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Tag: Pedro Alvarez

Prospect Watching: Pedro Alvarez

The most-heralded prospect in the Pirates' system:

Pedro Alvarez was the Pirates' first-round draft pick in the 2008 draft. �The third baseman had played for three collegiate seasons at Vanderbilt University, where he accumulated a .349 average, 49 homers, and 162 RBI. �His third season was hindered by a broken hand, sustained when he was hit by a pitch. �After being drafted, Alvarez was at the center of a huge controversy involving the signing of his contract and his new agent, Scott Boras. �The Pirates had hoped that Alvarez would be able to get his feet wet professionally in the last few weeks of the 2008 season, but the contract controversy precluded that. �Instead, Alvarez made his pro debut at the beginning of the 2009 season, when he was assigned to A+ Lynchburg.

Alvarez started off with a bang, going 3-for-4 on Opening Day, including a homer to give Lynchburg the lead, and a 2-run double to give them the win. �Then he went hitless for the next 5 games. �He muddled along over the next few weeks, hitting .219 for the month of April. �But, he hit 3 more home runs, all in dramatic situations -- one to tie the game, one to break a tie, and one for a walk-off win. �The first two weeks in May continued to be slow, as Alvarez went 7-for-42 over that time, with 2 more homers. �Then he had an offensive burst, hitting in 7 of his next 8 games and going 13-for-32. �He finished the month with 7 more hits, for a .262 average in May and 5 home runs. �There was another spurt of hits, 9-for-16 over 4 games, in mid-June, and Alvarez had a .254 average in 18 games in June, with 5 more home runs. �That gave the left-handed hitter a .247 average over 66 games for the Hillcats, with 14 doubles, a triple, 14 homers, and 55 RBI. �He walked 37 times and struck out 70 times, which was not unexpected. �In the field, Alvarez made 13 errors at third base, also not unexpected for a player in his first pro assignment. �Six of the errors came in the month of April, so he did settle down a bit.

Alvarez and Tabata To Minor League Camp



The Pirates announced eight more reassignments to minor league camp this morning.
Outfielder Jose Tabata (photo) and 3B Pedro Alvarez were both optioned to AAA Indianapolis.
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Both Alvarez and Tabata are on the 40-man roster, and barring a miracle in Bradenton, both were slated to begin the 2010 season in Indianapolis, and likely move to Pittsburgh far enough into the season so that their major league service time would not count 2010 as a full season. �Why not let them get more time with the major league club in spring training? �Because today is the deadline to option players who have not already been in the majors. �If they stay in big league camp and then get injured in the next 3 weeks, then this year counts toward their service time. �The Pirates very much want to have these two, a big part of their future, to stay under their contractual control for as long as possible. �Pirates' management would have liked to have them stay, but it isn't worth the risk.
Infielder Doug Bernier and OF Jon Van Every, both free agent signings, were also reassigned to minor league camp. �They are likely to open the season with Indianpolis too.
Four pitchers were also sent to the minor league camp: �Jimmy Barthmaier, Neal Cotts, Craig Hansen, and Tyler Yates. All four are injured and are working on rehab. �They were not expected to be available before Opening Day anyway, so this is more of a formality.

Three Home Runs in Pirates’ Loss

Twins 5, �Pirates 4 �(box)

Three Pirates homered this afternoon, but it wasn't enough to beat the Twins at Fort Myers, Florida. �C Jason Jaramillo got the Pirates started with a solo blast over the right field wall in the 3rd inning. �2B Delwyn Young had the next shot, which came with SS Ronny Cedeno on base in the 6th inning to add 2 runs. �Moments later, 1B Jeff Clement contributed his own solo homer, for the Pirates' 4th run. �Young's homer was his fourth in five games. �Unfortunately, those four hits (three homers plus Cedeno's double) were the only hits the Pirates had in the game. � 1b Steve Pearce was the only Pirate to reach base on a walk.

The Twins scored their runs one at a time, on 9 hits. �Pirates' starter Ross Ohlendorf gave up 2 runs on 4 hits in 4 innings of work. �The first run came in the 2nd inning, on an RBI ground out with runners on second and third bases. �After Jaramillo tied the score in the top of the 3rd, DH Jim Thome un-tied it with a home run off Ohlendorf in the 4th. �The Bucs' 3-run top of the 6th game them a 4-2 lead. �Chris Jakubauskas and Javier Lopez each pitched a scoreless inning, with Lopez picking up two strikeouts. �Jack Taschner took the mound in the 7th, and gave up a homer to 3B Brendan Harris, to cut the Pirates' lead to one run. �Brian Bass pitched the 8th inning and was charged with a Blown Save when he gave up a run on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 4-4. �Then in the bottom of the 9th, a hit and a walk-off RBI double by 3B Luke Hughes gave the Twins the win.

Also in the game: �SS Jordy Mercer was the lucky minor leaguer who got to join the big club for the day. �2B Doug Bernier, RF Jose Tabata, 1B Steve Pearce, LF Jon Van Every, PH/DH Brian Myrow, 3B Pedro Alvarez, 3B�Neil Walker, and C Erik Kratz all got to play too.

In minor league camp, Octavio Dotel threw 24 pitches in a minor league game, but it was not a AAA game. �The Indy Indians did not have a game today.