PirateApologist: Hello, Dejan. Did your inbox explode yesterday with Evan Meek content?

Dejan Kovacevic: Sure did. Same with the Bixler freeze at third base. Lots and lots of mail. But all is much more calm today for my first-ever outdoor chat. No kidding. Outside on the balcony. ... It is good to be home.

NYCH: Where in the world is Luis Rivas' defense? Didn't he do well in spring training?

Dejan Kovacevic: It has been abysmal, and the greatest regret I had about the game story today was that, even though it was longer than usual, so much was devoted to Bixler and Meek that this went ignored. He has been charged with three errors and, by my scorebook, could have three more. ... I would be very surprised if he starts tomorrow. ... Oh, and yes, he did very well in spring training.

Maddamma: Hey, Dejan. How many more appearances do you think Meek will get before a final decision is made regarding his future? He has performed poorly to this point, but it seems he should get a couple more tries. However, the team certainly can't feel any confidence when he takes the mound.

Dejan Kovacevic: I get the sense that there will be patience, but that he will be used only in blowout situations. It actually has been kind of strange to see so many extra-inning, drain-the-bullpen games in such a short span.

James_Taipei: What are reasonable expectations for Nate McLouth this year? Will he be more than a one year wonder?

Dejan Kovacevic: Well, they cannot be up to the bar he has set for himself in the opening week, obviously, or the Pirates might have the greatest center fielder in history. But it surely can be expected -- as so many of his teammates said in that preseason poll we did -- that he can have a breakout year and establish himself as a solid piece for years to come.

Art_Vandelay: What was the general attitude in the locker room after the game yesterday?

Dejan Kovacevic: Take care of the kids. Each one of those guys took it even harder than the rest, and it seemed to be a draining experience for everyone else, too. Just look at what the veteran bullpen guys did to get the game to that point. They had zero left in the tank.

Pickman: Meek could be the next Matt Capps or Mike Gonzales in the bullpen in the future, but it just doesn't seem like he is ready yet for the jump to the majors. If they still project him to be that style of player in lets say 2 years, are the Pirates willing to keep him on the roster even if it comes at the detriment of wins/losses for the current year?

Dejan Kovacevic: They have said time and again that they cannot carry a poorly performing pitcher for the length of this season. We will see.

NYCH: The fiasco of Bixler not scoring from third when Bautista decided on his own to bunt is not totally Bixler's fault. Don't you think some of the blame can be assigned to Bautista? Bunting in that situation is designed to be a surprise. Couldn't he reasonably have considered that he might be surprising his own player, one who is standing on his first base ever in the Major Leagues? Perhaps Bixler should have known, but wasn't it likely that he might not be ready for it? I feel a little as though Bixler is being hung out to dry on this. He hasn't even truly played in a game yet. Just a couple cups of coffee.

Dejan Kovacevic: All kinds of ways to dissect that play, and I will get into those in detail in the Q&A tomorrow. As for your specific point, the Pirates themselves stressed "cohesiveness" in all aspects of the organization, from the majors to low minors. If that play is being taught at the major-league level, it should be taught in the Gulf Coast League. Nothing should be a surprise to anyone upon being promoted, especially Bixler, having practiced that play in the spring.

Scuba_Steve: I believe I heard that Dave Littlefield actually wanted Nady more than Bay when that trade was made. Is that true? If so, is that one piece of talent evaluation he actually got right?

Dejan Kovacevic: Seriously old news. Plenty to talk about in the current environment ...

CraigWillsonWILL: Dejan, what's it like to cover the Pirates? Did you almost quit when they gave you this task?

Dejan Kovacevic: I asked for the task and have enjoyed every minute of it, more so with each passing year, actually. As I have written often in the Q&A, the quality of the team any reporter covers has very little bearing on the job. It is all about the quality of the story. The Pirates, by virtue of having performed so poorly in all facets for such a long time, certainly are a story.

Bucco_NED: Hi Dejan, Do we read anything into Bay's icing his knee on his day off? Just precautionary?

Dejan Kovacevic: Yes.

AZBucsFan: Hi Dejan... why sign Craig Wilson to a contract? We have a glut of talented and younger outfielders in our system right now, plus LaRoche and Mientkiewicz at first base. Wilson's best days have to be behind him, but this reeks of something previous management would have done.

