PITTSBURGH — Lastings Milledge, Jeff Clement, Andy LaRoche, Jose Tabata are former top prospects with other teams acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates with hope of realizing their talents.

John Bowker has no problem with joining that club.

"I only hope they're looking at me that way," said the 27-year-old first baseman-outfielder. "That's how I'm looking at myself."

Bowker and minor league pitcher Joe Martinez were acquired from San Francisco for relief pitcher Javier Lopez at the trade deadline this year.

Bowker started for the Giants on opening day before being optioned to Class AAA Fresno in early June. He had three brief stints with San Francisco in 2009 as well.

The left-handed hitter won the Pacific Coast League batting title last year, hitting .342, and he led all full-season minor leaguers with a .451 on-base percentage.

Yet after hitting .255 with 10 homers and 43 RBI in 326 at-bats with San Francisco as a 24-year-old rookie in 2008, Bowker never took the next step.

"The Giants went to a more veteran lineup and I was put on the back burner," he said. "It did get frustrating at times. You become labeled as a guy who can only do this or that."

Bowker hit 21 home runs in Class AAA in 2009 and 18 homers combined for Fresno and Indianapolis this season. But he considers himself more of a line-drive type hitter.

"Find the gaps, hit the ball hard. That's me," he said. "But I'm the type of hitter who needs consistent at-bats. That hurt me in San Francisco."

Pirates batting coach Don Long sees a potential gem in Bowker's bat.

"There's maybe five hitters in the National League who hit the ball harder than he does," Long said. "The ball jumps off his bat.

"For a big guy (6-feet-1, 203 pounds), he has a short, compact swing. You don't see a lot of swings as concise as his in this game. His home run the other night was a line drive that happened to clear the fence," Long added.

Bowker had three hits, including his first homer with the Pirates, last Saturday against Cincinnati. He has five RBI in his last seven games.

Bowker was grateful for his trade to the Pirates. He sees his arrival in Pittsburgh as more than a fresh opportunity.

"It's a realistic opportunity," he said. "Right field is an unsettled position here. The fact I can play first base, too, helps my chances."

The Pirates have used seven players, Milledge, Bowker, Garrett Jones, Ryan Doumit, Delwyn Young, Ryan Church and Alex Presley, in right field this season.

Long said Bowker has a legitimate chance to crack the Pirates' lineup in 2011.

"He'll get his shot," Long said. "Sometimes you can be stuck in an organization, seemingly not going anywhere, and they get tired of looking at you.

"There's been plenty of cases where a guy switches organizations and shows what he can do to a fresh crop of coaches. That may happen here."

Bowker is counting on it.

"Pittsburgh is the place to be for someone in my situation," he said. "There's an impressive group of young, talented players who have been assembled here.

"It's up to everybody to stand above. That's what I'm trying to do."