Today's Q & A

A lot of news, insight, and even some rant in today's Kovacevic Q & A. I don't read it so you don't have to; go see it for yourself.

Two things, though, that I'd highlight. One is ongoing disconnect between players and some fans on the issue of "patient." Kovacevic:

Of course, I share your view that being more selective at the plate would serve the hitters better. That applies to everyone.

Rob Mackowiak is a fine example, I think, of someone who has become much better at pitch recognition and is making the most of it. I had a long talk with him about it the other day, and the thrust of his point was that, in the past, he was looking merely to make contact. If it was a low-and-outside slider, he would try to get a bat on it just to see if he could. Now, he is laying off that slider. He is waiting for a pitch he can cream.

I asked him if this meant that he was more patient at the plate, and he bristled.

"Patient? No way," he said. "If I see a first-pitch fastball over the heart of the plate, believe me, I'm swinging that bat. I'm not more patient. I'm just smarter."

Uh, Rob, we call that patient, but maybe "smarter" is a better word. Patient doesn't mean passive. And it never has. Waiting because you like to wait is not patient.

The other news: Kovacevic says no way the Pirates deal Mark Redman. If they trade a pitcher - and everyone would have to stay healthy, I suspect, for that to make a whole lot of sense - they will trade Kip Wells or Josh Fogg. Of the two, I think Kip has made it more clear that he wants out of Pittsburgh.