PITTSBURGH - He got a glimpse of the future, but he's in no hurry to get there.

Ian Snell doesn't mind the present.

The Pirates' 2003 Organizational Pitcher of the Year got to pitch a game at PNC Park last weekend and wound up on the losing side of a 2-0 score against Erie.

But Snell pitched well, allowing only one run and striking out seven in seven innings, reducing his earned run average to 3.03, sixth-best in the Eastern League.

"The mound was a little flatter than I'm used to," Snell said of his PNC Park outing. "Once I adjusted to it, I was OK."

Professional hitters haven't impressed Snell so far - he's 41-13 with an ERA below 3.00 in five minor league seasons - and neither did pitching in a big league ballpark.

"It's just another ballpark to me," he said. "I'm sure it's nice and everything, but I'm just here to get people out."

It's that attitude that may get the 5-foot-11, 160-pound right-hander to PNC Park on a regular basis sooner than he thinks.

A 26th round draft choice in 2000, Snell began this season on the Pirates' 40-man roster and was rated the organization's sixth-best prospect by Baseball America.

That's a quick rise in status in a short period of time.

"Ian has a good, live arm," Altoona manager Tony Beasley said. "He's got good command of the strike zone.

"This was a pretty typical game for him."

Snell's fastball hit 96 miles per hour on the scoreboard at PNC Park. He shrugged that off as well.

While his curve ball is rated the best in the Pirates' system by the club's scouts, it is not Snell's best pitch.

"My fastball gets it done for me," he said. "I've been throwing in the mid-90's pretty consistently and I feel like I'm getting stronger.

"I feel like I'm doing the job. Baseball is a numbers game. I have to wait my turn."

Snell was 14-3 with a 3.00 earned run average in 26 starts between Class A Lynchburg and Class AA Altoona last season. He didn't lose his first game in pro ball until his third season, when he was 11-6 at Class A Hickory.

Snell is averaging just below a strikeout per inning - 445 strikeouts in 468 innings - in his pro career. He has allowed only 126 walks.

"He knows what he wants to do on the mound and he throws strikes," Beasley said. "He knows how to take control of a game."

Altoona leads the Southern Division of the Eastern League, buoyed by a starting rotation anchored by Snell and Bryan Bullington, the Pirates' No. 1 overall draft selection in 2002.

"My only goal each start is to give my team a chance to win," Snell said.

Snell's numbers suggest he's due a promotion to Class AAA Nashville at any time.

"That's not my decision and I don't worry about it," he said. "I want to help this team (Altoona) win a league championship.

"We've been playing together for a while now and it's beginning to feel like a family. We all get along and we all want to win together.

"It's kind of nice, being on a team that enjoys winning together. I'm hoping to make that feeling a habit," Snell added.

The Pirates are hoping the same.