Dejan Kovacevic: Matt Kata was playing first base in Indianapolis, so there clearly was an opening there as far as prospects go. As for the major-league level, remember that Wilson spent most of his time at PNC Park playing right field. Sure, there is a glut there, too, but depth never hurts. And Wilson's contract will not hurt, either, being a minor-league deal. Seems a fairly safe proposition.

CraigWilson: Dejan, did they get the "Lets Go Pens" chant going when they were down 7-0?

Dejan Kovacevic: I take it you were not there.

Scuba_Steve: If I may digress, do you have a prediction for the Pens-Ottawa series?

Dejan Kovacevic: Just heard a couple nights ago that this was the matchup. No idea. Seriously, people would be surprised how far removed I am from that world at this point.

tom: Hi Dejan, I noticed last week that Matt Wieters hit two home runs in a minor league game last week against the Pirates. Please don't tell me that these were off of our #1 pick ...

Dejan Kovacevic: No. The Pirates' No. 1 pick, Danny Moskos, is scheduled to make his first professional start tonight. ... A cynic might wonder if he might have been pushed back to avoid facing Wieters in that opening series. ... No, what would be the point? It is not as if this management team bypassed Wieters.

llash: Hi Dejan, Do you see a better attitude with the players now with the new management? It's seams that the new management is much more open minded as to who should be playing and why they should be playing. It's great to see Doumit and McLouth finally given a chance to play.

Dejan Kovacevic: The attitude seems very healthy at the moment, and that probably shows on the field with the handful of rallies they already have made to this point. But they need better starting pitching, a couple of healthy middle infielders and much better baserunning for any of that to matter. So far, without question, this team has not fared well fundamentally.

Maddamma: I'm really liking McClouth and Morgan at the top of the lineup. Any chance we will see this on non-"get away days?"

Dejan Kovacevic: Another thing that got lost in that game yesterday was Bay getting benched after the sixth inning in favor of a McLouth-Morgan outfield. There was no lead to protect at the time. I know many people among the Pirates' management types, including Russell, like the idea long-term of two center fielders at PNC.

why_not_us: Is there any chance of seeing Bixler at short in Jack's absence? I hold my breath every time Rivas faces a groundball.

Dejan Kovacevic: And well you should, based on what has been seen this week. I think there is a strong chance Bixler starts tomorrow.

JRoth: Where are the hosannas for the return of Craig Wilson? Can Koonce be far behind?

Dejan Kovacevic: Eternal memories you people have.

llash: Come on Dejan! The quality of the team makes no difference? It would have to be a dream come true to cover a team like the 79 Bucs?

Dejan Kovacevic: Right, but because of the quality of the story. They were a phenomenal story with so many interesting characters and a dramatic finish. A reporter's dream.

marc_graham: Did you hear any griping from the players about the booing from the stands. Apart from a few idiots, I thought the crowd was very supportive yesterday.

Dejan Kovacevic: The players seemed genuinely appreciative that so many stuck it out and that so many got behind them during the rally. But, really, that was from one or two guys. The crowd was not much of a talking point after all that unfolded.

nymark: I thought that the idea of Rule 5 is that it provides opportunity for young players who are blocked by other players in their organization to get a better opportunity elsewhere. But in the case of Evan Meek, it seems that a talented young pitcher may be required to spend a year of his early career playing at a level that is not best for him, just so the PBC can retain his rights for the future. It doesn't seem like such a good deal for him.

Dejan Kovacevic: It could hurt the Pirates and Meek, for sure, if the arrangement continues to go as it has. Remember, Meek had just started to figure things out in the minors and the Arizona Fall League last year. A step backward at age 24 will not be good, even if he gets to cross a few firsts off his list.

Bixlerapologist: Has anybody in ownership/management set a tangible goal for the 2008 season? Or are merely hoping to be "competitive "once again?

Dejan Kovacevic: "Contending" is the term that is used most often. If you mean a numerical goal, no.

pghfire12: Any chance the Bucs draft a position player in this year's draft?

Dejan Kovacevic: Dr. James Andrews certainly hopes not.

Scuba_Steve: My question about Littlefield's evaluation of Bay and Nady is hardly "old news". My question is whether Nady is more likely to be the star that we had hoped Bay would be? I guess I've learned to leave out the DL word when trying to make a point.

Dejan Kovacevic: That is fair. If you go to the search engine on our site, type in those names and mine and that of Kevin Towers, and you will find a piece I wrote from San Diego a couple years ago about this. ... Does two years ago qualify as old news?

jefft: Hi Dejan -- in referencing 2 center fielders -- is McCutcheon going to get any time playing the corner spots in Indy?

