ESPN, Post-Gazette Profile Pedro Alvarez

There's a huge feature at ESPN.com about Pedro Alvarez. It's a great read if you want to get to know him. There's a bit about the Pirates, too:

Now, as one of the top players in the country -- despite missing six weeks this season after breaking the hamate bone in his right wrist -- and with Scott Boras advising him, the pay day should be big; some scouts say they've heard rumors of an asking price in the double-digit millions. And the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the No. 2 pick, have sent close to every member of their front office to personally see Alvarez play.

"He's definitely a fast-track kid," said an American League scouting director. "Looks a little bit like Adrian Beltre, and probably profiles like that as well. He's a very polished hitter; he hits and hits with power. He just looks like a big leaguer."

The Post-Gazette also has a profile of Alvarez today: 

"It would be a privilege and an honor to get drafted by the Pirates," he said yesterday from Nashville, Tenn. "Right now, I don't know much about them, but I would get to know all about them if drafted."

I'll resist the urge to make a joke about this.

A couple other notes on the draft:

-P- Rays fans think the team will take Tim Beckham with the first overall pick.

-P- 2006 Pirate draftee Lonnie Chisenhall will probably be selected in the early rounds despite being kicked off the University of South Carolina team after being arrested for burglary. The Bucs picked him in the 11th round; he was probably the highest-upside guy Dave Littlefield ever selected in any of his drafts after the 7th round or so. 

-P- Thanks to the departures of Francisco Cordero and Scott Linebrink, the Brewers have approximately a million picks.