PITTSBURGH - A 12th consecutive losing season, a fifth-place finish in the National League Central, a 21-35 record over the final two months.

The Pittsburgh Pirates would prefer their fans to look at where they're going instead of where they've been.

"The optimism going into this off-season is a whole lot different from how we felt going into last off-season," manager Lloyd McClendon said.

The Bucs finished 72-89 this season after pulling within two games of .500 on July 27.

While the club limped to the finish line in 2004, it appears primed for 2005 and beyond.

"You never like to fall back in the standings," general manager Dave Littlefield said. "But this game is all about starting pitching. Injuries to Kip Wells and Sean Burnett, the trade of Kris Benson - it all caught up to us.

"Losing Burnett for next year will force us to find another arm for the starting rotation, either from outside the organization or within," he added.

The 2004 season did have its bright spots:

Shortstop Jack Wilson made the National League All-Star team, collected 201 hits, 40 doubles and batted .309. He participated in a club-record 129 double plays.

Catcher Jason Kendall batted .319 and had his best defensive season in years.

Left fielder Jason Bay became a prime candidate for Rookie of the Year by hitting .282 with 26 homers and 82 RBI.

Pitcher Oliver Perez, 22, led the starters with 12 wins, a 2.98 earned run average and 239 strikeouts, the most by a Pirate since Bob Veale struck out 276 in 1965.

Despite turning 38 in May, closer Jose Mesa recorded 43 saves, three shy of the club's single-season record.

Relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez posted a 1.25 ERA, 55 strikeouts and only six walks in 43

innings.

Most assume Mesa won't be back in 2005, but McClendon isn't so sure.

"Play this game long enough and you're going to have a bad year," McClendon said, referring to Mesa's 2003 season with Philadelphia. "This guy has been one of the top closers in the history of this game. The numbers show that."

Bay's performance surprised even Littlefield, the man who acquired him from San Diego.

"I figured he'd be a pretty good player eventually," Littlefield said. "This good, this fast? It's a pleasant surprise."

From the some good, some bad, department:

Craig Wilson hit 29 homers, but struck out 169 times, breaking Donn Clendenon's single-season club record.

Rob Mackowiak and Daryle Ward got off to fast starts hitting home runs, but both faded badly down the stretch.

Third baseman Ty Wigginton hit 17 homers and collected 66 RBI, but he did most of that damage with the Mets before his trade to the Pirates.

Center fielder Tike Redman batted .280 and hit well in the season's second half, but he stole just 18 bases and had to be moved out of the leadoff position because of poor production.

Salomon Torres was 7-7 with a 2.64 ERA as the Pirates' setup man, but he appeared to tire down the stretch.

Josh Fogg is the only member of the Pirates' starting rotation with a career winning record in the big leagues. He has won 10 or more games in each of his first three years with the Bucs.

"Other guys on the staff have better stuff, but I wish they had Josh's attitude and make-up on the mound," McClendon said. "He's a competitor."

From the not-so-good department:

Expected to be the staff ace, Kip Wells won only five games before an elbow injury cut his season short.

Free agent signings Chris Stynes (.216), Randall Simon (.194) and Raul Mondesi, who left the team, proved to be busts.

After a stellar spring training, Ryan Vogelsong was 6-13 with a 6.50 ERA this season.

Right-field hopeful J.J. Davis and infield prospect Freddy Sanchez never got going because of injuries.

So where do the Pirates go from here?

"I think we've got a solid team in place," Jack Wilson said. "We have some young talent that's going to be around for a while."

The outfield of Bay-Redman-Craig Wilson appears set. First base remains a question mark, but second baseman Jose Castillo, shortstop Wilson and third baseman Wigginton will man the rest of the infield positions.

Kendall remains behind the plate. Perez, Fogg and Wells have spots in the starting rotation.

Stay tuned for the rest.

"We'll still have questions to answer," McClendon said. "But our young players have upside and we're making progress.

"People condemned us as the worst team in baseball before we even played a game this year. Hopefully, that talk is gone."