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Q: What effect does the acquisition of Adam LaRoche have on "Big Country" Brad Eldred's status with the Pirates?

Wayne McCollough of Lock Haven, Pa.

KOVACEVIC: It is hard to see how Eldred would fit in, even if he were to go one of his prototypical Big Country Rampages through the minors. He plays only first base, and LaRoche plays only first base. Barring an injury, it is borderline impossible to imagine LaRoche being replaced there for as long as the Pirates own his rights, which is the next three years.

At the same time, it really should do nothing to hurt Eldred's career. If a guy his size with his power shows some of the improvement the Pirates have been seeking, people across the industry are sure to notice and try to acquire him through a trade. Players like that who get blocked do not stay blocked for long. Look at what happened last summer in Colorado when Ryan Shealy looked as though he might be stuck behind Todd Helton for an eternity: The Rockies played it coy, claimed they were not feeling any urgency to move Shealy and then, of course, did. Even at the lower levels, power hitters do not stay a secret. Dave Littlefield told me the Pirates were first-hand witnesses to Jamie Romak's strong hitting display in the Florida Instructional League last September and that it played a large role in wanting to acquire him.

If Eldred plays to his potential, he will find a home somewhere in the majors.

Q: Dejan, why do the Pirates not have a program in place like the Penguins' Student Rush program? I think that some form of discount ticket for every game would put behinds in seats. A $5 ticket is $5 more than they would make if that person watched it from home, or not at all.

Scott Irlbacher of Pleasant Gap, Pa.

KOVACEVIC: I am getting this question quite a bit lately, presumably because the hockey team has had such tremendous success with Student Rush.

The Pirates are aware of it. They have seen the lines wrapped around Mellon Arena, and they have heard people singing the praises. And I can tell you they would love to have something similar to that.

There are a couple things that work against them: One is that college is only in session for a small chunk of the baseball season. That means all those Pitt, Duquesne, CMU and even the massively growing numbers of students living Downtown who attend Point Park or the Art Institute, are mostly not in town. The other factor is that the Penguins' primary lure is a dramatic discount, where really expensive tickets can be had for $20. Well, the Pirates' cheapest ticket is $9, and discounting off that low price by any degree is not going to create long lines.

The Pirates' answer this year is this: There will be 12 college nights, all on Fridays. Anyone who spends $20 -- same price as Student Rush -- gets a Pirates Cove ticket with a value of $16. They get food and drink vouchers worth $10. They get a Pirates T-shirt with a retail worth of $15. And they get the benefit of the promotions, too, as Fridays usually have some kind of trinkets or fireworks associated.

It's not Sidney Crosby, but the value seems decent.

Until Monday, by which point I hope to have shaken a few readers' hands over at LaRoche-Fest. If you happen to recognize the guy who does a few of those nightly call-in shows on TV, by all means, please step up and say hello ...