JAL: Dejan--In your talks yesterday did you pick any info on whether Milledge has shown any attitude change since he was sent down? Particularly, how has he worked to come back from the broken finger?

Dejan Kovacevic: I spoke with one person in D.C. who described Milledge as not only maturing but also bright. I also spoke, as you saw, with his dad, who at times cracked me up. Funny guy. Also sounded very bright. Ultimately, though, Lastings has to show that himself. ... Finger is recovered to the point he will join Indy probably this week.

bostonbuc: Is there any chance that the Pirates upgrade any starting position through a trade ?

Dejan Kovacevic: If you mean in the immediate sense, probably not. Clearly, there focus is elsewhere.

kiski92: Any chance the Pirates can get a SS back in any of these trades that are likely to happen before the deadline? If not, how can they go into next year without Jack at SS? Does Jack's outspoken behavior make it harder for that to happen now?

Dejan Kovacevic: It surely does not help. The Pirates' front office has made clear previously that it does not appreciate when Wilson speaks out like this. At the same time, he is still here after a lot of that, which tells you either a) how much they need him, given the zero possible replacements they have or b) how hard a time they have had trying to trade his contract or c) both.

FiveYearPlan: Dejan, are you prepared to have another chat if the Pirates don't sign Sano?

Dejan Kovacevic: Yes, if the public reaction warrants. That strikes me as being a rather significant issue for the Pirates, certainly more so than their first-round draft pick.

piratesfan: Is the major league club better today than it was yesterday before the trades? Since this management team didn't expect to win in 2008 or 2009 and probably doesn't expect to win in 2010 either, is 2011 what they are shooting for and why should they expect the fans to keep showing up at the ballpark when they aren't focused on the major league club?

Dejan Kovacevic: Absolutely not, to your first question. Whether you show up or not at the ballpark, of course, is up to you. Just keep buying the Post-Gazette, wherever you are.

James_Taiwan: Are the Pirates every going to get Wilson's replacement or is he certain to be resigned for next year due to the lack of a better option?

Dejan Kovacevic: That replacement would have to be external. He is far from being certain to be re-signed.

Gordo: Is it time to deal Adam LaRoche and get Steve Pearce's feet wet for next year?

Dejan Kovacevic: If the Pirates were wholly serious about Pearce to that regard, he would not be buried seven men deep on the outfield depth chart. The bat plays.

The_Kitten: Dejan, as part of their due diligence, did the Pirates "interview" Milledge before the trade? Or does MLB prohibit it?

Dejan Kovacevic: They did not speak with the player, to my knowledge. I never have heard of such a prohibition, as teams can independently consent to such things.

FiveYearPlan: Can you give me any reasons why this wasn't a chance worth taking for the Pirates? Like you mentioned in the article, this is the complete opposite of how things were done in the past.

Dejan Kovacevic: The only way this was an ill-advised chance, based on baseball people with whom I spoke yesterday and again this morning, is if Milledge never grows up. That remains a big if, obviously. But, from the baseball component alone, the Pirates are getting plaudits from all over for this one. (Including some who pan just about everything they do.)

O_Fries: I haven't heard much about the two guys the Bucs from the Yankees other than their stats. Do the Pirates think either has any meaningful potential?

Dejan Kovacevic: There is plenty on them in this morning's main article, plus links to their bios and stats out of the blog. Yes, the Pirates like both of them, enough to pay part of Eric Hinske's salary to get them.

letsgo: I don't think this trade hurts the big league club all that much. I liked the lineup yesterday. Some growing pains sure but not bad. However, what will it look like August 1st.? I really think Freddy and Jack should stay.

Dejan Kovacevic: No replacements at second base, either.

ss2569: Are there any indications that the Pirates tried to include Ian Snell in the deal for Milledge? I would have liked to see him go instead of Burnett, and I can't imagine that Burnett's value is all that much higher than Snell's.

Dejan Kovacevic: The Pirates would love to trade Snell. Cannot imagine his name does not come up in every discussion they have.

ChiBucs: I say don't rush Lastings...let's see what Delwyn can do in RF and platoon Moss and Jones in LF until Adam goes and they can give Jones a try there.

