PensFan: Now that the All-Star festivities are over, do the Nuttings finally sell this team??

Dejan Kovacevic: Welcome one and all again. No, there are no indications whatsoever that the team is for sale.

SDWC: Hi Dejan. I have heard the recent trade talk concerning Jack Wilson. The perception is that the Pirates could get an impact MLB ready player or prospect in a deal for him. I just do not see how trading him brings much of anything in return. As of yesterday, of all MLB shortstops who have played at least 50 games, he is 24th in On Base Pct, 20th in Slugging Pct, 23rd in walks, and tied for 19th in fielding percentage. I believe he is very overvalued in this town and by looking at the numbers what you see is a mediocre to average player. Your thoughts?

Dejan Kovacevic: Wilson would be the first to admit he has had a lousy six weeks, and that dragged a lot of those numbers down. But he has been a good shortstop for a long period of time and, where defense is concerned, a great one until this season. As with any trade, what the Pirates might get for him would be dependent on the desperation of the other party at that position. Right now, there are not many teams in dire need of a shortstop, so it seems highly unlikely to me -- for more reasons than one, actually -- that Wilson will be dealt.

kgb: Do you think Nick Johnson's (game winning) hit in yesterdays game was catchable? Seeing it on television it seemed to hang up there quite a bit. Did Bay misjudge it?

Dejan Kovacevic: From where Bay was on the field, it was not catchable. As to whether or not Bay was positioned too far toward center, that is another matter. Johnson is a pull-type hitter, but the circumstances change when a hitter is clearly and deliberately trying to hit a sacrifice fly.

DMM: What role is Rajai Davis in the Pirates future? If they trade Jack Wilson, would they put Bautista at 3rd and Sanchez at SS? Also, would that then open up RF for Davis or Doumit or someone else?

Dejan Kovacevic: Davis is hurt for the next couple weeks but, regardless, his performance would have to rise to a whole new level for anyone to seriously consider a future for him in Pittsburgh. Bautista at third? The Pirates would love that. Sanchez at short? Not so much. They have questions about his durability and, as a result, concerns that the greater range needed at that position could wear him down.

FollowTheSon: If Casey & C.Wilson gets traded, who will play 1B?

Dejan Kovacevic: Do you have a glove? Seriously, there really is nobody right now outside Jose Hernandez. Even through the minors, you have to go all the way down to Lynchburg and Steve Pearce to find the next prospect at the position. All of which points very much to the importance of getting a first baseman back -- or two -- back in trades that are made.

FollowTheSon: Do you feel the young starters will perform much better the second half?

Dejan Kovacevic: Over the long term, yes, but probably not right off the bat. Paul Maholm had a good outing yesterday, I thought, in that he somewhat cut down on his baserunners and he was able to get a couple punchouts when needed. Zach Duke looked much the same on Saturday as he did in the first half. The two of them have talent to move efficiently through games. We have seen it. Just not this year.

Goose12: Now that the All star game is over, do you see the Pirates making a move to significantly reduce payroll for the remainder of the season and next year as well?

Dejan Kovacevic: The Pirates' current position is that trades will not be made for the sake of paring payroll, meaning they will feel free to take salary back, if needed. We will see how that plays out. As for next year, those decisions are not made until later in the year.

Goose12: Ultimately what position do you think the Pirates will put Sanchez? What position do you think would be best for Sanchez and the Pirates?

Dejan Kovacevic: Well, there are only two others for him besides short, his current one and second base. There certainly is no rush to give up on Jose Castillo at second, though he can be maddening there in many ways, so that leaves Sanchez at third. It also leaves, of course, the continuing need to address power at other positions.

Dave_C.: Why isn't Castillo the logical trading chip in the infield vs. Wilson? His performance is less than expected, Sanchez is a better fit at 2B ...

Dejan Kovacevic: The Pirates' thinking is that Castillo has an upside that is much higher than how he has performed consistently. Not necessarily that insane level he was at in the Milwaukee series, when everything he touched went over the wall, but something close to that. They have no intention of parting with him. ... But be very sure that he drives them buggy in a lot of ways.

justincredibleh: Is the Pirates organization skeptical of your writing when most of the time the reporters are ripping on management?

Dejan Kovacevic: The Pirates have the worst record in Major League Baseball, and they have the longest losing streak in the four major professional sports. That they have done an inadequate job of owning/building/managing a team transcends opinion at this point, and I get the sense that they understand criticism is going to come their way as a result of it. ... To their credit, I will say, they have been plenty professional in their handling of it.

DaveinFrisco: Does a power hitting RF bat exist in the minors and if so, how far away? If not, how 'bout we add up the money being paid to Randa+Burnitz+others and get a real RF...

Dejan Kovacevic: There are no solid commodities as a power bat at any position in the minors, shy of Brad Eldred once he returns to health. Your other suggestion is a bit late, obviously.

bennybenak: How much more time should Littlefield be given?

