Decisions, decisions

Jose Castillo: Entering the final week of spring training, the decision was what to do with Jose Castillo -- and never mind that manager Jim Tracy Friday said Castillo will be a utility player. They asked him to lose weight over the winter, which he did. They moved him from second base to third this spring. Fairly early, he fell into a dead heat with Jose Bautista for the third-base job. Friday, he fell out of that dead heat. However, he seems ill-equipped to be a utility player, primarily because he's never been in that role. So the question remains: What does the team do with Castillo? Does he really stay on the team as a utility player? Will he be released? Will he be traded? Will he be sent to Class AAA Indianapolis to work on his plate discipline -- among other things?

Don Kelly or Jose Hernandez: If Castillo winds up on the bench, Hernandez can't make the club. Both are right-handed batters. Kelly can play all four infield positions, plus he has played a little left field. And he's a left-handed batter.

Ryan Doumit or Humberto Cota: Whoever is the backup catcher probably won't play much. Ronny Paulino will carry the workload. Cota, a veteran, could handle not playing. If Doumit is the backup, his switch-hitting ability will be wasted. He can't be used as a pinch-hitter because Paulino could get hurt during a game. Doumit won't get much playing time at first base with Adam LaRoche anchored there. He might get some at-bats as a right fielder in Xavier Nady's stead. If the backup catcher isn't going to play much, why not send Doumit to Indianapolis to catch full time so (1) he can continue to improve defensively and (2) be ready in case Paulino goes down with an injury?

On the spot

Three questions for Wayne Krivsky, the general manager of the Cincinnati Reds

Q. In your first year as a GM, you made about 500 roster moves it seemed. Will you be as active this year?

A. I hope not. Last year we made a lot more moves than I would like to in a normal year. Hopefully, this year it's a lot fewer, but we'll always be looking at moves that help the team.

Q. What went into your thinking about signing free-agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez?

A. Going into the offseason, that was one of our main things -- to improve the defense and especially at shortstop. We targeted him from Day 1 of our organization meetings looking at the free-agent market. At that position, there weren't that many front-line guys. In our opinion, he stood out as the best and we were aggressive and got him signed.

Q. What are your feelings about all the money the Chicago Cubs spent during the winter?

A. I don't worry about the other teams. I worry about our team. Everybody's trying to get better and everybody has different sets of marching orders and parameters, and I'm comfortable with where we are right now.

On the way up

Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates' first-round draft pick in 2005 had such a great spring that his projected arrival date in the major leagues has moved to any month after April 2007.

It seemed automatic entering spring training that McCutchen would begin this season with Class AA Altoona, for which he played 20 games late last season. However, it now seems at least a 50-50 proposition that McCutchen will begin this season with Indianapolis.

"I don't think he would have a problem anywhere that he starts," Pirates outfielder instructor Rusty Kuntz said. "He's that type of a special player."

In fact, he might be the Pirates' best position player prospect since Barry Bonds.

"There have been a lot of good prospects over the years," special outfielder instructor Bill Virdon said. "Mickey Mantle. Johnny Bench. I don't know that I'd put [McCutchen] in that category. Bonds was probably a little better. McCutchen throws better than Bonds did. Barry never did throw well, but all his other tools were outstanding.

"This kid's got good tools, too. He runs good. He seems to have good instincts. He seems to know how to play. I'm encouraged and I like him."

On deck

Roster cuts: With 41 players still in major-league camp, there should be a ton of players exiting the McKechnie Field clubhouse. Most of them could be gone by tomorrow afternoon.

-- By Paul Meyer

On the record

Jason Bay, outfielder, on the view by a lot of Pirates fans that if the team finished 81-81 it would be reason to add a Fireworks Night.

"Just getting to .500 can't be the ultimate. It can't be the end of the road."