Dejan Kovacevic: When Milledge demonstrates he is ready, no one will be blocking him. Young and Moss would be left to duke it out in right field.

Dirt_Dog: Dejan, is there currently any teams showing interest in Wilson or LaRoche?

Dejan Kovacevic: A little on Wilson, very little on LaRoche. Nothing active on either front.

Joey_Gladstone: During the past 17 years, seems as though the Pirates have tried winning with fan friendly well liked guys, and it obviously hasnt worked....Dont you think with Milledge and Tabata it finally gives this team attitude it hasnt seen since Bonds and Bonilla?

Dejan Kovacevic: Your question, from the tone, seems to presume these are bad seeds, and forgive me if that was not your intent. I do not know Milledge at all, but I hear that is not the case. And, with Tabata, he really seemed like a pretty good guy from spring training, to be honest with you. Both have made some rather dubious decisions, but they also were young. ... Hey, I did some pretty stupid things, too, along the way, and I assume we all did.

baseball_insider: DK, do you feel that for maybe the first time the front office is actually going ALL out in rebuilding? Other regimes have talked the talk and have made some trades, but never to this degree...maybe this time is different?

Dejan Kovacevic: I only know that they hate that term, mostly because of the prefix "re-." They see it as building almost entirely from scratch.

Displaced_Burgher: Dejan, their focus is always elsewhere -- on getting "more talent" or "more players." Different management groups over the years, I realize, but why doesn't it ever work?

Dejan Kovacevic: Obviously, some bad decisions were made in the past, too. These might be bad, too, or they might be great. Too early to tell. Ridiculously early, actually, even with the big trades from last summer.

James_Taiwan: Who is the third outfielder in Huntington's future outfield with McCutchen and Milledge?

Dejan Kovacevic: No one on the depth chart is held higher in that regard, in terms of potential, than Tabata. If they could get him to be an everyday contributor, with all that he can bring to the plate, that would satisfy them, for sure. If not, there is Gorkys Hernandez, the current guys, too.

gorillagogo: Do you think Moss and Young will get the bulk of the corner OF starts until Milledge shows he's ready? How much playing time do you expect Garrett Jones and Steve Pearce to get in the foreseeable future?

Dejan Kovacevic: Yes, it will be mostly Moss and Young. The others will get time depending on matchups, rest and the like.

David_Puddy: I can't understand all the hand wringing over these trades by fans. You have to trust "the best management team in all of sports."

Dejan Kovacevic: Amazing how certain quotes just linger in perpetuity.

too_many_larouches: Watching the Nationals game on the extra innings package, I just heard Nyjer Morgan refer to the Washington GM as "Mr. Rizzo." Quite a different personality and reputation coming to Pittsburgh.

Dejan Kovacevic: From the sound of it, Morgan and Milledge have little in common.

Mr_Xiaoqi: It's clear no one is untouchable. How long till someone is able to give up some prospects for McCutcheon?...and I'm dead serious.

Dejan Kovacevic: John Grabow told me yesterday he was untouchable, and he almost kept himself from breaking out into laughter. So there you have it: Grabow is untouchable.

Scritdog: Have management indicated how they intend to use Hanrahan initially?

Dejan Kovacevic: Probably in the Steven Jackson-type way, where he gets gradually worked into late innings. But this certainly puts extra onus on Grabow to do the setting up, with Tyler Yates hurt and Burnett gone. ... Maybe he really is untouchable.

jefft: Has the front office deemed anybody as "untouchable?"

Dejan Kovacevic: Grabow!

Land_Lubber: Dejan, I think the Pirates have done a good job of restocking the farm system with talent, especially since they've only had to give up 3 average outfielders (Nady/McLouth/Morgan), 1 above average outfielder (Bay), and 2 relief pitchers (Marte/Burnett). The only problem I see is that all the prospects are either outfielders or pitchers. Are teams league-wide really that reluctant to trade middle infield prospects?

Dejan Kovacevic: The Pirates have been asking for shortstops for quite a while now, to no avail. Tampa Bay would not give up Reid Brignac to get Jason Bay, and it might have cost the Rays the World Series.

David_Puddy: A front office type has informed me that we would be "insano" to sign Sano. So get ready to chat about that.

