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Q: Hey Dejan, does it miff you at all that Jason Bay is the only position player who rides the pine all night in Detroit?

Granted, he didn't put on the best show in the Home Run Derby, but it always seems like the Pirates almost get anti-props in these sort of things. It wasn't like Bay wasn't deserving of being there, but maybe Ed Sprague and Mike Williams ruined the team's reputation for a while. Deservedly, if so.

Next year should bring some better All-Star luck for the Pittsburgh rep: He'll have the home crowd behind him at least.

Jonathan Dodd of Moon

KOVACEVIC: You know, Jonathan, I would not want to be the manager who makes the Pirates' representative the lone omission at PNC.

I share your view, obviously, that Bay should not have been treated as he was. As you point out, he was a legitimate All-Star, one deserving of making the roster even if all 30 teams did not have to be represented.

Moreover, without needlessly degrading the fine seasons of other All-Stars, the choice of Bay as odd man out seems illogical by just about any criteria. Tony La Russa saw fit, for example, to get Morgan Ensberg an at-bat -- check that: two at-bats -- even though he was a last-minute addition because of an injury to Scott Rolen. And this after Houston already had been represented in the game by Roy Oswalt.

You can click on the game story to see the reactions from La Russa and Bay, so I will not go over those here. I can just add that La Russa already had fielded several questions about Bay by the time I asked mine, which might give you some concept that his absence did not go unnoticed by people outside Pittsburgh. I can add, too, that Bay genuinely seemed to take it well. I am certain he would have preferred to play, but I did not get the idea he was about to go kick a laundry cart or something.

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Q: Hey, Dejan, what grade would you give the Buccos for their first half?

Bob Valasek of Baltimore

KOVACEVIC: It would be a C-minus, Bob, and it would be twofold: The team has been below average in the standings, below average in terms of individual improvement.

Breaking it down further ...

Starting pitching: C

There have been more stretches where the starters have been good rather than bad, but it simply cannot be overlooked that the two players who were the key to the season -- Kip Wells and Oliver Perez -- disappointed as they did. Mark Redman and Dave Williams have exceeded all expectations, but neither their work nor that of Josh Fogg was enough to overcome the showing of the top two.

Bullpen: B-minus

Jose Mesa's save statistics aside, he has been wobbly since April. That has given off the impression, probably, that the bullpen has been worse than it really has. But it also provides an ominous sign that another closer might be needed soon. Mike Gonzalez has taken a small step backward, but that clearly was the result of his knee injury. Salomon Torres has not put it together, either, and his might point back to an injury, too. But Rick White and, most encouraging, John Grabow have been very good. The Pirates have quite the asset when Grabow and Gonzalez are both clicking.

Catcher: B-minus

If Humberto Cota could make more frequent contact -- not just when the game is on the line -- he might well blossom into the Pirates' long-term answer behind the plate. His defense has been sound, and he has been credited with doing a good job of handling the staff on most nights. David Ross was outstanding defensively -- notice how teams just stopped running on him? -- but having one good offensive game a month was not enough to keep him in the majors. The book remains out on whether Ryan Doumit will stay at catcher, but he hardly has not embarrassed himself there. How about that block of the plate in the ninth the other night?

First base: B

Daryle Ward had the bulk of the playing time and, despite his ongoing home run drought, produced statistics at the cleanup spot that ranked among the top five in baseball for a long stretch. He never had started that much before, so a decline was to be expected at some point.

Second base: B

Jose Castillo has proven to be a terrific defender, and the power potential he showed in May back the feeling of many in the organization that he can hit 15-20 home runs once he starts using the whole field.

Shortstop: D-plus

If Jack Wilson were doing this grading, he probably would be much harder on himself. But it would be wrong to ignore the spectacular defense he has played. He never seemed to take his offensive angst into the field with him.

Third base: F

There are no answers here. Only questions. And, if not for Jose Bautista's recent surge in Altoona, these doubts would run all the way through the system. Even when individuals have done well here, as Rob Mackowiak and Freddy Sanchez did at different times, there never was an indication that an answer had been found.

Left field: A

There is not much more the Pirates can ask from Jason Bay at this stage. He has made a fine progression at the plate, gotten his walk total much higher and is playing PNC Park's left field as well as Brian Giles did. And I did not think the latter was possible.

Center field: C-minus

Like third base, there are no answers here. Mackowiak has been sound defensively here, but the organization has to commit to leaving him at one spot to take seriously the idea he could do this long-term. Tike Redman has been up and down at the plate, erratic in the field.

