Odds And Ends: Alvarez, Cameron, Nats

Man, it's in the cards that Pedro Alvarez is going to split as soon as he can. First he has the long controversial soap opera holdout situation with the Pirates, then he's holding interviews with the opposing team's media about how he could have been on a Red Sox. Usually an athlete who actually expresses that level of candor will quickly ameliorate any possible hurt fans' feelings by saying something like, "..but I'm really glad to be playing here in [Insert City].." Either he really doesn't want to be a Pirate, or, someone needs to pull him aside and teach him some basics about speaking to the media. You don't tell the media your true innermost thoughts if you don't have to, or if it will put yourself in a compromising position with your own fans...

It sucks that the newspaper is going out of business. I have never read that one, but I am about to graduate with a Journalism degree and that isn't very uplifting to me... I feel bad for those people, but I don't understand why they didn't try doing strictly online news before shutting down the whole thing because there are a few papers in America that have done that and kept their profits up, but they weren't in major markets like Denver.

On a different note. I feel bad for the Pirates in this Alvarez situation. Looks to be a great player, but looks as if he is going to leave the first opportunity he gets, maybe the Pirates can actually get something in a trade for him. They just can't seem to do anything right or have any luck go their way.

Whatever the case may be, Pedro better smarten up. I too feel bad for Pirates fans. They don't deserve the bad breaks they've gotten. Sure, they may have made a mistake management-wise here and there, but it just seems like, they've had a disproportionate amount of choices go sour. Typically, even on bad teams, you'll get at some percentage be productive.

Kids like Alvarez target the big name teams way too much. A good player joining a big market club is just business-as-usual. A good player on a bad team, who may be a key part of turning it all around, will be loved and remembered by a generation. I think those kids should look at teams like Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Baltimore as great opportunities to do just that. I know firsthand right now that Markakis and Wieters are viewed in a special light in Baltimore.

Yes completely, Mel. The Pirates made the right choice picking Alvarez. Even if it isn't meant to be as a Pirate, Alvarez is better off keeping his head down, work hard, and reach the majors.