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Here, play along for a second ...

These are the offensive numbers in 2007 for Freddy Sanchez:

560 at-bats, 74 runs, 41 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 78 RBIs, 255 total bases, .313 average, .353 on-base percentage

And here are the numbers for another, slightly more prominent middle infielder:

573 at-bats, 89 runs, 32 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 62 RBIs, 245 total bases, .314 average, .386 on-base percentage

Take a guess, read the rest of this, and the player will be identified at the bottom ...

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Q: Dejan: Why did management bump Tony Armas from the rotation to see what John Van Benschoten and Bryan Bullington can do (which makes sense to me), but not play Steve Pearce or Nate McLouth every day? Don't the Pirates want to see what these two guys can do? Both were hitting fairly well when benched for Jason Bay and Xavier Nady.

John Bodnar of Oshkosh, Wis.

KOVACEVIC: To clarify, John, it is Van Benschoten and not Bullington that was put in Armas' place. As mentioned in the game story yesterday, Bullington is going to stay in the bullpen the rest of the way because, according to Jim Tracy, the team does not want to push things with his shoulder.

From there, the clear distinction between Van Benschoten and the players you cite is that the Pirates might have to make a decision about whether or not to keep him next spring. For the moment, he is out of options, although that can change if the team appeals because of his injury. If he does not make the 25-man roster out of spring training, he could be lost to a waiver claim if he has no options.

Pearce and McLouth have no such urgency attached from the roster standpoint.

But I do see what I believe is your point, that the Pirates could benefit by seeing more of these two players while they are still hot and could benefit from it in the long term. Right now, there are a bunch of outfielders, and Bay and Nady are back out there trying to make up for some lost time. I understand it is more exciting sometimes to see younger guys than the same faces, but be quite sure it is important to Bay and Nady -- and, as a result, to the team -- to finish well. I find it hard to fault management with this one.

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Q: Hi, Dejan. With the directives coming from upper management that Tony Armas is removed from the rotation and that Van Benschoten should start, how do you see this? Is upper management giving a no-confidence vote in Jim Tracy? Or was it that Dave Littlefield was making too many orders to the coaching staff and that Brian Graham and Frank Coonelly are now simply trying to untie Tracy's hands?

Missy Wells of Austin, Texas

KOVACEVIC: The Armas directive came from upper management, exactly as you put it, Missy. But I have no cause to believe it was a no-confidence vote or a takeover as we saw when Littlefield was scripting out Pete Mackanin's rotation a couple years ago. (Mackanin seems to be handling that OK without help these days, by the way. The Reds have the Central's best record since he took over.) Tracy remains very much in charge of on-field stuff.

You pretty much nailed the reason Armas still was pitching with your second question. Littlefield wanted Armas to keep pitching in what was a transparent attempt to illustrate value for his lone free-agent contract of the summer.

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Q: Hi, Dejan. While reading the chat transcript Monday, one of your answers really caught my eye:

"Offseason preparation in advance of spring training probably is more important than the camp itself. If guys are showing up there looking to get in shape -- and more than a few did this season -- that is something that needs to be addressed by management. Aggressively."

Are the players required to check in with the team during the offseason? Didn't they have some sort of workouts in Pittsburgh in January? Did everyone attend? Does such a thing help the player and the team to see who's in shape and who should get in shape in advance of spring training?

Jen Buchmelter of Wintersville, Ohio

KOVACEVIC: As was discussed heavily during the Oliver Perez mess a couple of offseasons ago, the Pirates have no actual say with what happens to any player in the offseason. That is true of all Major League Baseball teams, and it is guaranteed in the labor contract.

That does not mean there is not communication and or urgency. Training regimens are assigned for each player, and phone calls or even personal visits are made, even to players in other countries. Ultimately, though, it is incumbent upon the athlete himself to keep himself in the best shape possible. Just following a list might not be enough, in terms of dedication or in terms of the physical preparation necessary to withstand a 162-game season.

That answer Monday was not meant to indicate that the Pirates are a bunch of offseason couch potatoes. Indications are that most take the duty seriously. But an organization such as the Pirates needs to pursue every possible avenue within its control to be successful, and having players in the best shape possible is one of those avenues. The issue should never come up.

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Thing No. 58 that makes Pittsburgh great: The upper part of Penn Avenue within Downtown used to be known for our last truly urban bowling lanes many years ago and, more recently, for ... well, nothing. The architecture of the tall, skinny buildings that line the blocks between Ninth and 10th streets remained striking, but the street level was mostly barren and the windows above that mostly boarded up.

It is not exaggeration to say no section of the city has made a more dramatic transformation in the past year-plus.

There now is a Courtyard Marriott hotel, a fully occupied apartment building where GNC headquarters used to be, several other smaller buildings being converted to lofts, a slew of restaurants, a violin shop, art galleries and, judging from the cranes and construction still in that area, much more on the way. Already, it is vibrant day and night, almost as much as the theater area just a few blocks down.

I appreciate this for two reasons:

One, anything that makes Downtown better makes everything in the region better.

Two, most of the visiting baseball teams, the players and other employees stay in that part of town, and a good percentage of them bypass the bus and simply walk over to the yard. And it is from them that I am hearing how much better their impression is of Downtown than it used to be, no doubt because that is the part they see.

I have not had the chance to spend much time there myself -- that is what offseasons are for -- but I am told by some in the Brewers' party that the rather large restaurant at the base of the Marriott is one of the finest they have experienced in terms of food and atmosphere.

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Until tomorrow, when everyone can pick their jaws off the floor at learning that the mystery player with the frighteningly similar offensive output to Sanchez this season is none other than Derek Jeter ...