John Perrotto: Hi everyone. It's nice to talk baseball on such a frigid day here in Pittsburgh. Of course, it's even colder for Stiller fans 'n at. Mike, Lloyd McClendon seemed committed to Redman in center field at the end of last season and I still would put my money on him being the opening-day starter. I can't imagine them going with both Wilson and Lawton on the corners. The only way Redman wouldn't be in the starting lineup is if they were able to trade for an above-average outfielder

John Perrotto: Michael, I happen to be a Justin Reid fan and I'm sure you are, too, being from Davis. He has gotten people out every step of the way and I think he deserves a chance to show what he can do at the major-league level at some point. Reid wasn't put on the 40-man this winter but he was invited to their minicamp two weeks ago and be a non-roster invite to spring training, which means he is at least on the periphery.

John Perrotto: Mike, I think Williams is definitely the frontrunner. I've always been a fan of his and think he is a better option than Ryan Vogelsong, who seems better suited to relief work.

John Perrotto: Thompson is still in the Pirates' system. Though he was not put on the 40-man, he was at their minicamp two weeks ago and will in camp as a non-roster player. Thompson is extremely fast and a good defensive outfielder. However, the fact that he almost has no pop means he probably wouldn't be able to handle everyday duty at the major-league level.

John Perrotto: Benick will probably go to high Class A Lynchburg. Though Benick showed good pop last year, he is older and looked at more as an "orgizational"-type player rather than a prospect.

John Perrotto: Mark, Cortes is a little guy without great speed or power. He's kind of a 'tweener, who probably will be a bench guy if he gets to the major leagues.

John Perrotto: Tommy, Duke is the closest thing to a stud but he's not a lights-out, can't-miss, sure-thing No. 1 starter. Pardon all the hyphens. I think he has a legitimate chance to be in the top 50 and Walker will probably land in the top 75.

John Perrotto: Russ: Bixler is a good athlete with speed and defense. However, I'm always a little skeptical of guys who have no power. I want to see more of him before I make a definitive prediction but my suspicions are that he'll be a utility player in the major leagues. Of course, I've been wrong many times before.

John Perrotto: Paul, They've taken the conservative approach in some cases, i.e. taking Bryan Bullington over B.J. Upton with the top pick in 2003. It seems to me that's an organizational philosophy that comes from above the baseball operations department. Ownership seems to prefer giving big signing bonuses to older college players than younger high schoolers.

John Perrotto: Kevin, I had the chance to see Walker play a few times in high school since he is a Pittsburgh-area kid. He is extremely impressive. What strikes me the most is that he is a great athlete (as anyone who watched him play football in high school would agree). In my mind, he's the best athlete in the system. He is also a very bright kid who will figure things out.

John Perrotto: Michael: Rajai Davis just missed the top 10. His age did work against him somewhat, but he certainly did a great year in the Carolina League. I'm very curious to see how well he adjusts to Class AA.

John Perrotto: Bradley took regular rotation turns in the Arizona Fall League without any health problems, which is encouraging. He's had a lot of arm problems but he also keeps battling back and getting people out when he can pitch. I think Bradley can be a good No. 3-4 starter but he has to stay healthy.

John Perrotto: It's a combination of both, Brian. Van Benschoten certainly didn't dominate at Class AAA last season and looked a little overmatched at the major-league level. The Pirates' system is getting deeper but Van Benschoten also needs to bounce back with a good year in 2005.

John Perrotto: Danny, Dan Schwartzbauer had a fine year in the GCL but, like you said, he was quite old for the league. Not quite as old as most GCL fans, but older. He's going to have to do something at higher levels before he can be considered a potential prospect. Bautista also just missed the top 10. He just needs to out and play, and develop his skills, after not playing much baseball the last two years.

John Perrotto: Mike, As you said, they all don't make it. Even if two or three of them turn out to be good major-league pitchers, the Pirates would be ahead of the game. If 50 percent make it, well, maybe thing will finally start turning around in Pittsburgh.

Moderator: Tony: Sanchez got squeezed by the depth in the Pirates' system and the fact that he really didn't play all that well at Nashville once he recovered from his ankle surgery. I like Sanchez but he may be in the wrong organization to get a starting job anytime soon. The Pirates don't feel he has the power for third base and I agree. They also feel Jack Wilson and Jose Castillo could be a long-term double-play combo.

John Perrotto: Hi Don: As I mentioned earlier, Van Benschoten's bad season caused him to slip. I thik J.R. House needs to change organizations. He just doesn't seem to be in the Pirates' long-range plans. I think House will be a solid big-league with pop, not a big donkey like Hedi Vargas.

John Perrotto: My money is on Doumit, if he stays healthy. He's a pretty good-looking prospects and says he is over the sore elbow that limited him to DH duty during the second half of last season at Class AA Altoona. I see Paulino as more of a no 2 in the big leagues and my guess for House is that he ends like Craig Wilson, a C1BOF type.

