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Before we begin today, this note from John McCollister, noted author of several books documenting the history of your PBC:

Dejan: Some myths in baseball remain even though we know they're untrue. Babe Ruth, for example, did not "call his shot" in Chicago during the 1932 World Series in Chicago. Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance was not the greatest double-play combination in major-league history. And, alas, the home plate of old Forbes Field was not encased at Posvar Hall in its exact location as describe in the Q&A yesterday.

We may applaud the University of Pittsburgh for preserving some of the treasured sites of the ol' ballpark, nonetheless, we must remain loyal to history. Architects of the building confirm that the location of the plate was moved to the lobby. Had they placed home plate in the exact spot it appeared on the field, it would have to be displayed in the fifth stall of the ladies' rest room.

Other readers wrote to point out the same, John, and that is much appreciated on all fronts. As one reader pointed out, leaving the plate in the ladies' room would have kept roughly 49 percent fans of the club's history from ever seeing the thing.

We take Qs here, although there is nothing that holds the number of submissions down quite like an offensive outburst akin to the one yesterday. Maybe everybody is still clutching their hearts ...

Q: Dejan, I recall that the Pirates originally were interested in getting Xavier Nady from the Padres to play third base. Have you heard any talk of moving him there? That would give them more power at third and get Ryan Doumit into right field.

Mark Gloff of Ross Township

KOVACEVIC: I have not, Mark, and it might be considered surprising that he has yet to play there for the Pirates. The record will show he has only three major-league games at the position, all in 2005, so it probably is only guesswork at this stage as to whether or not he can play.

After getting your question, I asked Nady if he felt he could still pull it off, and he said he was not sure. But he did add -- and I found this interesting -- that he once committed to an entire session of Instructional League to learn third base. This happened after the 2004 season, during which he spent time in the majors with the Padres. His aim, he said, was to add versatility to enhance his chances of playing time.

Anyway, you have a point about the bat playing: If the Pirates can put his 25-30 home runs there, and Doumit can continue looking as comfortable -- and effective -- as he has in right field, that would be one way of solving some issues.

Now, I say that even though I know full well that the Pirates clearly prioritize defense over offense. But we are just talking in hypotheticals here, anyway.

Q: Hi, Dejan. The Brewers traded three prospects for Scott Linebrink. That seemed like an awful lot of young talent for a soon-to-be free-agent reliever. Then, I heard that the Brewers will probably receive a supplemental draft pick for Linebrink if he leaves at the end of the season.

How does that affect what Littlefield should be looking for when discussing Damaso Marte and Salomon Torres? Do either of those guys have a chance at earning a supplemental pick, and is there a source we could look to find out what players may or may not qualify?

Greg Bristol of Washington, D.C.

KOVACEVIC: The class of supplemental picks are not determined until the offseason, as they are based on salary received through free agency.

One would think that the bar was raised for the Pirates by the Linebrink deal, especially because, as you point out, the Pirates are primarily shopping relievers. Marte and Torres are in one category this year, being that neither is bound for free agency after this year. But Shawn Chacon, who seems more likely to be traded now than extended, is bound for free agency, so his case is a better example.

What can the Pirates get for him? Depends on how much they expect, whether they ask for too much and end up with nothing, whether they remain bound and determined to pile up Class AAA middle relievers and, of course, how hot the battle gets among the contenders to bolster their bullpens.

As Milwaukee goes: I know Doug Melvin is taking some heat for the hefty price for Linebrink. But that team, with its spending limitations, is only going to get so many cracks at doing something significant. He addressed a need now, with the team having illustrated to him that it is legitimate and deserving of the support.

Hard to find fault there.

Q: Hi, Dejan, I have a question about how you watch the games. Often, you are able to make comments on the command a pitcher has during a particular game. Obviously, from a high perch of a press box, it's not easy to gauge command with the naked eye, other than to use the called balls and strikes. That leaves watching the pitches on the press box televisions.

My question to you is this: What percentage of the time do you watch the game action on a TV versus time watching the contest unfold directly on the playing field?

Peter Selednik of Plum

KOVACEVIC: Percentage of game action I watch on TV is zero, Peter. There are TVs in every major-league press box, but there is no sound and there usually is a several-seconds delay. I use the TV for replays, but not for action.

The perch at PNC is the highest in all of baseball, so that makes detailing the work of pitchers harder at home than on the road. But that level and the monitors are secondary, anyway, to simply asking questions when I get to the clubhouse. Some will be on the record, some will be off, some will be of the Pirates, some of their opponents -- all this assuming the game story is going to focus on pitching -- but all of it put together tends to provide an honest, objective assessment of what the pitcher did well or poorly.

Now, that said, there are times, especially late in games, where replays are tough to catch. There was a game last week where Rajai Davis inexplicably hesitated in coming down the third base line -- while Freddy Sanchez swung over a wild strike three -- with what would have been the tying run. I have to file my first game story immediately upon conclusion, so I watched the play live, never saw a reply and did not notice Davis' mistake until watching a highlights show much later that night at home.

I felt awful, but one also understands that plays get missed. That was the third one this year that I blew in the ninth inning.

Q: Dejan, This is not a question. I just wanted to tell you I loved your line in the Q&A yesterday: "Reality: If more players would perform better, the team would perform better."

It reminded me of a line from "Married with Children." Peggy asked Al if the dress she was wearing made her look fat. Al replied: "It's not the dress that makes you look fat. It's the fat that makes you look fat."

Steve Graf of Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

KOVACEVIC: I had no idea Al Bundy's reach was so global.

Thing no. 47 that makes Pittsburgh great: Our two parks on Grant Street.

What, you thought we had zero?

Well, that was the case until just the past few years. But Mellon finally got around to covering up the T station between its headquarters and the U.S. Steel Tower with one of the classiest little urban parks you will find anywhere, and PNC just finished -- well, it does not appear wholly finished -- this maze-like collection of winding pathways and benches down where the old public safety building was torn down.

The Mellon one is Wife's favorite place in Downtown. It also is a favorite destination of wedding photographers, as people love to use the centerpiece -- a circular set of tall stones that have water coming down over them -- as a backdrop.

Not much to advise here. They are what they are. But, especially in the case of the latter, it is really neat to be in such a serene setting directly between the city's two tallest skyscrapers.

Oh, and stay off the grass. The guy who does not want you on the grass is there even on Saturdays.

Chuck Finder will be with the team in Philadelphia for the weekend. I will return Monday for the chat, Tuesday for the regular coverage and Q&A. Until then ...