up to 95 mph in his last start Wednesday. He also said Veal showed a good breaking ball. ... Another prospect, infielder Chase D'Arnaud, topped the AFL with 13 steals.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.