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Q: Trot Nixon? Here we go again.

Surely, this would not be an option. No more of the one-year wonders. If you want a young left-handed power hitter, then work out a trade and include one of the young pitchers.

Have they given up on Ryan Doumit?

Pat Brady of Jeannette

KOVACEVIC: It is hard to tell how they feel about Doumit, Pat. He certainly is not their catcher of the future with Ronny Paulino around, and he does not appear to be anything more than a distant fallback at first base, or else the left-handed bat would not be the top priority here.

As for Nixon, suffice it to say the inbox was overflowing with anger on the subject, including the following ...

Q: Dejan, please tell me the rumors are not true! The reports of the Pirates showing interest in Trot Nixon or Geoff Jenkins are very troubling and represent the exact type of thinking that has gotten this team in trouble.

There is no doubt Nixon and Jenkins are both solid players but the Pirates already have players at least the equal. At this point, I would much rather see a three-way platoon of Xavier Nady and Jose Bautista in right, and Nady and Doumit/Brad Eldred at first base.

Rob Miller of Glenshaw

KOVACEVIC: Couple of points here ...

First, what I wrote about Nixon was not a rumor. I make a rule of having information confirmed by multiple sources before I even mention a name. That does not mean Nixon is coming to the Pirates. It means the Pirates made an inquiry about him.

Second, I did not write that the Pirates expressed interest in Jenkins. He is, as was mentioned, a fallback. The Pirates and Brewers have yet to have a single conversation about him.

Now, as to the Pirates' continuing to seek out old guys ... well, to be honest, it surprises me as much as it seemed to surprise the readership even though it probably should not have. Even if these players are fallbacks, as I believe they are, it seems much too early in the game to be considering such things when there are plenty of left-handed power hitters available through trade.

If you are willing to give up pitching, that is.

Q: Dejan, I know the Pirates are focused on major-league talent right now at the winter meetings. But why not also work to get a Mr. Lefty McThump Jr. and his younger brother to put in Class AA, along with Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, Brad Lincoln and that prospect class? Shouldn't we try harder to grow our own lefty power hitters?

Ian Leyda of East Liberty, Pittsburgh

KOVACEVIC: Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Teams that are more successful than the Pirates -- that would be all of them -- always are making trades to address shortcomings in the minor-league system. The Pirates almost never do this when it comes to stocking bats. They rely entirely on the draft to produce such players, and the draft clearly has not delivered.

It is an excellent point you make, Ian.

Q: Dejan, I am a little confused about the Pirates' dollar numbers, and your response yesterday seems to add a little more.

If the projected intake this year by the Pirates is expected to be in the range of $120 million; and the 2001 non-player costs of $58.5 million could reasonably be expected to have risen to around $65-70 million, then why is a "fifty-ish" figure for player salaries considered such an outlandishly low figure?

I had expected that the Pirates could easily afford a player payroll equal to Milwaukee, Cincinnati and other teams like that. But the money figures noted don't seem to support the commonly held opinion that the Nuttings are making a fortune at the expense of the loyal Bucco fans.

Bob Bixby of Ross Township

KOVACEVIC: We do not know what the non-player costs are now. They probably are higher, but there also was a purge of 11 staffers a couple years back, so one does not know.

What we do know is that the Reds and Brewers are spending much more on player payroll than the Pirates. Those numbers are firm and indisputable. They also are difficult to explain.

We also know, by the way, that the Brewers have taken a great leap forward in spending on 16-year-old prospects in Latin America. They are among the most aggressive teams in that region over the past couple years. That will not pay off right away, but it most certainly will down the road.

Until tomorrow ...