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Well, now ... that was lousy.

The citizenry seems to feel that Big Country is the answer for the Pirates' offensive blahs, and it would be hard for me to argue against him given what I have seen the past six weeks, including the terrific game in Cincinnati.

But I also saw Adam LaRoche taking much better at-bats yesterday than he has been. So, even if he sounds a bit dispirited in the above piece, I would place a much greater priority on the force with which he struck that ball to center field in his last at-bat. Or the fact that he did not K. Or the fact that he is starting to draw some walks.

When he and I spoke yesterday, I raised the subject of pitch recognition, and he responded -- bluntly, as always -- that he had no idea what his trouble was. Either way, pitch recognition is a swell start ...

Q: Dejan, LaRoche is starting to seriously worry me (and I'm sure I am not the first one to mention this to you), but don't you think with the extra effort the rest of the team is seemingly putting out this season, albeit young, Jim Tracy needs to start thinking of a backup plan?

I mean what happens if LaRoche busts?

Ken Jackson of Hermitage

KOVACEVIC: Not sure I got the "effort" reference, Ken. If it is describing LaRoche's effort in a negative sense as compared to his teammates, it is wholly inaccurate.

No, the Pirates do not need a backup plan for a guy who has produced the kind of power numbers LaRoche did in Atlanta.

What they need is continued patience.

If these were seven games in the middle of July, no one would say so much as a word about this poor stretch. But, as LaRoche indicated yesterday, it is magnified because it is at the start of the season, including in his own eyes.

Q: Why do you think Brad Eldred has only been played in one game so far this season? With his power, he's got to get more at-bats.

He seems to be the last option off the bench. They send up lighter hitters like Nate McLouth and Don Kelly instead. This current lineup is having trouble scoring runs, so some shakeup should be in order.

John Shoup of Butler

KOVACEVIC: Teams that do shakeups after one week tend to dig bigger holes than the ones they have.

Teams that do shakeups after a week in which they had a winning record?

Look, I agree that the offense has been inadequate. I drummed the point again and again in the game story. But a total shakeup, I think, is counterproductive at such an early stage. In addition to not giving players a chance to get going, it sends a dangerous message to other players that the coaching staff will bail on you at the first sign of trouble.

Regarding Eldred: I do agree with you that he should be used more often in bench situations. The reasons that he is not: One, Tracy loves lefty-right stuff, and most relievers are right-handed. Two, I think Tracy likes the idea of saving Eldred for clear home-run situations. Yesterday, for example, he surely would have batted in the eighth or ninth had one or two men gotten aboard.

Q: In regards to your answer Monday about Xavier Nady turning that Adam Dunn fly ball into a home run, you said "the reason it would have been scored a home run for clearing the fence is, simply, that there are no exceptions to that. A home run is a home run."

Couldn't it have been ruled a four-base error?

Ray Caliendo of McCandless

KOVACEVIC: Glad you brought this up, Ray.

I double-checked about this with Bob Hertzel, noted former Pirates beat writer for The Pittsburgh Press and frequent official scorer at PNC Park, and his answer was that a four-base error could have been called if Nady were standing still and the ball just clunked out of his glove. But, because he is attempting a running catch and because the proximity of the wall often weighs into the scorer's decision, there is no error.

Until tomorrow ...