Dejan Kovacevic: He has three years, including this one, left on his contract, so that is how much time he has. Most general managers in sports get about five years to turn things around. I believe we just passed that anniversary at some point this month, if I am not mistaken, so ownership clearly feels Littlefield deserves more time. Judging from the heavy mail I get on this subject, the readers disagree.

FollowTheSon: At what point do you evaluate a player like Oliver Perez and say, "Mentally he never will get there"?

Dejan Kovacevic: Not when he is 24. One thing to bear in mind about Perez: At the time he was sent down the minors, he actually had a fairly decent string of pitching. I happen to believe his demotion had much to do with Tom Gorzelanny hitting his head on the ceiling in Indianapolis -- along with the need to get Kip Wells on the mound -- than it did with his recent performances.

danw: Despite his slumps and mental lapses, Jose Castillo makes some unbelievable plays. Having seen them both, who do you think is better defensively, Castillo or Pokey Reese?

Dejan Kovacevic: Reese's range was outrageous, but Castillo's is very good, too. Reese was less prone to lapses, but that is viewing him from the standpoint that he was much older and more experienced when we saw him in Pittsburgh than Castillo is now. Arm-wise, it is no contest. Castillo has a ridiculous arm.

Trey_Beamon: We all know what the Bucs need (RF, 1B help). Yet there hasn't been much talk in terms of names. Is there any specific player(s) the Bucs have targeted?

Dejan Kovacevic: There never are going to be many names leaking out of Pittsburgh, Trey, if only because the Pirates do this stuff in a very tight-lipped way, much more than other organizations. I hear and read stories all the time about other teams' general managers coming right out and saying who it is they are pursuing or thinking about trading. Not here. ... That said, the nature of the discussions they had with teams, from what I have gathered, has been that they have given out wish lists, essentially, to teams that are interested in one or more of their veterans. That allows the negotiating parties to narrow it down as they go. The team I would continue to keep in mind is the Los Angeles Angels, as those discussions are ongoing. And the Colorado Rockies, too, if only because their desperation for a reliever is off the charts at this point. ... I do hear names but, as longtime readers know, I am no fan of printing them until I am certain.

Ropinron: Do you ever get tired of the rhetoric? What's wrong with the pitching? Will the Nuttings sell? Will they finally bring in a legitimate free-agent? Do these questions really matter? They've been asked in different ways for years now. Every year it's the same thing. History shows this franchise is so inept at doing virtually anything right and we all know the Nuttings will never put money into the team. They'll just keep eating the profits. Anyway, what other questions really are there to ask? As fans we only see it from the outside other then some of the inside info you offer. Are there much harder questions we can ask, not that they'll get answered necessarily, but anything other then the ones that keep getting repeated. I guess that to me what makes this team so tiresome.

Dejan Kovacevic: The situation tends not to change much, so I see your point. But no, I never tire of it. The job is great. For more reasons than one, the beat obviously would be much more interesting -- for readers, too -- if the team were doing well and had a whole boatload of prospects ready to hit Pittsburgh in September, but that is what it is ... or something.

FollowTheSon: What is the latest on Bullington?

Dejan Kovacevic: Check the Sunday Pirates notebook, if you still have your paper lying around the house.

jefft: Dejan--thanks for your insight. Two of the most popular Pirates right now are Jack Wilson & Sean Casey. Both are being bandied about in trade talk, to varying degrees. At what point does ownership take a player's popularity into account?

Dejan Kovacevic: Maybe too much at times. I do understand that baseball is a business and there is an inherent need to connect to the community, but it really should be a minimal factor at the very most. In the cases of these two players, though, it remains to be seen what their motivations are. Wilson was signed because the Pirates felt a long-term need for shortstop, quite obviously. Casey? Well, it is getting dark outside in terms of his receiving an offer. And I am getting the sense one is not forthcoming.

SignCangelosi: Citing the increase in attendance again this year and the report that the following year's budget is depending on this year's attendance, it is safe to assume player payroll is going up next year, correct?

Dejan Kovacevic: Attendance is down. Season-ticket sales were up in the spring, but attendance as a whole is down. That assumption would not be sound. If you want to speculate on payroll, I would do it based on how much accountability Major League Baseball implements for revenue sharing with its next collective bargaining agreement this winter.

Trey_Beamon: Where would the Bucs prefer Bautista long-term -- CF or 3B?

Dejan Kovacevic: Third base.

steelyjaz: Do you see any signs of clubhouse division/tension between some of the veterans and the younger players? I ask this as many of the veterans (rightly so in my opinion) have been relegated to the bench.

Dejan Kovacevic: The veterans want out, no question. Most of them, anyway. But they are not stirring trouble, from what I have detected, and are simply content to ride out the next couple of weeks and see where they land.

Bullpen_Cart_Bob: Do you miss bullpen carts?

Dejan Kovacevic: No, but I will miss the game tonight. Not feeling all that well. But I do expect to be back tomorrow. Thanks to all for the input. -- Dejan