Right field: C-minus

Matt Lawton has come up with some big hits and consistently driven the ball. But his average, his baserunning and his defense have been below par.

Bench: C

The pinch-hitting is not what it was last year, although credit is deserved here to players such as Mackowiak and Sanchez for ending up in more prominent roles than where they started.

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Q: Why are you so effusive in your praise of Jose Castillo?

He is 24 years old and now has a full season's worth of at-bats in the majors. The following are his stats: 612 at-bats, 14 home runs, 68 RBIs, 37 walks to 128 strikeouts, three stolen bases, .263 average, .304 on-base percentage. Those are OK offensive numbers but nowhere near great, and he is horrible in the clutch. He is a very good fielder.

I guess I am just a little surprised as to why you are so high on him.

Bob Fittipaldo of South Fayette

KOVACEVIC: I am high on his potential, Bob, partly because of the statistics and positives you cite, partly because of the power he flashes when he follows the team's pleas to use all parts of the field. It is very intriguing, There are those in management who will tell you he has as much power as any two or three guys in the organization. I think, for the Pirates to have a second baseman with pop.

You mention he is only 24. That means he is learning at the major-league level. If there were no signs of progress, there would be cause for concern, but that has not been the case. Anyone who watched the way Castillo was ripping the cover off the ball upon coming off the disabled list can attest that he has another level that can be reached, with more consistency. And that comes, of course, with more experience.

Same with the clutch thing, too. I agree with you that he has fared poorly in those situations. Even his two-run single with the bases loaded the other night was a meek bouncer that found a hole through the left side, although it did come after a quality multi-pitch at-bat.

Part of the problem here, I think, is not so much a lack of poise but a lack of maturity. There have been times when all Castillo needed to do was hit a fly ball or just go the other way, and he would not even bother to attempt this. This is the type of thing that tends to rankle those around you.

I would advise patience, Bob. Remember: Castillo is two years younger right now than Bay was as the rookie of the year.

Readers write in all the time pushing for so-and-so to come up from Class AAA and learn in the majors, in large part because they are tired of looking at the same faces on another losing team. Well, this is one case where the Pirates took that approach. Obviously, there are growing pains that come with it.

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Q: Hey, Dejan, I was reading the article you wrote on Sunday's game against the Mets, and I got to thinking: The major problem with the Pirates isn't a lack of talent or emotion or chemistry. It's a lack of consistency.

I know that thought is probably fairly obvious, as the Pirates obviously are capable of playing well. (The first two games against the Mets are good examples). They just can't do it with any regularity.

So, any ideas on why the inconsitency? Age, maybe?

Joshua Smith of Merritt Island, Fla.

KOVACEVIC: No maybe about it. Inconsistency in baseball usually is the byproduct of inexperience. I know this can be annoying to read, but the Pirates are a young team. The numbers bear that out. Matt Lawton and Daryle Ward are the only position players older than 30. Mark Redman, Rick White and Jose Mesa are the only ones on the staff. And the team has gotten even younger with each of its recent transactions.

I agree with you, Joshua, about the Pirates not lacking emotion or chemistry, too, but I do not agree there is no lack of talent. The team has ample room at which to upgrade the talent level. See for yourself: Draw a baseball diamond, then pencil in the players, position by position, who you feel could start for a playoff team.

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Q: Of the Pirates widely considered to be on the block -- Kip Wells, Mark Redman, Matt Lawton, Jose Mesa -- who would you say has the highest trade value?

Ryan Duchene of Mt. Lebanon

KOVACEVIC: Well, before I answer that, Ryan, I would want to dispense with the widely-considered-to-be portion of your question and deal with what I know to be true.

Of the four players you cite, the only one I know to be getting actively shopped is Lawton. And his value, I would expect, will be rather low. He is 33, he would cost someone $3 million to ride out the season, and he is eligible to become a free agent afterward. Completely setting aside performance issues, good or bad, this does not make for a trade commodity that can net more than a Class A or AA prospect.

As for the rest ...

Mesa has been available for a stretch longer than a year now, but his my-way-or-I-retire demands have turned off more than one potential suitor. He still could be had if the right situation worked for the Pirates and, obviously, for Mesa.

The Pirates have not informed teams that Wells is available. At least one, Toronto, is interested in him enough to be sending scouts to PNC Park specifically to watch him, but the Blue Jays have not made a formal inquiry. Nor have they been told he could be had.

Redman also is not formally out there to be had yet. Not so long as the Pirates have not ruled out keeping Redman, which they have not. I am expecting it to be very unlikely. As he has said, he wants market value, which means something in the $7 million range. It would be difficult for the club to justify spending that portion of its payroll, I would think, to have more of a commodity -- left-handed pitching -- that they already have in excess. That money could be spent on a third baseman or outfielder, through trade or free agency.

