Jeff Andrews' duties as the Pirates' pitching coach will include working with all the team's pitchers.

How Andrews works with one pitcher, however, will draw a lot of attention over the next several months.

Specifically, can Andrews "untweak" Zach Duke and turn him back into the wunderkind left-hander he was as a rookie in 2005?

"He can pitch," said Andrews, announced by the Pirates as their pitching coach yesterday. "I think he's going to come out of it."

"It" is the funk Duke fell into in 2006-07 beginning with former pitching coach Jim Colborn's decision to tweak his delivery in spring training 2006.

Duke, who was 8-2 with a 1.81 earned run average in 2005, promptly became one of the most hittable pitchers in the major leagues.

In 2006, he was 10-15 with a 4.47 earned run average and allowed a league-high 255 hits in 215 1/3 innings.

Last season, bothered by tendinitis in his left elbow, Duke was 3-8 with a 5.53 earned run average. Hitters smoked him for a .394 batting average.

"Guys have had their good times and their bad times," Andrews said. "You don't want the bad times, but they can be learning experiences."

Andrews talked to Duke a little before the 2007 season ended when he joined the Pirates from Class AAA Indianapolis, where he was the pitching coach.

The two will talk plenty more now.

"Mechanics isn't a real fun issue to talk about," Andrews said, "but we need him to become consistent. I think it's going to work. I think he's going to believe in it. It's pretty basic stuff -- but he's a pretty basic pitcher.

"The big goal is to get it worked out in spring training, so he will be able to go full throttle into the season."

Andrews, who tutored Duke during his nine-start stint with Class AA Altoona in 2004, worked with almost all the Pirates' young pitchers during their progressions through the minor-league system.

"They've had their time to get accustomed to the major leagues," Andrews said. "They've certainly had their ups, and they've certainly had their downs. Now it's time for them to win and become proven major-league pitchers."

Andrews joins a coaching staff that includes bench coach Gary Varsho, third base coach Tony Beasley and bullpen coach Luis Dorante. A hitting coach and first base coach likely will not be named until next week.

"I'm extremely excited," said Andrews, 48.

"Personally, it's been a long road to the major leagues. This is an organization I'm very comfortable with and that I admire. And I'm with players that I'm comfortable with and respect.

"Any time there's change, it's extremely important that all the pieces involved agree and that all the pieces push in the same direction. There can't be any splinters. There can't be any personal agendas.

"It's a big challenge, but I think we'll be up to it."