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There should be more cuts today, maybe a whole bunch.

This stuff is lousy.

It usually happens very early in the morning, before a player has a chance to get dressed, and it starts with bench coach Jim Lett -- playing the role of bad cop -- coming out to the player's stall and tapping him on the shoulder to step into Jim Tracy's office.

Everyone in the room notices.

The player goes inside to meet with Tracy and Dave Littlefield, and the big, black door closes. A few minutes later, it opens up, and the player emerges looking much different than when he entered. Those who knew they were going to the minors seem disappointed mostly just because their major-league experience is over. It is not that big a deal. But those who feel they had a real chance? Especially those getting up there in years and running out of chances?

Different story.

I remember two years ago when Mark Corey was nearly brought to tears after having a near-perfect spring -- one earned run allowed, and that in his final outing -- but losing out to Rick White. And the guy still stood there and answered reporters' questions, no more than two or three minutes after getting the news.

As a reporter, you try to give the player some space, but it is not easy. Once he leaves for Pirate City, that eliminates the chance to ask any questions. And the departure tends to be pretty quick, because no one wants to linger in the clubhouse after being cut.

As I said, it is lousy. And today will be a lousy day.

Q: Dejan, just wanted to get your opinion on Brad Eldred. This guy hit another moon shot Saturday against the Twins, his sixth of the spring and, even more impressive, he has shown a better eye at the plate.

He seems to me as a guy who could develop into an Adam Dunn, Ryan Howard, Jim Thome-type of player if he can maintain his plate discipline. I know there are a lot of unknowns about him and, granted, his impressive numbers thus far have been during spring training. But ... I'd hate to see the Bucco brass take a guy with such significant power potential and trade him for Bobby Hill, Jose Hernandez and Matt Bruback.

Ian Lanning of Moon

KOVACEVIC: I am not entirely certain Eldred has a realistic chance to change the Pirates' minds, particularly not after seeing how the rotation ended up playing out. But it has to be considered a sign of something that he is playing so often and that management went well outside the box by giving him his first professional outfield duty.

I have written before that I feel Eldred would be of more help to the Pirates on the bench than in the minors, both from the standpoint of the current team and of his potential trade value. Nothing has changed that.

Just ask yourself this: Are the Pirates really a better team by having a couple decent-glove, little-bat types in the outfield than they are by exploring the possibilities of adding the most powerful man in baseball?

Q: Why has Tom Gorzelanny been pitching so badly this spring? Should he really have gotten a spot in the rotation ahead of Shane Youman or Sean Burnett?

If they're not ready even though they pitched well this spring, then why not let Shawn Chacon have the fifth spot to start out the year?

Jennifer Buchmelter of Wintersville, Ohio

KOVACEVIC: The mail kept coming on this issue, even though I thought the general coverage and the Q&A addressed it rather exhaustively.

I will take the first part of your question, Jennifer, and go with that.

I spent quite a bit of time with Gorzelanny on Sunday, before and after he pitched. And I can tell you unequivocally that his confidence seems to be there. He told me it is not one specific pitch that is giving him trouble, and he told me the ball feels lively coming out of his hand. Those are both good signs. But what is hampering him is falling behind early in counts -- especially early in games -- then giving the hitter a chance to hit his pitch.

Without question, that is the pattern. When he got ahead Sunday, he sealed the deal convincingly with the exception of that 0-2 hanging slider that Jonny Gomes sent over the fence. When he fell behind, he lost the battle just about every time, by walk or hit.

The answer?

That is up to him and Jim Colborn, but the clock is ticking. He gets one more start down here, after which he pitches in Houston.

Thing No. 19 that I miss about Pittsburgh: If you ever show up to a Pirates game early -- really early, before the surrounding lots get filled -- walk from PNC Park in the direction of Heinz Field and look down for white-painted bases and lines.

These markings represent the work of a few baseball historians dedicated to making sure that Exposition Park, the Pirates' home from 1891-1908, has its small place in the modern consciousness.

Just about everyone knows about Forbes Field's still-standing wall, and there are even some who know about home plate that is hidden inside the hallway of a nearby Pitt building. But few know about this place.

Those of us interested in the Pirates' 121-year history can rattle off all kinds of stories from Exposition Park, obviously culled from books and other second-hand or third-hand accounts, such as this one about the flood that reached second base. But there is something far cooler than that about just standing there and picturing that an actual ballpark was once there with all these minimum-wage miners and steelworkers wearing the uniforms of the Pirates.

You also can find a state historical marker nearby, at the base of the fantastic water steps down by the river, that commemorates the first World Series in 1903, half of which was played at Exposition Park.

It is nice, too, that Three Rivers has some small piece standing with the Gate D marker by Heinz Field. But I was very much in favor of preserving the tattered bits of the right-field fence that Turner Ward crashed through in 1998.

Until tomorrow ...