MERIDIAN — The recent trade of popular outfielder Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves pained Pittsburgh Pirates president Frank Coonelly almost as much as it did the fans.

Coonelly, who visited the Meridian youth baseball fields Monday to present a check to the organization on behalf of Pirates Charities, described the deal as "the most difficult thing we've had to do since I've been here."

"Not only Nate's onfield contributions to the team will be missed, but he was always the first in line to do anything in the community in terms of charitable work or to mingle with fans," said Coonelly, who became the team's president in September 2007.

"The people I feel for the most are the kids I see out here wearing McLouth jerseys. I remember having a favorite player when I was a kid. We all did. It hurts to see him go."

But Coonelly said he would OK the trade if he had it to do all over again. And he acknowledged more moves could be on the way.

John Grabow, the National League's leader in appearances by a left-handed pitcher since 2004, shortstop Jack Wilson and first baseman Adam LaRoche might be dealt before the season is over.

"I can't promise more deals won't be made involving popular players," Coonelly said. "I can promise that none of these trades, including McLouth's, will be money-driven.

"Our finances are in line. Our budget is fine. We're looking to improve the caliber of players throughout the organization and that can be a painful process."

When asked about a timetable for the Pirates to experience success at the major league level, Coonelly replied: "As soon as possible."

He said the Pirates have been more competitive this season because of the defense and starting pitching.

"Our starting pitching has kept us in games and we're winning more of those games," Coonelly said. "The advanced rating systems rank our defense the best in the National League.

"We know we need to improve our lineup offensively. That will come."

Right now, management is adding depth to its pitching in the farm system, a position where the organization is "still fairly thin at the minor-league level," Coonelly said.

Pitchers Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke, along with Class AA outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, were acquired from Atlanta for McLouth.

"We weren't shopping Nate. The Braves called us," Coonelly said. "When they offered two of their top pitching prospects, it was hard to refuse. Gorkys Hernandez ... (general manager Neal Huntington) and I had been trying to acquire him from Detroit since we've been in Pittsburgh."

Hernandez was traded to the Braves for veteran shortstop Edgar Renteria.

Coonelly said the Pirates are trying to build a winning organization, not just a winning team for a season or two.

"You look at Minnesota. They lose a Johan Santana or Torii Hunter to free agency, they have another player ready to step in and they don't miss a beat," he said. "That's the blueprint we're trying to follow."

Coonelly is hopeful that shrewd drafting, along with trades and improvement in international scouting, will turn the major league club around sooner rather than later.

The recent investment and construction of a training academy in the Dominican Republic is designed to give the Pirates a prominent presence in that baseball market.

"Something like 33 percent of professional baseball's new players are coming from Latin America," Coonelly said. "We can't afford to be out of that market."

The academy has given the Pirates a 40-player team in both the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

Coonelly also said the Pirates now have a full-time scout in the Asian market. They also became the first team to sign a player from South Africa, inking 20-year-old shortstop Gift Nepo to a contract.

"He played in the World Baseball Classic. He has tremendous speed and we're excited about him," Coonelly said.

The two players the team signed from India — 20-year-old left-handed pitcher Rinko Singh and 19-year-old right-hander Dinesh Kumar Patel, the first Indian-born athletes to sign a professional sports contract outside of the country — will soon be reporting to the Gulf Coast Pirates in rookie ball.

"I know we took some ribbing for signing those guys," Coonelly said. "But it's an untapped market that we will get other players from in the future when those kids remember seeing these two wearing Pirates hats."