Pedro Alvarez Out of Shape
by MightyMoose on Jan 18, 2009 4:19 PM EST
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PrintUpdate: Alvarez reported to minicamp out of shape and could start the season at Low Single-A Charleston rather than High Single-A Lynchburg, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Recommendation: According to director of player development Kyle Stark, Alvarez is above his playing weight, not as strong as usual and is experiencing tendinitis in both of his knees. Team officials confirmed that he has not been in peak shape since signing a four-year, $6 million deal in September. He’ll need to shed weight before spring training in order to start his professional career off on a positive note.
Sounds like this is going to be a big issue for Pedro. Don't be surprised if he's moved to first base sooner rather than later.
You would think not being taken #1 would help to motivate him.
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Alvarez
Sounds like a typical Boras client. Cares more about getting paid than actually being a great baseball player. I feel so sorry for Pirates fans. I am a Cardinals fan myself, but if there is any team I would like to bring themselves back to relevance, it is Pittsburg.
All talk
Let’s see how he performs before seeing what the issue is. He may not be in shape right now, but things can change for a pro athlete sooner than later.
Boras’ clients have been known to be busts – A-Rod, Mark Teixeira, Matt Holliday, Derek Lowe and countless other guys.
We can only hope, Alvarez follows those guys’ same path.
Others who didn't care;
Don’t forget about Manny Ramirez. Oh, and the player who probably cared the least of anybody about being good at baseball, Barry Bonds.
Bonds
yes, he was, until he wasn’t.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jan 19, 2009 2:28 AM EST up reply actions
You just named three elite position players, and one of the most consistent pitchers in the game
How has any one of those guys been a “bust” ever for anyone?
most knew this could be an issue though
He is a heavier guy. He’ll move to 1B most likely, though probably not eyt.
The problem is that once he beomes a 1B only
his value diminishes enough for me that I would rather have Smoak out of the draft class.
Alvarez’s main key quality for me was that he was a near ready guy that could stand a real good chance of sticking at 3B for his career. I could discount his K% becasue of his positional scarcity, but by being a 1B instead I would rather value the proven above average defender in Smoak. Yes, I would be losing some power, but the value of a good glove t 1st makes up for the difference to me.
alvarez
Well damn. If this had come out last week, I might have dropped him a few notches on the 50/50.
John
what do you think of this? Is his move more likely to 1B in the minors now to prevent further knee problems?
I can speak somewhat informed here
I coached high school baseball in NYC the past couple of years. I personally do not know Alvarez, but one of the coaches I worked with coached against him throughout his entire 4 years at Horace Mann. When I asked that coach about him, he told me “let me tell you…. as good as a ball player as that kid is, hes an even better person, I cannot say enough good things about him.”
Now this has nothing to do with keeping in shape, etc, but Everyone I know who knew him in HS, speaks glowingly of him, so I would wait and see before I just listen to the negative media he is getting at the moment.
Check out my baseball analysis blog FANalytics
I don't think
it’s a huge concern, only from a fantasy perspective, because he’s most likely heading to first base. Tendonitis in your knees doesn’t sound good long-term.
Noise.
In my opinion, this is a bit of a non-story. Pedro’s been there for every conditioning and minicamp so far, and nobody is saying anything about him “dogging it”. He’s a big kid who’s packed on a few lbs after a long college season, and is getting himself into shape long before spring training.
Of course you’d rather have him come into camp cut up and running 10 miles a day, but if he’s got some mild tendonitis in his knees, it’s probably good that he hasn’t gone overboard these last couple of months.
What a load of horseshit!
I know that isn’t going to stop dumb-ass-sports fans from running thier yappers about something they don’t know anything about but, as usual, its worth a try.
Don’t get your collective panties/ underpants in a bundle!
Pot...
meet kettle.
"My mom always taught me it's better to laugh at yourself than to laugh at others. She was so wrong. ;)" -Pedrophile
Pedro has cankles!
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09017/942559-63.stm
I didn’t see that one coming. He looks like he goes to the Andrew Jones and Andy Marte center of body sculpting. Probably blows over and he works off the extra home cooking in short order. Sort of a dubious start to a professional career for him and the Pirates.
Can the Pirates get one top draft pick ...
… who has a nice smooth ascent to the majors?
Help us, Andrew McCutchen, you’re our only hope!
With extra analysis
Here’s Scott Steiner… who thinks Pedro Alvarez is one of the ex-Dudleys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fe92m7nF7s
"That is like saying my ‘upside’ is Brad Pitts face, with Einstein’s brain, and Ron Jeremy’s unit. It is nice to dream, but that ceiling isn’t going to happen." (King Billy Royal)
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