Infield Chatter is a weekly look at trends and depth-chart movement that will affect your Fantasy strategy.

Want to sneak someone more productive than expected into your lineup? Look toward Pittsburgh, where the Pirates are keeping some secrets that only the most knowledgeable or dedicated Fantasy owner can discover.

Pittsburgh is leading the NL with a surprising .294 batting average, and while most Fantasy leaguers know Craig Wilson and Jason Kendall as top-shelf players, there are other key performers in the lineup who are making their presence felt. Some of these players could be available for low bounties in a trade, and one or two might even be available on free-agent lists.

Jack Wilson, who has usually been noted for his defense in the past, is the most surprising performer in the lineup. Wilson has thrived in the No. 2 spot, and he has quickly proven his newfound discipline at the plate is no mirage. Wilson has been consistently producing offensively for a month now, hitting safely in 15 of his past 17 games. He won't drive in too many runs, but he will certainly help your team's batting average.

Jose Castillo, who came on during the latter part of spring training to earn playing time at second base, is beginning to show signs of tapping his potential even more. He is coming off a pair of two-hit games, and is starting to edge ahead of Bobby Hill for more playing time.

Raul Mondesi's power production is lacking so far, yet he is still hitting for average and is tied with Wilson for the team lead in RBI with 11. Most Fantasy owners don't regard Mondesi as highly as they have in past years, and he is having an issue with his salary being withheld by the front office. Still, he's a solid Fantasy outfielder, especially in NL-only leagues.

Craig Wilson, so far, has been every bit as good as hoped by owners who expected him to have a breakthrough year. To this point, he has made many experts look good, as he has hit .382 with five home runs. He is also tied with Jack Wilson for the team lead with seven doubles.

The player who Fantasy owners have concerns about is Tike Redman, who is hitting .235 and has no stolen bases, which is a statistic that is really frustrating. Redman was expected to ignite the Pittsburgh batting order this year from the top spot, yet he hasn't benefited from being atop a surprisingly productive lineup.

Redman could be in danger of losing his staring job if he doesn't begin to produce better. If the Pirates choose to bench Redman at some point, there are scenarios in which other players could see more playing time.

The Pirates could choose to put J.J. Davis in the lineup in Redman's place. Davis is a free swinger with very good power potential, yet there are still some questions whether he will be ready to play regularly. If he does get an opportunity to get into the lineup, Davis will immediately qualify as a prime free-agent pickup.

The Pirates could also consider moving Rob Mackowiak to the outfield, and Castillo could be used at third base in such a situation. That could open more playing time for Bobby Hill, who hit well enough during the spring and has played well enough at times during the first month to be considered to a good Fantasy pickup if he is given the chance to play more often. Jason Bay should also figure heavily into the mix when he returns from shoulder problems.

Some of the pitching has been more impressive than expected as well. Closer Jose Mesa has been simply dominant, not allowing a run in eight appearances. He has also converted all five of his save opportunities. Mesa has shown off very good velocity and excellent command so far.

Oliver Perez has yet to get the call every fifth day, and he is still working on his mechanics. But he has mixed his pitches well enough and thrown impressively in key situations. He's still a work in progress, yet he is 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA.

Scott Engel is the 2003 champion of the Krause Publications Experts League.