Pedro Alvarez Agrees To New Deal

A "play it safe" move. Pirates really wanted that prospect, thought he would improve the team by a magnitude great enough if he does pan out.

I still don't like Alvarez. Sounds like a prima donna. And Scott Boras gets a win, since Alvarez's contract is now greater than that given to Posey.

Pirates would have the #2 overall comp pick, right? Why not s.crew Alvarez and try to draft Strasburg if whoever among Nats/M's/Padres gets the #1 pick doesn't draft him?

But then, this is playing it safe.

I thought they weren't going to renegotiate.

I was kinda hoping for Boras to get his head handed to him, but now he got what he wanted. Unbelievable.

I think the pirates were stuck, their team is a shade below terrible, fan interest in quite low, and optimism is bleak. If the pirates were in a position like the twins or rays, I think they could say goodbye to boras and alveraz. Sadly, the pirates desperately need alveraz more than he really needs them.

This being said I kinda lost interest in alveraz after his stunt with boras, but at the same time I think this was boras pushing more than alveraz. So Im up for seconds chances with pedro. With pedro, the pirates have a slight optimism for the near future. I really beleive they are only a bat away from being quite scary in two years.

Mcclouth
Mccutheon
Alvarez
Doumit

is a solid young punch, add one more solid hitter in that line up and you got yourself a good chance to win with a couple of solid arms.

Front office stepped up to the plate and delivered. They really had no choice, not "fixing" this situation and getting Alvy signed would ruin the image this new management is trying to portray.

My new least favorite MLB player. Hello, Pedro.

He has to make the majors first.

I can't believe they caved in, that is ridiculous. I do have to say, if I was a Pirates fan, I'd be so conflicted. You want the talent, but hate the guy.

So disappointed in the Pirates.

Anyone want to bet that Boras will try this again next year?

And the score for those of you watching at home is: Boras 6.355M, Pirates 0.

Look fellas,

I hate Boras as much as the next guy, but we had to sign this kid. Maybe if your squad lost for 16 years you'd see what I was saying.

I just worry about precedent. I get it. I know that the Bucs really need Alvarez. BUT, I think that is a shortsighted approach to the problem.

Keep your money, get 2 top picks in 6 months, and tell Boras and the Players Union to stuff it. Let Alvarez sit and hope he tears up his knee or ends up signing for way less come the 09 draft.

The fact that a new deal was agreed upon just shows that this wasn't about anything other than Scott's ego and money. Not particularly Pedro's money, but the fact that he would have bragging rights to getting the highest bonus means Boras can continue to use that fact to lure new young players to him. He has done a great disservice to Pedro and while I won't totally discount him, people who chose Boras as an agent are less likely to be given the benefit of the doubt. Is it any wonder that when a player switches from Boras his public perception is favorably affected? Carlos Zambrano comes to my mind as a Cubs fan.

Giants - I'm not going to claim to be an expert here, but I think Alvarez will make up the difference in present value because of the new deal being major league instead of minor league.

Meaning that he'll get 400K (major league minimum in 2009) for playing in the minors next year, whereas he would have made peanuts (a couple grade per month). The different is maybe 385K, but let's round down to 350K. Add 350K to the 5.67M and you get slightly more than the 6M of the original deal. The longer he stays in the minors, the more this would benefit him, as he would continue to make the 400K salary, as opposed the few thousand he would be making under a minor league deal.

Of course, if he sticks with the team out of spring training, then he actually does end up with less money than he would have under the original deal.