Dejan Kovacevic: It is pronouned suh-NO. Which totally kills your joke, I know.

macsinthebox: DK, i see Milledge as our everyday left fielder in the next 30 days, with right field being a wide open competition for a while, sound about right?

Dejan Kovacevic: Yes. Moss and Young. John Russell hates using the word "platoon," but maybe there is some of that, too. And bear in mind that Moss is the superior defender, so there is more to this than the bat.

Seferg: Trades are supposed to improve your team, has that happened with this deal?

Dejan Kovacevic: Not immediately, as I think is quite obvious. But it is just as obvious that was not the intent.

DerangedPGHer: "149 User(s) in Insider." That has to be a record! Just imagine if the front office had dealt Maholm...

Dejan Kovacevic: There would be a 24-hour chat line.

Title_Man: Please address how the Morgan trade addresses the often talked about desire for changing the culture?

Dejan Kovacevic: Only in the sense that the Pirates evidently feel that winning breeds culture rather than the other way around. Check Neal Huntington's quote in the regular coverage about filling the diamond with "nice guys." Agree with him or not, it was pretty telling.

Dirt_Dog: Do you agree with the approach this regime is taking?

Dejan Kovacevic: That is up to the columnists, to agree or disagree. I just try to figure out what is happening, why it is happening and relay it to you.

WTBucs: Is Burnett's absence going to force the Bucs to use Donnie Veal as their only lefty option out of the pen? What does this do for the possibility of trading Grabow?

Dejan Kovacevic: Untouchable, indeed!

Why_Didn_t_I_Get_to_See_Roberto_: Dejan, what is different about this Mgt's "plan" than past regimes?

Dejan Kovacevic: The presence of a plan, by itself, is quite the separator.

Stan_: Is it possible the Pirates are making these deals this early to avoid having to make the unpopular moves at the deadline when they could actually be 2 or 3 games back?

Dejan Kovacevic: That is pretty conspiratorial. If there is a legitimately condemning thing to say about the timing, I would think it is right out there in the open: Management very, very, very clearly does not believe this team is a contender, the games-back figure not withstanding. Thus, the Pirates are the only team in the majors that close to first place who are selling.

Scritdog: Do the Pirates have any recourse on the the Milledge trade if he doesn't fully recover from his finger injury?

Dejan Kovacevic: There is some small window in which the Pirates can examine Milledge for themselves, as with any traded player. But their medical people already have done due diligence on his existing tests, scans, etc., and cleared him in that way.

NH_theplan: DK I loved the trades yesterday. It was nice to see us get something back in return that didn't look like Matt Morris for a change. My concern is the number of draft picks we have been able to sign. Only 5 of the top 20 at this point. NH has repeatedly said we needed to build through the draft. Any talk about this from the PBC?

Dejan Kovacevic: The Pirates said from the beginning that it would take right up to Aug. 17 with a lot of them because of the nature of taking high-end guys in low rounds. Huntington also said, as mentioned in the notebook the other day, that most of the top 10 looks like a hard sell. Couple more ...

Scritdog: Is there any left-handed bullpen help in Indy? It seems like the Pirates have gone from having a surplus to a deficit in regards to lefties out of the pen.

Dejan Kovacevic: Not unless Tom Gorzelanny moves to the pen, and there is no indication of that at the moment. ... Wow, with each passing question on this subject, Grabow is elevating his status from untouchable to worthy of a statue at PNC.

donwengert: Did the trade of Burnett have anything to do with the "candle incident" following the McLouth trade? That seemed to rub Huntingdon the wrong way.

Dejan Kovacevic: No, it did not. Huntington genuinely likes Burnett, as I know from hearing about some pretty good talks they have had on many subjects.

msb21: How do you feel about Rob Neyer labeling you as 'indefatigable' yesterday on his blog?

Dejan Kovacevic: I will have my people look up that word, then get back to his people.

Joey_Gladstone: I just bought my girlfriend a Nyjer Morgan jersey, so I wasnt happy yesterday. Is there any player on this roster safe enough to buy his jersey??

Dejan Kovacevic: Andrew McCutchen. And Grabow! ... Thanks to one and all. We will chat again Monday when I get back from the series in Miami.