Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Pirates pitcher Dan Kolb reaches out to shake a fan's hand on his way to the clubhouse at McKechnie Field March 9 after the Pirates' 8-5 loss to the Braves. Click photo for larger image. Related article Bautista beats out Castillo for spot at third base

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Dan Kolb's 2004 season was outstanding.

His 2005 season was miserable.

His 2006 season was a mixed bag.

And 2007?

Hmmmm.

First of all, will Kolb have a 2007 season?

The right-handed reliever is in the Pirates' major-league camp as a non-roster invitee -- sometimes a hurdle. To be on the 25-man opening day roster, he would have to be placed on the 40-man protected roster, which could cost a player a spot there.

Kolb, though, does have a major-league track record, which works in his favor. He's only three seasons removed from a spectacular season for Milwaukee.

In 2004, he pitched in 64 games -- working just 57¹/₃ innings -- and compiled a 2.98 earned run average and 39 saves. He struck out only 21 batters, becoming the first major leaguer to post at least 30 saves while striking out fewer than 30 batters.

Which is just the way Kolb likes it.

"I live and die for ground balls," he said. "I'd rather throw four pitches than strike out three in an inning. Four pitches, three ground balls. I'd much rather have that."

After that '04 season, the Atlanta Braves, seeking a closer because they planned to move their closer (John Smoltz) back into the starting rotation, acquired Kolb for young pitcher Jose Capellan.

Kolb made an immediate impact with the Braves.

Early that spring, before the exhibition schedule began, Kolb pitched batting practice to Braves hitters.

"I had known Kolb maybe two days," said Adam LaRoche, then with Atlanta. "It's like his first outing. He's pitching behind a screen. Nothing serious. Most pitchers just lay it in there and let you hit it."

Outfielder Ryan Langerhans ripped a line drive toward Kolb that caromed off the protective screen.

Kolb's next pitch hit Langerhans' wrist.

"Drilled him," LaRoche said. "I'm watching and figuring [Kolb] has got to say something like, 'My bad.' He just turns around, grabs another ball and gets right back on the mound like he didn't even hit him."

LaRoche and Langerhans were amazed. Moments later, they chatted.

"Did you see that?" Langerhans asked LaRoche.

"Yeah. He didn't say anything," LaRoche answered. "This guy's a jerk."

Turned out, that wasn't true.

Kolb apologized to Langerhans later and explained why he threw inside to him.

"The hitters know what's coming," Kolb said. "I didn't plan on hitting him. That wasn't the intention. I just wanted to throw one inside and let him know I was out there. If you know what's coming, either pull it or hit it the other way. Don't hit it back at me.

"I wasn't mad. It's just one of those things. I tried to come in on him and just got it a little too far inside. It's just like Roger Clemens. Every time he faces a new guy, the first pitch usually is up around his head. It's like, 'This is my mound.' And I have that mentality."

Which LaRoche conceded.

No matter how competitive Kolb was in 2005, his Atlanta tenure didn't work out so well. He blew save after save. His first three blown saves cost Smoltz wins. He was removed from the closer role. He finished 3-8 with a 5.93 ERA. In 65 appearances, he had only 11 saves.

What went wrong?

"I think if you asked him, I think at first he may have been a little intimidated," LaRoche said. "There was a lot of pressure not only going into Atlanta -- to a winning team, which he wasn't coming from -- to a team that's expected to win but also filling the shoes of Smoltz, which I think was huge.

"It's the same for any player. You take a Hall of Famer's role that he had, there are a lot of expectations. I'm sure he heard he heard the talk, 'Well, why isn't Smoltzie closing?' And, 'Well, can this guy handle it?' He might have looked at more like, 'OK, now I have to get serious. "

Sort of like a free-agent hitter who has driven in 100 runs a year thinks with his new team he now has to drive in 200 runs a year.

"That's right. Exactly," LaRoche said. "I think he was trying to save two games at once every time he was out there."

"The easiest way to put it is that I tried to be better than I was," Kolb said. "I tried to strike out more guys, and I'm not a strikeout guy. You have to find out who you are. In 2004, there really wasn't any pressure to have the year I had. I just went out and pitched and had fun.

"I think I put a lot of pressure on myself in '05 because I was going to Atlanta, having to replace John Smoltz. Probably the biggest mistake I made was thinking I had to replace him."

Kolb became a free agent after 2005 and signed with the Brewers, hoping that working with Milwaukee pitching coach Mike Maddux could revive his career.

There were mixed results.

Kolb, used in set-up roles in front of closer Derrick Turnbow, had a 6.28 ERA before the All-Star break but had a 2.75 mark after.

Once again, he became a free agent and signed with the Pirates.

"There's a lot of young talent here that has the capability of putting it together," Kolb said. "That's something I want to be a part of."