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« No Santana, No Regrets for Red Sox | Main | Perrotto's Latest: Atkins, Holliday, Howard »
Kovacevic Chats Draft With Pirates Execs
There's been quite a bit of conjecture that the Pirates will draft Pedro Alvarez with their #2 pick. Alvarez, a Scott Boras advisee, may require a Major League contract. The Bucs' new management team will be making a statement to fans if they pony up for Alvarez.
Devan Kovacevic did a Q&A on the draft with Pirates GM Neal Huntington and team president Frank Coonelly. He didn't shy away from tough questions, touching on the Matt Wieters subject. Kovacevic also referenced Alvarez, asking how a player demanding a big league deal would impact the team's draft choice. Said Coonelly:
The preference is to sign any amateur player to a minor-league contract. It gives the club more flexibility. With a player signed to a major-league contract right out of the draft, you have to use an option immediately to get him to the minors. If he has a minor-league contract, you can have him for three years in the minors before having to use an option. Does that mean I'm saying the Pirates would never consider that? No. We would if there were a unique set of circumstances.
So...is Alvarez special enough to warrant it for the Pirates?
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I enjoy the draft coverage a lot.
My favorite quote:
"We're looking for the best player. The right player. If you go back through draft history, there's no such thing as a safe pick. If you take the safe pick, you end up with a nice player. We don't need nice players. We need very good to great players."
Sounds to me like they may be after Tim Beckham.
Posted by: gogopalehose | May 26, 2008 at 12:16 AM
I wouldn't be upset at all if they go with Beckham. The farm system desperately lacks a good MI prospect and Brain Bixler's time in the Majors as made it painfully obvious that he isn't the longterm answer. I still want Alvarez just to finally have a powerhitting bat from the left side in PNC. I feel like if they go with Alvarez, the front office feels we can compete by say, 2010. If they go with Beckham, that tells me the rebuilding process is going to continue on past the 2010 season.
Posted by: LongSufferingBucsFan | May 26, 2008 at 12:28 AM
gogo- I couldn't agree more. Everything I've read of late makes it sound like the Pirates are trying to set up a Beckham pick (or maybe just a non-Alvarez pick). I think it's smart, don't get me wrong, but Alvarez isn't going to go to the Bucs. His exorbitant demands and the way that Boras will essentially hold them hostage, knowing how critical the pick IS...? They'll leave him to KC or Baltimore. Beckham, furthermore, is a better fit in terms of the lengthy rebuild they have in front of them. If they take Alvarez, he'll be in the majors as soon as 2009. That would mean they'd have to rush to surround him with talent; racing to beat the service time clock to free agency. With Beckham, you've got a kid with equal or greater long-term potential, who can develop in the minors while the Bucs build around him, focusing on a window during which they can bring a number of talented young players up together and grow them into a winner.
Posted by: milehigh78 | May 27, 2008 at 02:29 PM