BRADENTON, Fla. — Third baseman Pedro Alvarez was removed from Thursday’s 8-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays with discomfort and inflammation in his left knee.
Alvarez is currently day-to-day and will likely be out of game action through the weekend, the team says.
“I think it was more or less running,” Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle said on how he sustained the injury. “He either hit a bag or stepped behind a bag. That’s what I was told. Something like that.”
Hurdle said that Josh Harrison, Matt Hague and Yamaico Navarro will see playing time at third while Alvarez is out for the weekend.
“We got a bunch of options for guys at third base,” Hurdle said. “If I probably ranked it, it would be Harrison, Navarro, ahead of Matt at third base. To get the innings.”
The 25-year-old went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts while playing six innings at third base yesterday. So far this spring, Alvarez is batting .133 (4-for-30) with two home runs, three RBI and 13 strikeouts.
March 23, 2012 at 2:04 pm
…and because he strikes out all of the time.
March 23, 2012 at 2:42 pm
And can save face and do a “rehab” stint at AAA
March 23, 2012 at 3:58 pm
kinda snarky
March 23, 2012 at 5:31 pm
And very possibly true.
March 24, 2012 at 5:41 pm
I am not saying this is Pedro’s idea…just that management might see a way to help the young man;s Psyche and their invest,emt
March 23, 2012 at 2:55 pm
Excuse #1 for the 2012 season, and he hasn’t even played a game that counts yet. It’s probably due to his ‘conditioning’ that he did this offseason. Josh Harrison, starting 3rd baseman.
March 24, 2012 at 10:18 am
I’d rather see Casey there with Hague the Hit Collector at 1b.
March 23, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Josh Harrison is a good ballplayer, but like all Pirate AAA players, he is a utility player, I am surprised they don’t have him catching, after all it is not how good they are at one position, it is more important to play all over the field, why play one position and get good at it? Name one position player at the AAA level that is not a utility player?
March 23, 2012 at 5:40 pm
Starling Marte. Last season that was somewhat true but that was becasue they didn’t have any bats at the AAA level with a high ceiling, it’s no secret that has been one of the organizations weeknesses once the Cutch/Tabata/Alvarez group graduated. If a player can’t hit the crap out of the ball they better play outstanding defense or be capable at many positions, it’s there only chance of getting playing time at the MLB level.
March 23, 2012 at 7:17 pm
1HR/15ABs equates to 28-35 HR over an entire season. Plugging that into the 6-hole makes a .200 average acceptable if he can play ok defense.
If you think that’s a ridiculous statement, think about the fact that it’s probably just as ridiculous to think that Pedro would hit .125 on the season. These games don’t matter. How are his mechanics? What is he doing right? What does he have the power to improve upon? Until someone else shows the ability to hit more than 15 HRs, Pedro will probably be an everyday player.
March 23, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Hauge has shown that ability, put him at 1b. McGehee has proven the ability to do the same at 3b.
Pedro needs to figure it out. AAA all the way.
March 24, 2012 at 10:19 am
Brian….I can’t like your comment too much.
Btw, WHEN was Pedro running the bases. He K’s all the time.
