"A lot of kids say they want to be a major-league player when they grow up, but Lastings Milledge did more than dream.

He planned for it.

That's why Milledge seems so unfazed about being the Pirates' starting left fielder and possibly one of the cornerstones of the franchise's future. It's something he's been working toward and always expected to happen.

"When I was 14, I knew I wanted to do this for a living," Milledge said the other day, unwinding at his locker after a workout at Pirate City. "I always stayed focused on becoming a professional. I didn't let outside things mess with me too much or put pressure on me. I was focused on getting to the major leagues."

Milledge, 25, grew up in Palmetto, Fla., a short drive across the Manatee River from the Pirates' spring-training home. He took his first hacks in tee ball on a hardscrabble field about a half-mile from Pirate City.

When he was 12, Milledge had his first time in the spotlight, helping the Manatee East team advance to the Little League World Series. The youngsters from Florida's Gulf Coast finished as national runners-up.

"I was a pitcher, but I also played third base," Milledge said. "When we moved up to the big field, when I was 13, my dad had me moved from third base to the outfield.""