John Perrotto: Steven: Great questions that are always hard to answer. For position player, I'll say Neil Walker, without a doubt. The Pirates don't have as many high-ceiling pitching prospects as many are older with college backgrounds. I'll throw a name out, left-hander Brian Holliday who has a great curveball and threw a no-hitter at Hickory last season.

John Perrotto: Brian, Sharpless is considered the best of those four. He's big, throws hard and is developing a pretty good for pitching. He looks like a potentially good late-round draft pick from Allegheny, a Division III program in Meadville, Pa.

John Perrotto: Rennie: You may have trouble counting to three but you wear able to count to 7-for-7 on that day in 1975 at Wrigley Field. Seriously, I don't think the Pirates will regret trading Keppinger. His only real tool is his ability to hit for average, which limits him to even being a utility infielder in the majors. Albaledejo could indeed be a sleeper. He struggled this past season but has had some good winter ball outings in Puerto Rico. And for question No. 3, he could possible be a breakout player. However, he needs to be a lot more consistent and watch his conditioning.

John Perrotto: Paul: It doesn't appear the Pirates are close to finding that right-handed bat at this time and I really question whether there is anyone out there right now who is better than what they have. The Pirates are very reluctant to trade their young pitching and that's understandable considering how valuable that commodity is. However, I firmly believe that at some point they are going to have to take a gamble and deal for a young, impact bat.

John Perrotto: Browning, I absoultely think Gorzelanny can be a No. 2 starter in the major leagues. He has an outstanding slider and a good feel for pitching. I could see him in the major leagues in 2006. I'm sure you know the importance of having good No. 2 guys on any athletic team.

John Perrotto: Johnson will probably go back to Hickory to start this season after failing miserably there at the beginning of last season. With his stuff, it's a mystery why he doesn't punch out more batters.

John Perrotto: Jamal, the lists are determined as much or more by potential than actual performance. There is still hope Bullington can put everything together and be the type of pitcher he was in college. However, he needs to have that big breakthrough season soon and the time would be 2005 as he will pitch at AAA Indianapolis.

John Perrotto: Trader: Peterson had a problem with a pulled side muscle at Binghamton last season and had trouble getting his mechanics back together once he got to Altoona after the July 30 trade that brought him to the Pirates from the Mets. He is a big kid with a good feel for pitching and the Pirates are optimistic he will put everything back together this season. You'll get a chance to see for yourself at Indy.

John Perrotto: Ryan, Schumaker is no longer in the organization. He was placed on the suspended list last year. I, too, once thought he was a real sleeper but it didn't work out.

John Perrotto: Kerry: Like Smith, Duke's best pitchers are his curveball and changeup. However, Duke can dial his fastball up to the 91-92 mph range when necessary, meaning he isn't totally a finesse pitcher like Bud Smith. As far as makeup, I don't know Bud Smith but I am very impressed with Duke's intelligence and poise.

John Perrotto: Tony: He's a raw athlete with a lot of tools. He has the chance to be a powerspeed guy and only time will tell if he was a steal in the sixth round or an ovedraft.

John Perrotto: Vlad, They do have an inordinate amount of leadoff-type guys. It's been proven in magazine studies that taller people make more money than shorter people. Perhaps since the Pirates often talk about their poor finances that they find little guys more attractive. Tongue firmly planted in cheek here.

John Perrotto: I'm going to say Wardell Starling. He's been solid since coming into the pro ball but he has the stuff and makeup to be a really good pitcher.

John Perrotto: Alan: As I referred to earlier, I want to see how he makes the jump to Class AA as that often tells the tale. However, there is a lot to like about Davis and he is an exciting prospect.

John Perrotto: Jose Mesa will close to start the season. I think Salomon Torres would be next in line if Mesa is traded as the Pirates don't want to rush Gonzalez into that role. Long-term, though, Gonzalez certainly has the physical ability and aggressiveness to be a closer.

John Perrotto: Vlad: Higgins falls into that old trap of closers in the low minors not being considered prospects. I'll say this, he's had a good track record over the year and I'd love to at least see him get the chance to show if he could succeed or fail at the higher levels.

John Perrotto: Ben: I think McLouth is the best of the four you mentioned. He really took a big step forward at Altoona last season. He has speed and his power is starting to develop. He is also a real gamer who loves to play. I also like Davis and Duffy a lot but I'm not as sold on Cortes.

John Perrotto: Alan: I think Duke has the chance to be pretty good, as his No. 1 ranking indicates. However, I highly doubt he will be in the Pirates' starting rotation at the start of the season. I think, realistically, he either starts the season back at Altoona or at Indianpolis with an eventual promotion to the bigs in the second half of the year.

