Pirates Q&A with Dejan Kovacevic
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An acquaintance recently told me -- not at all in a complimentary way -- that the Q&A seems to run really hot and cold. When the Pirates do well, even for a short stretch, the tone is borderline celebratory. And when they do as awfully on offense and fundamentally as they just did in that series, it is all hellfire and brimstone.
To which I responded: That is the nature of a reader-driven forum such as this. Most fans are fickle in any circumstance, but the Pirates offer one that is unlike any other in that hope is so rare that it creates joy when there, anger when taken away.
And what a two weeks it has been in that regard ...
Q: RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE SALOMON TORRES MUST GO RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER TRADED MIKE GONZALEZ RABBLE RABBLE MATT CAPPS FOR CLOSER RABBLE RABBLE.
Just taking a stab at what your mailbox looks like today. Obviously, one blown save isn't a deal breaker, but how short of a leash is Torres really on, if he's on a leash at all? How determined are the Pirates to make Matt Capps the closer in the future?
Rich Strayer of Arlington, Va.
KOVACEVIC: Yeah, there was a lot of that, Rich. But, as noted above, I understand the hot-and-cold nature of this team's following.
Torres is not on any leash, especially considering the Pirates' value on players having achieved things at the major-league level. The saves he has produced to this point mean a lot to them.
That said, they really like Capps and make no secret of their view that he will be the closer someday. One thing that never goes out of style is throwing strikes, and Capps does that as well as any reliever in the game.
Oh, and we will take one from the RABBLE pile ...
Q: Why did Jim Tracy tell Jack Wilson to sacrifice bunt when everybody, including the Cardinals players' mothers knew about the play? They should have known David Eckstein was going to be at third base before the ball would be fielded. If Jack would have just swung away, the momentum of Eckstein heading to third would not have allowed him to make the play, and bases would be loaded.
What is your take?
Would you have done that move to get both guys into scoring position?
Chris Kane of Turtle Creek
KOVACEVIC: I would have had Wilson bunt against the Brewers or some other defensively deficient team, Chris. Maybe. He is a good contact hitter, so I might have been inclined to let him swing away no matter what. Whatever the case, I would not have had him do it against the Cardinals. All that team does is make all the right plays all the time.
Watching from above, two things struck me on that play: One, the Pirates might as well have taken out advertising atop a Downtown skyscraper that they were about to bunt. Two, the Cardinals might as well have done likewise that they had the wheel play on.
Now, if Wilson manages to push that bunt past Spiezio to the left side, no one is complaining. But he bunted it right at him, and it looked awful.
Do not ever underestimate the manager's passion for small ball.
Q: Although I was tempted earlier in the week to snarkily ask if Adam LaRoche might have an option left, I held back. I'm glad I did. I suppose, in addition to the various cautions urged in this paper and elsewhere, it's only appropriate to point out Albert Pujols's just-as-poor start. I guess he's a waste, too.
Jonathan Miller of Los Angeles
KOVACEVIC: Yeah, he stinks.
Obviously, Jonathan, comparing LaRoche and Pujols is absurd. But comparing the overreaction in some of the email coming this way -- not much but enough to make me shake my head -- is not. It is a long, long season, and LaRoche's history is that he starts slowly, then takes fire.
Please spare me the Jason Thompson references.
There ... how was that for snarky?
What's that you say? You want more?
OK ...
Q:This team is a bunch of losers. The Cardinals find a way to win while the Bucs always find a way to lose. Do you see any way that the losing tradition can change?
Remember that the manager and players have never been winners.
Joe Rosensweig of New York
KOVACEVIC: Not good enough? All right, then. One more ...
Q: Wow! I'm sure glad the "big" Dave Littlefield trade is working out. Adam LaRoche is batting for the speed limit and Salomon Torres blew a two-run lead in the ninth already. But at least we unloaded that mid-20s perfect closer that would have just asked for more money soon. Sorry for the pessimism, but the last time the Pirates were winning, I was crying myself to sleep on a school night because Barry Bonds couldn't throw out Sid Bream.
By the way, if that team had a closer like Mike Gonzalez, we would have won the World Series. But I digress.
Matthew Eckman of Maumee, Ohio
KOVACEVIC: Just know that names are being taken for all those disparaging the LaRoche trade. And they all will come unveiled one day in, oh, mid-July.
Until tomorrow ...
First Published April 11, 2007 5:22 pm
