When I see the players union get involved, I get nervous. There is no way that they will let one of their guys marinate for 6 years. Some kind of deal will be worked out with the Bucs and this kid will have the JD Drew label. Even if they were to lose him, #3 and #5 next year would be fine with me.

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080827&content_id=3375888&vkey=news_pit&fext=.jsp&c_id=pit

Claims he only wants 200,000 more
give him the money so he can be on the team where he can actually help the pirates.

you already paid him 6 mil what is 200,000

OK, so on the reverse logic, here’s a few questions for Alvarez if that report is true:

1. Why not start your negotiations a little earlier (say, 11:30 PM that day?) and tell the Pirates you want $6.2 million. My feeling based on what the Pirates have said is that they would have given it to him (they said they would give him a ML contract if he had asked for it and agreed to the physical!).

2. Now that you did say you would take $6 million, why possible ruin your future as an MLB player (for example, what happens to him if the ruling goes against, which it looks like there is a good chance it will?) to try to squeeze a measly $200K out of the Pirates? I mean, if you delay this process and in turn it means you make the majors a few months later than you would, you risk losing MUCH more than $200K when arbitration and free agency are factored in vis-a-vis MLB service time.

then that just sounds like a stupid game to get more than the $6.15 million that the #1 overall, Tim Beckham, received.

I don`t want Alvarez in the Pirates` organization. Go somewhere else and play.

then it was too late, hence there is no valid contract.

How can the MLBPA file a grievance on behalf of someone who doesn`t have a contract, if we believe Boras?

The Pirates say the proof is on their side that Alvarez unequivocally agreed to the deal and it was submitted properly before midnight-actually before Hosmer`s contract.

Sounds to me like Boras is a liar, and that Pedro Alvarez is stupid.

If the Pirates are right, they absolutely must not renegotiate this contract.

If Boras doesn`t like it, he knows where he can go.

If Alvarez doesn`t like it, he can join him.

Principle = Don’t satify Boras’s ego by giving Alverez $200K to give him the highest signing bonus in the 2008 draft class
                                                                   OR
let Alverez (who pretty much made the signing happen according to Coonley) who has never played at the professional level dictate his terms

Common Sense = $200K to get the best player in the draft in the fold is peanuts in the scheme of $6M

My advice (since it is worth what you paid for it) is to let him sit on the restricted list until he agrees to play by terms he agreed to. I may not like it as a fan, but I can stand by an organization that shows integrity.

What else is there to say really. He is the absolute definition of a scumbag. I have no doubt in my mind that we would kill his own mother for a couple hundred bucks. Sadly enough im dead derious. What a shame. Theres more to life than money.

Agents always play bad guy. Remember Rosenhaus for TO during the Philly divorce. There is always the athlete behind the agent. Alverez has part in this too. Yes he may be getting bad advice, but where there is money, there is a camp (entourage so to speak) and they are all taking Boras’s advice.

Contract states that grievances can be filed for players, or those who will be players at some point during the agreement. This includes draftees.

it still makes no sense from Boras` whining standpoint.

If he contends the contract was done after midnight, then it was too late, so there can be no contract-period. And it would also invalidate Hosmer`s contract from what the Pirates say in their official press release.

If there is a contract, which the Pirates adamantly assert, then Alvarez has no choice but to sign it and abide by its terms, if he wants to play in MLB.

I don`t see how MLBPA`s grievance will do anything but bring more grief to all parties involved, especially in the Boras camp.

Coonelly’s statement was terrific, and I hope Boras’ hubris impels him to pursue this and costs both Alvarez and Hosmer a year. Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass anymore whether the kid shows up or not. They need to make Boras cave.

Boras is not stupid and it doesn’t seem logical that he would allow this matter to go this far without some “ace in the hole” of which we are not aware. For instance, he may want to challenge the current draft system altogether and he has cut some kind of agreement with Alvarez to allow himself to use Alvarez for that purpose. The events that have transpired so far are simply the necessary first steps in this process.