Dejan Kovacevic: I am told all of those guys will bounce around down there, particularly between center and left, particularly when Chris Duffy is healthy.

llash: The Tigers seem desperate for middle relievers. Have you herd regarding the Pirates offering Marte for a quality prospect?

Dejan Kovacevic: Detroit's need is primarily for right-handed help, so there does not appear to be much of a match there.

axel: Hi Dejan, Yesterday was the first chance for me to watch the Pirates in action and it was a shame to lose a game they really fought back to win. Although Bixler didn't score in the ninth, I was especially disappointed in the play of Luis Rivas. He almost botched an easy double play attempt in the first inning and if you replayed in slow-motion, one of the hits up the middle that barely eluded Gorzelanny, Rivas didn't react until the ball passed by Gorzo. He looks like a lost rookie. I see you believe Bixler may start at SS tomorrow, but can Bautista play the position if necessary?

Dejan Kovacevic: He could, but Chris Gomez would be next in line.

NYCH: Gorzo has had two starts, neither of which was something to write home about. How much concern is there about him?

Dejan Kovacevic: There is some, but none serious, if you are referring to the shoulder pain early in spring. There was one pitch he threw 94 mph in the third inning, not coincidentally, after a visit from Jeff Andrews. The arm seems fine. But, in general, he seems to be flying open a lot and throwing those high-and-outside pitches that have given him trouble on occasion even back to his time in the minors.

Sam_DAI: It seemed like the younger players, like Doumit and Capps, were really getting into it after they tied the game. Any indication of a change in leadership in the clubhouse?

Dejan Kovacevic: I wrote early in spring training that Capps and John Grabow could be expected to become real leaders on the team, and that has been the case early on. Nothing shows leadership in a bullpen quite like the outings they had yesterday. More innings than should have been asked. Great results. And Capps picked up Grabow after the leadoff walk in the 10th.

Maddamma: How worried should we be regarding Freddy Sanchez's shoulder? If it makes sense to shelve him until he's healthy, then put him on the 15 day DL and move on.

Dejan Kovacevic: Sanchez will be fine.

PirateApologist: Over under for the attendance tomorrow's Pirate game with the Penguins starting up in tow as well?

Dejan Kovacevic: I say fewer than 10,000 actual humans in the place, and about half those finding a way to tune in to events across the river.

tom: Dejan, what do you attribute all of the poor base running to? Did you see hints of this in Florida?

Dejan Kovacevic: Seems to me that the Pirates' -- specifically Russell's -- plan to make the team aggressive in all facets might be a square-peg-round-hole deal. The Pirates are a slow team, exempting McLouth and Morgan. Two guys who tried to extend singles into doubles in Atlanta were Xavier Nady and Ryan Doumit, each with a hamstring history, each not blessed with great speed perhaps because of that. ... Put it another way: If one is not gifted with a power arm, one probably should find another pitch.

Bixlerapologist: I remember your coverage in spring training stating Jason Bay looked "comfortable" at the plate. Were you meaning to say he looked "confident" at the plate, because he looks lost again? Or has that changed since those reports? Sorry for the three part question, I feel like I am at a White House Press Conference ...

Dejan Kovacevic: No idea, but he did. What is more, Xavier Nady looked lost most of the spring, and look at him now. ... I always say that spring performance means little, and there is so much evidence to that effect. ... As for Bay, hard to tell. His stance looks more open to me now than in spring but, when I ran that past hitting coach Don Long in Miami the other day, he said that difference was negligible.

Maddamma: The Pirates have only one quality start and are 3-4. This team could be consistently competitive if the the starters get things worked out.

Dejan Kovacevic: An excellent point. Ian Snell's start Sunday was terrific, and I thought Zach Duke pitched better than his line. One could generously put Paul Maholm in such a category just for the quality of his stuff Saturday, but grand slams are hard to overlook. ... They can do much better.

Maddamma: Regarding the Bautista bunt ... I like that Russell has given players the green light to execute these plays. It gives the player more options and it FORCES the guys on base to be at attention.

Dejan Kovacevic: The most successful fundamental teams -- think Cardinals -- are the ones who have players who can do things like this semi-spontaneously, and have their teammates react with the script. Plain and simple, the young man froze. ... Until the Q&A tomorrow ...