John Perrotto: Eric: Spring training will determine whether Eldred starts off the year back at Altoona or goes to Indianapolis. If Eldred makes anything near the type of progress he made last season, I'd imagine you'll see him at PNC Park by September.

John Perrotto: He was traded to Kansas City midway through last season then released by the Royals at the end of the year.

John Perrotto: Bob: Unless the Pirates trade for a first baseman (which I think is unlikely), it'll be Craig Wilson at first, Jose Castillo at second, Ty Wigginton at third and Jack Wilson at shortstop

John Perrotto: Alan: The guy you are talking about is Antonio Sucre, who the Pirates acquired from the Washington Nationals. Sucre is a five-tool outfielder whose production has yet to match his potential. Pirates fans have seen plenty of players like that fail in past years, but Sucre will certainly bear watching this year, likely at Lynchburg.

John Perrotto: Chris: Hi former homey. I think Kip Wells will be the Pirate to take the biggest step up if he's healthy. He has a lot of talent and something to prove. As far as Pirate falling off the most, my pick is Josh Fogg. Yes, he wins games but he also pitches on the right day a lot of times as his career ERA and other stats will tell you.

John Perrotto: Ryan: Quarles' long-term future is in the bullpen with the possibility of someday being at least a set-up man and maybe a closer. Having him spend at least sometime as a starter would probably be a good idea for the reasons you mentioned.

John Perrotto: Tom: Guzman wasn't No. 11 but I won't say where he ranked because I don't want to spoil the surprise when the Prospect Handbook comes out next month. However, he is definitely a prospect and I was mildly surprised somebody didn't take a chance on him in the Rule 5 Draft.

John Perrotto: Mike: I see Castillo getting better but I think he would have benefitted more being at Class AAA than often getting overmatched in the major leagues. He did have good production numbers in Venezuela, but I long ago learned to take winter ball stats with a grain of salt.

John Perrotto: Ron: I agree. THe Pirates have a lot of good prospects but nobody who can single-handedly turn the franchise around. They are going to need to get solid production from many of them and hope that one of them unexpectedly turns into a better playert than you would think, a la Jason Bay.

John Perrotto: Joel: Scouts and the Pirates people are mixed about McLouth in center field. Some think he can and some think he can't. He impressed me as a pretty good athlete who would work hard at being a good center fielder. I wouldn't count him out.

John Perrotto: Vlad: Nunez would have probably been in the 20-25 range. Nunez hasn't made progress with a third pitch and many in the organization felt he lacked the durability to be a starter.

John Perrotto: Joel: It seems that the chances of Bullington getting that 95-mph heater get slimmer each year. Obviously, the Pirates are going to give him every opportunity, as would any team who used a No. 1 pick and ponied up $4 million. I can't fault them for trying to get some kind of return on their investment.

John Perrotto: Jeff: Shortslef isn't a Top 30 guy right now but he certainly has a good idea of how to pitch, "pitchability" as the scount like to say. Pitchers like that need to prove themselves at every level but I wouldn't count him out.

John Perrotto: Joel: That is a great question. The Pirates haven't gotten much out of the Dominican and it's something worth investigating.

John Perrotto: Alan: I didn't actually see Bauserman pitch in person but the reports were very good. He definitely has a chance to be an above-average big-league starter.

John Perrotto: Mike: I'd say the Pirates have more good players than many organizations but fewer great players than many.

John Perrotto: Alan: Both took big steps backward last year. This is going to be a big year for both. Both have talent and it's never wise to bet against talent.

John Perrotto: Vlad: Cockrell could possible be a big-league utility guy but he's a long shot. I like Howie Clark and I, too, was surprised he didn't get a non-roster invite.

John Perrotto: They are similar players with good speed and little plate discipline. I think Duffy is probably a little bit steadier in center but Redman is a little more athletic.

John Perrotto: Alan: Contrary to what Pirates fans hoped, teams weren't beating down the door with great offers for Benson. The Pirates didn't get a king's ransom for him but did as good as they could do under the circumstances. I think Peterson and Bautista are both solid prospects who could be contributors at the major-league level, though neither will make difference between a winning and losing season by themselves.

John Perrotto: Chris: Bautista will probably be the third baseman at AA Altoona.

John Perrotto: Kyle: Rajai Davis has certainly improved his plate discipline, a good sign for a leadoff man with speed.

John Perrotto: Vlad: Sadler is a bit of a free swinger but his power makes him at least a fringe prospect.

John Perrotto: Mark: Connolly and Harts both are talented enough to eventually pitch in the majors. They'll make it on different strengths, Harts on his lively fastball and Connolly on his command.

John Perrotto: Kyle: The Pirates draft No. 11 in June. It's far too early to tell at this point who they are zeroing in. Well, I have to close now. I've really enjoyed this. Thanks for all the great questions and sorry that time ran out and I couldn't answer them all. Stay warm.