Latest On Pedro Alvarez

Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a source that claims the Player’s Association will only focus on the status of Pedro Alvarez’ contract and not on the contract of Eric Hosmer. Kovacevic says the MLBPA will argue that Hosmer’s contract was only delayed so the Pirates could have more time to negotiate with Alvarez.

However, Jonathan Mayo obtained a copy of the grievance filed by the union which suggests that Alvarez’ contract will not be the sole focus (emphasis Mayo’s).

The Commissioner’s Office, without notice to the MLBPA, unilaterally determined to permit Clubs to negotiate with drafted players after the August 15, 2008 deadline, and unilaterally determined to accept agreements by Clubs after the August 15, 2008 deadline.

Mayo feels that the use of plurals in the grievance indicates the union is contesting more than one contract. Mayo says the grievance, combined with MLB not allowing Hosmer to play until this issue is resolved, suggests that this is about more than just the contract status of Alvarez.

Mayo also speculates that part of the desire to make Alvarez the top-paid draftee, may stem from Buster Posey’s decision to go with an agent other than Boras. Mayo wonders if Boras is in-part driven to prove Posey made a mistake.

Other notes…

• In the above article, Kovacevic also indicates a third team may have submitted their agreement after the midnight deadline. However, Kovacevic does not name the team. Of the teams to announce their agreements to the public after the midnight deadline, includes the Padres (Allan Dykstra), Rangers (Justin Smoak) and Giants (Posey). Could a third player be dragged into this mess?
• Kovacevic has a second piece in which he details the contentious history between the Pirates and Boras, and how this may have led to the current rift between the two sides.
• Kovacevic is also reporting that Pirates’ president Frank Coonelly fired another shot at Boras, blaming the agent for getting Hosmer involved.
• Baseball Prospectus has a list of incidents that could be used as precedents in the Alvarez case.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.