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It is unfortunate that the final cuts probably are coming today, and there will be no Q&A again until Tuesday. But the Monday afternoon live chat makes its breathlessly anticipated return, with an opening-day edition from Atlanta.

In other words, the Sean Burnett avalanche will have an extra couple of days to gather steam ...

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Q: I am a big Sean Burnett fan, and he has had a huge spring. I know I am in the minority, but I think he should start the year in Class AAA.

Before you write this off, let me explain. At this point, it is a two-horse race with Burnett and Evan Meek. Burnett has outperformed Meek this spring but, if we keep him, we would probably lose Meek. If we keep Meek, we will still keep Burnett and he will be available later in the year.

I like the idea of Burnett getting some seasoning as a reliever in Indy and coming up when we have an injury or trade someone.

My question is: Which bullpen player would most likely be traded this year?

My first thought is Damaso Marte. What is his salary situation?

Frank Woodring of Sellersville, Pa.

KOVACEVIC: You are in the minority, Frank. The overwhelming majority of mail is in Burnett's favor. But I chose your submission because it raises a couple of related matters that other readers asked to have addressed.

First off, to the many who are asking, no, Burnett would not have to clear waivers. He is off the 40-man roster, so he can be outrighted. Burnett has no free-agency options, either. At least not yet. If we were to be added to the major-league team, then sent down again, he could declare free-agency at that time, based on his circumstances.

Next, it is a possibility that the Pirates see Burnett as a depth guy or a fail-safe if either Marte is traded (you picked the right guy) or John Grabow's health does not hold up or Phil Dumatrait does not work out (only four games in the majors) or any number of other circumstances. The bullpen at Indianapolis is not exactly overloaded with depth, and it is worse with the loss of Juan Perez. Burnett will be at or near the top of the depth chart there, one would think.

Marte's contract calls for $2 million this year and a $6 million option for 2009. The Pirates' chances of picking that up are roughly zero, maybe somewhere below that.

That makes him an excellent trade candidate, particularly coming off his excellent 2007.

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Q: Hey Dejan, is it just me, or do the Bucs finally have a legit bench that may actually be productive? They have some great speed in Nyjer Morgan and Luis Rivas, some real pop in Ryan Doumit and a couple been-through-the-wars veterans who can handle the bat and provide solid defense in Doug Mientkiewicz and Chris Gomez. Looks like every player can play multiple positions, too.

Am I being overly optimistic?

Matt Fromm of Etters, Pa.

KOVACEVIC: Any bench, ultimately, is measured by its bats. The Pirates had one in the second half of 2007 that, at least from that standpoint, was one of the best in the majors even if a couple of those players - Josh Phelps, Cesar Izturis and Matt Kata -- might have overachieved.

For now, though, there is no evidence that the bench has improved. I agree with what Mientkiewicz and Gomez could bring, which is easy to do considering their longer track records. But Morgan hardly fits the bench profile, Rivas is coming off two years in the minors and Doumit ... well, I am not sure he will be a bench player for very long.

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Q: Dejan, I just read your piece on Masumi Kuwata's retirement "ceremony." My wife and I were lucky enough to be there last week for the Yankees night game and even more fortunate to meet Kuwata and get his autograph.

There was a moment before the game when Hideki Matsui came over to visit with Kuwata, and the two stood and chatted on the right-field foul line, posing for the sea of Japanese photographers near the Pirates' bullpen. At the time, I assumed Kuwata was probably impressed to be with Matsui. After today, I'm sure it was Matsui's honor to stand with Kuwata.

I opened my computer tonight so that I could read to my wife the press release regarding the Bucs' decision to keep Doug Mientkiewicz on the roster. We were going to toast Doug's success and celebrate the good move management made by retaining him. Then, I read your story on Kuwata, and my wife and I both had tears in our eyes.

Spring training is a strange time, a time of hope and promise, and a time of the end of hope and promise. Your story did an amazing job of capturing that with sensitivity and clarity. I wish I could have witnessed the event first-hand, but I'm glad you were there to report it.

Jim Scafide of East Liverpool, Ohio

KOVACEVIC: There was much positive feedback to that piece, Jim, and that is due, I am sure, entirely to the scene described and not the description.

It was quite the moment, actually, like something out of a movie. Especially with the silence in all directions except for those scavenging seagulls.

As I mentioned to an acquaintance yesterday, it was one of the five best things I have witnessed on this beat.

Oh, and you definitely had the order of respect correct with Matsui and Kuwata. I interviewed Matsui last summer at Yankee Stadium, and he made that clear.

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Thing No. 82 that makes Pittsburgh great, by Joe Deffner of Forest, Va.:

We are the only Pittsburg that has an "h."

According to Wikipedia, there are 26 other states that have a Pittsburg. In addition, there is Pittsburg, Ontario and Pittsburg, British Columbia.

There is also Pittsburg Landing and South Pittsburg in Tennessee and Pittsburg Township, Kansas, in addition to Pittsburg, Kansas, home of Pittsburg State University. However, I'm not considering these as part of the Pittsburg/Pittsburgh because they have another part to the name of their city.

The only others that come close, and have an "h" are Pittsburgh Landing, Idaho, and Pittsburgh Junction, Ohio. Again, I'm not considering them because they have another part to their name.

When you see Pittsburgh written, there is no doubt that it is our Pittsburgh. I'm sure most of us Pittsburghers have run into people have spelled our Pittsburgh as Pittsburg, but we'll just have to kindly let them know that we have an "h" and that makes us unique.

KOVACEVIC: On an almost-related note, I was booking a rental car for the upcoming Los Angeles trip a little bit ago, and the person on the other end of the phone asked me for my state after I had just told her I live in Pittsburgh.

I hung up and booked with another company.

Don't ever get like me.

If you do, you will buy stacks of Starbucks gift cards at Giant Eagle for the sole purpose of being able to buy a guilt-free coffee at Charlotte's airport, where so many of our city's jobs recently were shipped. The way I see it, I still am spending my money back home, and the Charlotte people get not a penny.

No, I am not making this up. If my wife ever read this feature - she has better things to do - she could agonizingly vouch for this.

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Until Monday for the chat, from Atlanta, site of the opening of the 122nd season of these guys, and this feature will resume Tuesday ...