SAN FRANCISCO -- All through his first year as the Pirates' general manager, Neal Huntington has used terms such as "no more scholarships" and "no free rides" to describe the status of jobs throughout the organization.

Yesterday, he clarified what that meant toward jobs for next spring training.

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Minor-league report

Saturday's game

STATE COLLEGE (18-56) lost at Batavia, 4-1, to finish its New York-Penn League season last in the Pinckney Division. RHP Gabriel Alvarado (0-1, 11.57) allowed two runs, one earned, and three hits in 1 1/3 innings. 1B Mark Carver (.217) went 2 for 4 with a double. LF Quincy Latimore (.244) went 1 for 3 with a double, walk and steal.

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"There are guys who have longer track records who probably are in more secure standing, but the bottom line is that we are working for a job every day that we have one. All of us are. Not just the players. I have to work hard every day to keep my job."

Which means that no jobs will be locks heading to Bradenton?

"None."

Not even, say, Paul Maholm after being the Pirates' best pitcher by a wide margin?

"Obviously, he has more stability. But, if Paul Maholm shuts it down this offseason and comes into camp next year in terrible condition and can't get anybody out, hey, that record on the back of his baseball card could be great, but it's not going to guarantee him or anybody else a job."

Which is not to suggest, Huntington added, that players cannot make an impression the rest of this season.

"We want to see what players can do. No question, it's part of the audition."

The Pirates and utilityman Doug Mientkiewicz, who can become a free agent after this season, have yet to broach the subject of a contract extension.

Mientkiewicz is making $700,000 after making the roster out of spring training on a minor league contract. It is not known what he might seek next year, but each side has expressed interest in discussing a contract at some point.

The team's other veteran bench players -- infielders Chris Gomez and Luis Rivas, outfielder Jason Michaels and catcher Raul Chavez -- also can become free agents.

The coaching staff is working with Nyjer Morgan to correct a flawed headfirst slide that often has him overshooting second base.

The key, manager John Russell said, is that Morgan had been sliding to the outside of the base and trying to touch it with his left hand. As a result, his momentum depended too much on the hand. The new approach will be sliding directly into the bag and allowing his chest to hit it and slow him down.

The staff also noticed that his first couple steps veered toward the outfield.

"He's got the speed to steal more bases than he has," Russell said.

• Geologists determined that the 4.0 earthquake that struck during the sixth inning Friday and caused some movement in the upper decks of AT&T Park occurred about 10 miles underground, explaining why it caused no known damage.

• Shortstop Jack Wilson continued to be kept away from throwing.

• Troy Buckley, the minor league pitching coordinator, joined the team in uniform. "We have a lot of work to do, but we're very happy with what we've put in place and what it means for the future," he said of the system's pitching. He singled out Brad Lincoln, the top draft pick in 2006, for praise.

• Catcher Ryan Doumit's parents, Pete and Faith, are taking in the series.