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Without delay, we get to the first of the Qs . . . .

Q: Can Jeff Andrews resurrect Zach Duke's career?

Rob Jacobson of Philadelphia

KOVACEVIC: Zach Duke can resurrect Zach Duke's career. And trust me when I tell you he would agree with me 100 percent on that front.

Look, it has been exhaustively documented that Jim Colborn altered his mechanics in the spring of 2006, and the statistics we have seen since then do not lie. Whatever was done clearly did not work.

But Duke, who is as determined a young man as I have covered on this beat, never gave in, never stopped trying to find solutions, even if -- as might be possible -- he lost faith in Colborn almost instantly. When he came back from his rehab this past season, Duke was working alone on studying video from 2005 for answers. And, when I asked Duke after his very impressive season finale if he had any help -- one member of former management had led me to believe as much -- Duke simply smiled.

It could help Duke to have a good pitching coach. I have no idea if that will be Andrews, as all the information I have on him is second-hand even if it is thoroughly positive. But the bottom line is that Duke ultimately will have to recreate the delivery that allowed him to get at least decent velocity and movement on his pitches. And Duke, obviously, will have to maintain the confidence and poise through the likely rough patches that still lie ahead.

Regarding Andrews, I will add this: Pitching coaches tend to get defined by their work with a single pitcher, fair or unfair. The day Spin Williams was fired, he bemoaned the backward step Oliver Perez had taken in 2005. The day Perez was traded to the Mets, it was clear to some that Colborn and Jim Tracy realized the same thing might happen to Colborn and Perez and that they had no wish to be part of that.

Be quite sure that Duke will be Andrews' version of Perez, at least at the outset.

Q: Dejan, welcome back. I was just wondering if you have had a chance to ask Neal Huntingdon about the possibility of moving Xavier Nady to third base? It seemed to be a hot topic at the end of the season, but Dave Littlefield dismissed the idea.

Matt Lobb of Philipsburg, Pa.

KOVACEVIC: Huntington and I spoke for quite a while last week in his office, but the Nady-to-third subject never came up. I can say, though, that there was plenty of conversation about that position, and he never mentioned Nady.

More on third base later in the week.

Q: Welcome back. Any chance the Bucs will try to sign Rob Mackowiak?

Tim Tolley of Columbus, Ohio

KOVACEVIC: The only free agents with whom I have heard the Pirates linked so far are pitchers. But there can be no question that bench help will be needed, as Huntington already has removed three key bench pieces -- Josh Phelps, Cesar Izturis and Matt Kata -- from his roster. And internal solutions are hard to find. The only bench-type player on the 40-man roster is Brad Eldred.

Until tomorrow . . . .