It just doesn’t seem reasonable that he and Alvarez would go to this length over a measily $200K.

BTW, I read somewhere on this site that the Pirates had already paid Alvarez $3 million of his signing bonus. Does anyone know if this is actual fact?

would pledge $10 each to this financially disadvantaged athlete, this issue could simply go away. Don’t want PBC to re-negotiate his contract. I hereby offer a $10 mercy pledge to Pedro Alvarez to attain the status he feels he needs and deserves. As for Boris, he has a reputation to uphold … and … publicity to be gained.

I haven’t read any of the posts yet, but I want to post several of the thoughts I’ve had since the story broke and before I could get to a computer:

1. There is far more potential for this to be bad for Pedro/Boras than the Pirates.

2. FC’s statement is beautiful on several fronts. I think our lawyer may be better than Pedro’s.

3. For those who are not familiar, there is legal doctrine called the Statute of Frauds that applies to contract law and which sometimes holds that a verbal contract is not sufficient. It has been a while since I brushed up on it, but I’m guessing that the SOF is superseded in this case by the CBA between the owners and the union. I would further guess that the CBA allows for verbal confirmation of tentative contracts to satisfy the deadline requirements. I suspect that is what happened here.

4. I can’t imagine that Boras wants the contract voided as that would seemingly leave Pedro with no money and needing to go back to school/otherwise entertain himself for another year without big bucks.

5. Boras’ apparent goal of negotiating a bigger signing bonus now seems counter to the fact that the deadline has expired.

6. It is my understanding that the Pirates put $6m on the table shortly after the draft. There was no response from Pedro/Boras until about 10 minutes (or less) before the midnight 8/15/08 deadline. Had Pedro/Boras tried to neogtiate in a more traditional manner – and perhaps been willing to play professionally this summer – the Pirates were willing to negotiate a bit from the initial $6m offer. If this is so, then this is simply Boras getting pissed because his strategy back-fired.

7. I recall my initial post after the deadline wherein I hoped that someday there would be a “perfect storm” that bit Boras square on the ass after he pushed matters a little to close to the deadline. I wonder if this isn’t that very scenario.

8. Finally, it should be noted that we haven’t heard Boras’/Pedro’s side of the story. That said, I sure like the stance the Bucs are taking on this.

Good day.

Boras stated that Pedro never received a contract from the Pirates. IIRC, for players involved in the draft, a contract offer has to be in place within 15 days of the draft. I can not imagine the Pirates missed THAT deadline (late June). I would also assume that was done by registered mail or courier, etc. Something requiring a signature. If that offer and terms were eventually agreed to on August 15th, Boras has no grounds to claim the Pirates didn’t offer a contract.

it certainly leaves the door…and window open for that money to end up showing up.

The quote…

“We will sit down with Pedro and his family as soon as Mr. Boras’ claim is rejected to chart a new and much more productive start to Pedro’s career with the Pittsburgh Pirates.”

That sounds like…drop the grievance and we will see what we can do.

but the Pirates are in trouble on this one.

I don’t get what Borass or Alvarez seek to get out of this whole mess they have created. No way the Bucs will cave on this one. MLB won’t let them. If the Bucs cave, then the whole draft process become moot. Alvarez is no worth the Bucs caving in.

I agree , either he reports based on the agreed upon contract or he sits until next year’s draft. I doubt if anyone would pick him next year!

I agree that Alvarez needs to make his intentions clear here. Just ’cause Borass is his agent, Alvarez needs to take charge. Just like A-Rod did when he had enough of Borass.

Go get ’em Bucs!

My guess is that Boras has filed the grievance to challenge the draftee signing deadline. It sounds like MLB unilaterally extended the deadline which – argueably – would be an unfair advantage to the clubs of the players and could cause the deadline to be thrown out or the extension practice to be voided.

Good day.