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Q: I think it's great that Humberto Cota is finally getting some credit. A lot of people thought the Pirates would miss Jason Kendall, but Cota has done better clutch hitting this year than I think Jason ever did.

Now, they just need to let him play everyday.

Thomas Barney of Allentown, Pittsburgh

KOVACEVIC: I beat the point pretty hard in a couple of game stories in the past week, but it does not hurt to repeat: Cota has been clutch. He comes through with important hits at important times.

Kendall did more of that in 2004 than he had in previous years, even when his average was higher, and he used to be clutch quite a bit in the earliest part of his career. The comparison probably is premature. But I obviously do share your view that Cota has been a pleasant, if unspectacular, replacement behind the plate. Especially because of his performance in the clutch.

Funny thing is, you are not going to have much luck in finding hard evidence to support the notion that Cota is clutch, other than, of course, watching the games. I have seen various numerical attempts, and they all fall short.

Batting average with runners in scoring position probably is the best of the bunch, but how much does it matter when a team goes 14-for-25 in that situation, as the Pirates did when they beat Tampa Bay, 18-2? Talk about a small sample size that wreaks havoc with the bigger picture. That figure skewed the Pirates' RISP figure for the entire month.

The close-and-late statistic, one which measures averages when a game is tight and past the sixth inning, is another. This one I dismiss completely. Clutch situations happen early nearly as often as they happen late in baseball. When your team has a starting pitcher on the ropes in the second inning and bases are loaded with nobody out, somebody on your team had better come through. If they do not, more often than not, that game is lost. You give that pitcher second life and alter the complexion of the game.

I have received emails from a handful of readers and read some articles in which the very existence of clutch hitting is challenged. Those who believe clutch hitting is a myth argue that it is simply a matter of luck and timing as to when a hitter delivers his hits.

I must say here: Upon reading "Moneyball," I found myself intrigued by many of the statistics-based concepts discussed in there. Enough to have altered my thinking in some ways, and to have strengthened long-held beliefs in others (especially in the importance of patience at the plate). I do not consider myself to be closed-minded, old-school, new-school, whatever.

But, being blunt here, I find this clutch debate to be positively laughable.

When a human being holding a bat steps to the plate and sees runners on base, he knows his team is counting on him, knows the fans could torture him if he fails, knows his livelihood might be at stake in extreme cases. Conversely, he also knows he can be the hero, that he will be respected if he comes through, that big money can be his.

Either way, there is pressure. And there is no way that is the same as a pressure-free situation.

Some handle it well. Some do not.

Only in baseball is the ridiculous concept that clutch does not exist even discussed. There is a reason they call timeouts in the NFL to ice the kicker. There is a reason certain NHL players score a ton for their teams at Cup time. There is a reason NBA coaches call certain plays for big shots at the buzzer.

And yes, there is a reason that players such as Cota -- and countless others who would provide much better examples -- perform just as well, if not better, under pressure than when there is none. It can be in their personalities, in their temperament, in their level of passion.

But it really cannot be measured by numbers, and I have a feeling that is what frustrates those who view the game exclusively through that prism.

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Q: This has kind of bugged me for a few years: Ever since baseball has brought in interleague play and moved the Brewers to the National League, NL Central teams are getting jobbed.

In a perfect world, every team wins its fair share of division titles. So, over a 30-year span, you would expect to win five titles. But teams in the AL West would win seven or eight. This just isn't right. I know the wild card is supposed to be the equalizer there, but it doesn't always work out that way.

Also, the Pirates can't maintain any good rivalries in this division. Everyone except Cincinnati is so far away! Long gone are the days of the Phillies and Mets.

Is there anything at all the Pirates (and other NL Central teams) can do to try to improve their situation or at least plead their case amongst the rest of baseball?

Adam Yacono of Phoenixville, Pa.

KOVACEVIC: The general imbalance of the leagues makes even less sense, if you take it a little bigger. If baseball had done the right thing and placed Washington in the AL -- where it played previously, anyway -- all of this might have been put right. There would be 15 teams on each side, three five-team divisions and, maybe, the Pirates would have been the team to go to the East to take the Expos' place.

That did not happen, in large part because the Orioles did not want another AL team so close, and you have what you have.

I agree with you that the numerical unfairness of having to beat out five teams rather than three is stupefying. A 4-year-old could find a way to divide a 30-team league into six balanced divisions.

