BAUTISTA OUT, WILSON IN

In one of those writing-on-the-wall moves, the Pirates sent third baseman Jose Bautista to Class AAA after Wednesday's win over Cincinnati.

Bautista A. Hasn't produced since the All-Star break and B. Hasn't seen much playing time since the trading deadline when the Pirates acquired third baseman Andy LaRoche.

Bautista is batting .242 with 12 home runs and 44 RBi for the season. But, he has only 11 at bats this month with no home runs or RBI and only one run scored. Since the All-Star break, Bautista has only two home runs and three RBI.

This will likely be a short-term move for Bautista since the roster can expand Sept. 1. It should, however, be a clear wake-up call that the Pirates aren't going to wait much longer on Bautista becoming a productive every-day player.

Also Wednesday, the Pirates signed fifth-round draft pick Justin Wilson.

Wilson, a lefthanded pitcher from Fresno State, went 9-5 with a 4.14 ERA and had 108 strikeouts this season for the Bulldogs. He was also the winning pitcher in the deciding game of the College World Series.

The Pirates have until midnight Friday night to sign their remaining draft picks, including top pick third baseman Pedro Alvarez and second-round pick pitcher Tanner Scheppers.