"A strained left oblique muscle will keep Pirates right fielder Lastings Milledge out for the rest of this season.

Will he still be in the team's long-term plans when he returns next year?

"I'm not sure," Milledge said Saturday. "I've done an excellent job here in Pittsburgh. Is it good enough? I don't know.

"I've turned my whole career around, and I thank (the Pirates) for giving me an opportunity to do that. I'm happy here. But in the end, I want to be an everyday starter. I want to be a guy they look at and say, 'This guy is going to do anything to win the game.' That's what I want."

Milledge hasn't played since appearing as a pinch-hitter Monday against the New York Mets. The next day, he pulled a muscle while taking extra batting practice.

Yet, in essence, Milledge was benched long before the injury. In the 10 games before he got hurt, Milledge made just two starts.

Two days before the injury, general manager Neal Huntington was asked what Milledge needed to do to become an everyday player.

"Consistency on the bases and defense," Huntington said, without hesitation.

After the Pirates acquired him in June 2009, Milledge was shifted from center to left field. This year, when Jose Tabata was called up, Milledge moved to right.

It's been a rough transition. Milledge has misread balls and doesn't always get good jumps. He often takes roundabout routes and seems to make plays more difficult than they need to be.

"It's a different position, but at the same time, the ball fades the same way (as in left)," Huntington said. "It's just a matter of learning the ball off the bat, how it's going to react, how he can play and what he can do.

"He's got the physical tools to do it; he's got to apply those on a consistent basis. A lot of that is preparation. It's the development of a young player. To be successful at this level takes more than just the physical tools."

Milledge batted .277 with 34 RBI and only four homers, though he hit a solid .315 with runners on base.

"Lastings has got to get the ability to drive the ball more consistently," Huntington said. "The batting average is nice, but it's also (about) how much can he get on base, how much can he drive the ball, how much power is there?"

Milledge is eager to play winter ball this offseason in Venezuela. There, he said, he can simply play without having to change his approach ? something he said held him back this season with the Pirates."