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Q: This past Friday, I was able to attend a game at PNC Park for the first time. I moved away from Pittsburgh in 1998 to attend college in Philadelphia and have been back only for Penguins games since.

While the park itself was a baseball fan's dream come true, the fans who filled it were just as sweet. Families with small children, hard-core season-ticket holders and groups of teens all seemed to enjoy the game and the experience together, even prior to the ninth-inning dramatics.

I have no questions, Dejan, just compliments for the fans. There might only be four hours of driving between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, but the difference in the fans and the experience might as well be four light years.

Dave Jannes of Boothwyn, Pa.

KOVACEVIC: You picked a nice night for your first pilgrimage, Dave. That was quite the rally by the club.

Two outs, 0-2 count on Tike, and the deficit was four. Not the stuff of which comeback scenarios are made. And yet, such a large portion of the crowd stuck around, which I found nearly as impressive as what followed.

I say this time and again, but it bears repeating: What has happened to the Pirates these past 13 years is not Pittsburgh's fault.

Oh, and a P.S. here: Next time you make the drive from our place to Philly in only four hours, let me know in advance so I can stay in the right lane to keep out of your way, my friend.

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Q: Dejan, can you walk us through the experience of generating an article covering the Friday night game? Tike is up, bottom of the ninth -- two outs, no balls and two strikes and then they turn it around -- and you still have to make the deadline? Can you imagine doing it in the days of the manual typewriter?

It must have been some scene in the press box.

Dean Satterlee of Buenos Aires, Argentina

KOVACEVIC: Put it this way, Dean: Anyone who thinks the media sits up there and cheers for the home team quickly would have gotten a lesson in reality that night.

I had on my screen a nearly completed story about how awful the Pirates' offense has been at home, how PNC Park was supposed to help them score runs because they could cater their roster to its nuances but had done nothing of the kind. All I needed was to go downstairs, get a couple of quotes, plug them into preselected places, file it with the office and bike my way home.

Thus, because of the nature of my concept, the story basically was ruined the moment Tike's shot went up the middle, if only because a lack of offense no longer was going to be the theme of the game. It would be whatever unfolded next. Either the Pirates would come close to some wild comeback, or they would actually pull it off. Then, when Cliff Floyd decided to take the Ducky Tour route before diving for Matt Lawton's liner, it was cemented.

Your only step from there is to do a CTRL-A, then DELETE, and start over, which is exactly what happened. Not even the descriptions of the early part of the game could survive because I knew I would need almost all of my allotted space to describe the ninth inning and whatever would come next. I called the office to let them know I could produce only a short, quoteless story for the first edition (10:45 deadline), then would refile for the second (11:30). Almost always, I can get the main story in for the first of our three editions.

It makes for a long and lousy night, to be honest. I would be lying through my teeth if I said I was pleased to see Tike's single. But the truth is, it is far more fun to write any story that you feel readers might want to read. I am guessing very few would have read my piece about the anemic offense, just as I imagine many would have wanted more details on the comeback that actually happened.

The fun in this job is covering events that matter, which is why I enjoyed so much my years of covering the Penguins in the playoffs. Every game was life or death. Every play was something you could analyze, knowing there would be intense scrutiny and interest.

It will be fun -- beyond fun, maybe -- if the Pirates can reach that point again someday.

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In closing ...

Until the time when the Pirates resume playing relevant baseball, our city will at least have an All-Star Game, which has been the focus of much of my thoughts here in Detroit. This truly is an enormous event, one in which thousands of people will visit to attend either the Derby, the game itself or even just the FanFest. On top of that, the national television audience is colossal.

If you think about it, there really is no sporting event that could draw more attention. We will never have a Super Bowl. Game 7 of a Stanley Cup final is not going to draw nearly as much notice. And even the World Series, unlikely though it may seem, does not draw as much media as the All-Star Game does.

We really have a wonderful opportunity to make a statement, and I am eager to see how we do.

I wrote from Athens when covering the Olympics that it would be nice to see our city follow that type of lead in decorating the place and making it seem as inviting as possible. That can mean street banners everywhere, signs and logos that cover the windowless sides of any skyscrapers, finally painting those last three remnants of rusty blue railing on Fort Duquesne Boulevard, or whatever it might be. It does not have to cost much, and there surely would be folks willing to volunteer their time for such a civic cause.

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Until next week, by which time maybe someone can explain to me the allure of a three-hour Home Run Derby. People were leaving Comerica in droves before it ended, and this was with one of their own, Pudge Rodriguez, in the final. One guy in a luxury suite to our right fell asleep holding his beer ...