Frank Coonelly, chief labor counsel for Major League Baseball, will be the Pirates' new president, according to a report yesterday by Ken Rosenthal on FOX television.

"It would be premature to make any kind of announcement," said Bob Nutting, the team's chairman of the board, late yesterday afternoon. "It would be premature for me to say Frank is my choice because it would be unfair to the other candidates."

Those "other candidates" are on an extremely short list, however. It's believed there is (or was) only one other candidate -- Chuck Greenberg, the owner of the Pirates' minor-league teams in Altoona and State College.

The formal announcement of Coonelly's hiring should be made soon.

"I would be surprised if it didn't happen within a week," said a source close to the situation.

The Coonelly announcement would follow by just a few days Nutting's announcement Friday that general manager Dave Littlefield was relieved of his duties.

"I do believe that that announcement does make it critical that we move forward promptly with the president," Nutting said.

Coonelly, 47, who began working for Major League Baseball in 1998, helps teams with salary arbitration cases and determines signing bonus slots for the amateur draft. He also is part of the negotiating team for collective bargaining agreements with the union and the umpires.

A story in USA Today in April ranked Coonelly 12th on a list of the 50 most influential people in baseball. Coonelly was just after Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the Major League Baseball Players Association, and just before John Schuerholz, executive vice-president and general manager of the Atlanta Braves.

One baseball executive, according to the FOX report, called Coonelly a "phenomenal" choice.

"Frank is an extremely bright guy and very capable," said a high-ranking executive with another minor-league team. "He would do a good job."

"I'd think he'd be a great pick," Nutting said. "He's one of the most respected executives in baseball. Frank does bring real baseball experience. If you talk to people who run clubs, they'd say we'd be lucky to get him -- if we're able to do so."

If?

"Officially, it's not a done deal," Nutting said.

Coonelly would replace Kevin McClatchy, the Pirates' chief executive officer who officially announced July 6 he would step down from that position at the end of this season. McClatchy is expected to remain on the team's board of directors.

"I've talked to dozens of people in the commissioner's office and with other teams," Nutting said. "Frank is a very respected candidate. And he would want to have a very qualified general manager."

Nutting is adamant that the Pirates will have both a president and a general manager.

"There's nothing more critical than to get the right team in place," Nutting said. "The president will be an additive but not in conflict with the general manager."

Tony LaCava, who lives in Oakmont and currently is the director of player personnel for the Toronto Blue Jays, could be a GM candidate.

"If you put Tony across the desk from [Nutting in an interview situation], he'd blow [Nutting] away," said a member of another organization.

It's thought there will be at least three other candidates for the general manager's job. Two of those are believed to be assistants to general managers with other teams.