Pirates "Frustrated" With Pedro Alvarez Negotations

by Charlie on Jul 23, 2008 9:31 PM EDT Comment 15 comments

"I am frustrated that negotiations haven't concluded of yet," Coonelly said by phone from Pittsburgh. "We were very hopeful to have Pedro playing for the Pirates' affiliates by now. Other premier college players who have signed early, like Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Braun, Evan Longoria, have used the additional year of development as a stepping stone to get into majors within 10-12 months of being drafted, and we tried to work Pedro into that situation."

This is the first time either side has really said anything about the negotiations, the Post-Gazette reports. I imagine we'll have a rebuttal from Alvarez's camp soon.

It is disappointing to see that Alvarez won't play much or at all in the minors this year, but it's not surprising, and my guess is that these talks go down to the wire. I can imagine that Coonelly is frustrated. He drafted several high-upside players but so far has failed to really sign any of them, and after nearly a year on the job, he and Neal Huntington have failed to make a single trade to improve the Pirates' base of young talent. If things don't improve by August 15 (the deadline to sign draftees), the fanbase will start to turn on them. That's not a threat; that's just what will happen.

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I dunno

I get the feeling that he doesn’t want to play for the Pirates. We’re not exactly a “sexy” team, though he would be a HUGE fish in a TINY pond here…

Compensatory picks ahoy :(

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on Jul 23, 2008 9:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not Taken As A Threat

You are right. The C & H boys have done nothing yet; and soon, what is left of the fan base will catch on if nothing happens, first by the 7/31 trading deadline and then by the 8/15 deadline for signing draft picks.

When the Pirates drafted Alvarez, I figured that Coonelly must have had prior discussions with Boras and must have had a pretty good idea what it would take to sign him … or even if Boras would ever ‘allow’ him to sign with Pittsburgh. After all, wasn’t it Boras that kept J.D. Drew from EVER signing with the Phillies?

Obviouly, there is great opportunity to move up fast with the Pirates. But if Boras is of the opinion that Coonelly and Huntington are neophytes, he might feel that would hurt Alvarez in the long run.

So if Pedro does not sign, he returns to Vanderbilt for his senior year and the Pirates end up with a sandwich pick. Big deal! Of course, who is to say that Alvarez is the real deal either. A lot of this is a crapshoot … with a lot of money on the line!

It all comes down to two words … TALENT EVALUATION.

by thegunner on Jul 23, 2008 10:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the gunner

So if Pedro does not sign, he returns to Vanderbilt for his senior year and the Pirates end up with a sandwich pick.

Not true. They would get the #3 overall pick, in addition to their regular 1st round pick.

by patthatt on Jul 24, 2008 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree with "Thegunner"...

Current management has done nothing significant to improve this team despite what some other posters on this board believe. One would assume that management would have known that using the #2 overall pick to select a Scott Boras client would be a costly venture and that they would have had preliminary discussions with Boras in hopes of determining if they can afford his asking price. As a result, I would assume that they will eventually sign him because failure to do so would alienate their remaining fan base and send a signal that they are not serious about improving the existing talent level. I really don’t think that Alvarez’s family is hurting for money so much so that would comprimise their son’s future. If they are truly dirt poor then Boras will figure out a way to get them money even if it entails circumventing the rules. I think current management knows they are swimming with sharks and so I hope they brought plenty of protection.

by Illinois Pirate Fan on Jul 24, 2008 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It seems to me that everybody thinks they can just push us around

and I’m sick of it. Other GMs are complaining about our requirements that they give us actual talent for our good players. Borass trying to squeeze every last cent that he can get out of us. I think it’s time to make a stand right now. If Alvarez doesn’t want to play for us for $6 million dollars or whatever it is that we’re offering, then f him. He is the one that will get to play fewer career games in the majors because of it, his family will have to live in poverty for another year because of it. What if he doesn’t hit all that well next year at Vandy? He might fall all the way down to mid-late first round – given all the pitching that I’ve heard about in next year’s class. What if he gets a serious injury? These things happen. $6 million dollars would transform anybody’s life (except Boras’) and it will allow the Alvarez family to never worry about money again. I highly doubt that they are stupid enough to jeopardize that. I think Alvarez will sign with us very near the deadline even if he has to fire Boras to do it. Unfortunately, that will still put him a year behind in his development and cause him to break into the majors later and thus play fewer career games. Hopefully he’ll hit like Wieters and we’ll all forget this crap ever happened. BTW, when will Scheppers work out in Pittsburgh?

by houksyndrome on Jul 24, 2008 12:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

With that in mind

Especially after you stated “He is the one that will get to play fewer career games in the majors because of it, his family will have to live in poverty for another year because of it. What if he doesn’t hit all that well next year at Vandy? He might fall all the way down to mid-late first round – given all the pitching that I’ve heard about in next year’s class. What if he gets a serious injury?” I truly believe Alvarez will cave in and accept the Pirates offer. ARod went behind Boras back to remain a Yankee. Blood’s thicker than water. I still believe Pedro Alvarez will become a Pittsburgh Pirate soon.

by Bad Andy on Jul 24, 2008 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Alvarez

I, too, believe that, when push comes to shove, Alvarez will sign.shove. He will be risking a great deal if he waits another year, and I think that the Pirate brass should hang tough in the negotiations.

But patthatt, you seem to be excited about a higher draft pick if he doesn’t sign.

I’d be excited, too, if I thought that the Pirate brain trust/scouting department knew what they were doing. But until I see some positive results in terms of the performace of players once they are signed, I will remain a sceptic.

by thegunner on Jul 24, 2008 12:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i'm curious about scheppers as well

maybe write in a Q to DK about that?

by SpacePirate on Jul 24, 2008 8:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think that with Scheppers...

...they want to see as much of his rehab as possible before fishing or cutting bait.

by Vlad on Jul 24, 2008 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that smart?

If they offer him 2nd round money now, he might sign. If they wait until August, see he is in good shape, and offer him 2nd round money, he will be in a better position to negotiate.

by DITO on Jul 24, 2008 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes but

if they offer him second round money now and he needs labrum surgery in august, that’s a terrible waste.

by johnnycuff on Jul 24, 2008 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Alvarez

Seems like Coonelly is already prepping the fandom for the strong possiblity that they won’t sign Alvarez. Maybe they shouldn’t have “Voted for Pedro” in the first place…..

by rissaldar on Jul 24, 2008 1:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

People are taking this way too seriously.

Agents bluster about not signing, and front offices bluster about letting draft picks not sign. That’s how the game is played. It’s all rhetoric.

by Vlad on Jul 24, 2008 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bingo.

Seems like a PR guilt trip and little else to me.

http://www.rockmnation.com
Thrust nunchuk upward!

by Bill C. on Jul 24, 2008 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fanbase

Most fans are casual and do not know other teams prospects and many do not know our own outside of the ones that have already appeared in the majors. If they see the Pirates finish close to .500(doubtful) their perception would be that we are getting better. I have heard many say that if we trade Wilson,Bay etc. that it is the opposite of what those think that are looking towards the future.

by buccoben on Jul 24, 2008 2:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs