Tales and Takes: Pedro Alvarez
- Mar 9, 2016
- 4 min read
Pedro Alvarez is set to sign with the Baltimore Orioles. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pedro Alvarez is Set to Become an Oriole
Pedro Alvarez is no longer a free-agent. On Monday night, the Baltimore Orioles reached an agreement with Pedro Alvarez on a one-year deal worth $5.75 million.
Pending a physical, Alvarez adds another power bat to an offense that already had 217 home runs last season. Alvarez hit 27 homers last season, along with a .243 batting average, 77 runs batted in and a .318 on-base percentage.
Along with Chris Davis, Adam Jones, Manny Machado, JJ Hardy, Mark Trumbo, Baltimore now has six players who have hit at least 30 dingers during a season. The first baseman also adds another lefty bat to the lineup. Fellow offseason aquisition Hyun-Soo Kim, along with Davis, Alvarez and the switch-hitting Matt Wieters will balance out a primarily right-handed lineup.
Alvarez, who is now 29, was the second overall pick in the 2008 draft. The Pirates non-tendered him this winter and he became a free-agent. He's a career .236/.309/.441 hitter and has hit 131 home runs in six seasons, but he averages 29 home runs in 162 games and hit a career-high of 36 in 2013. He had 186 strikeouts in 2013 and averages 177 K's per season.
The Pirates moved Alvarez from third base last season, where he committed 23 errors and registered a .978 fielding percentage. His agent, Scott Boras, has been selling Alvarez as a better fielder than the stats show, but the Orioles most likely will have him as the primary DH.
Most likely, this will push Trumbo to right field, although there could be a three-man rotation at DH and first base. Davis has played right field in the past and probably would be the best fit on a team that doesn't have a primary right fielder. However, according to him and manager Buck Showalter, Davis will mostly play first base.
"I think I’m probably going to be at first base most of the time," said Davis on Tuesday morning. "That’s the indication I’ve gotten, but you never know. With Buck (Showalter), it can be a coin flip sometimes. I never expect too much. I'm still waiting for that day when I come in and see my name in the leadoff spot playing short. I'm not going to hold my breath.
"Having three guys that have played first, a little bit of outfield and obviously me and Pedro playing third - I don't know if Mark has played third - it gives us a lot of options, so we'll see what Buck does with that."
The Orioles were burned previously by Dexter Fowler, when he returned to the Chicago Cubs instead of signing with the Orioles. Showalter was very quiet about the possible Alvarez signing.
"We’ve been down this road a few times," said Showalter. "I'm sworn to double-secret probation, and I’m going to honor that protocol."
Alvarez's former teammate at Vanderbilt, utilityman Ryan Flaherty was asked what he thinks about the Orioles reportedly agreeing to terms with Alvarez. ""Let's just hope that I'm better friends with him than ...," Flaherty said. "Let's hope he shows up."
Flaherty denies actively trying to recruit Alvarez to come play with Baltimore, although they live together for two spring training seasons and are great friends.
"No, I wouldn't convince him," Flaherty said. "He's my friend first and foremost. He wanted to go to a place that's a good fit and he wanted to play for a team that's going to compete. I think it's a good fit for him."
"He's a powerful bat, as big as there is in the game. I think a lot of the things he does is what this team's had success the last four years or so. He can definitely help.
"He's a good teammate."
Baltimore pitcher Vance Worley confirms that Alvarez is a good teammate as well.
"I'm excited to have him over here," Worley said. "We played against each other a long time and then we finally got to be teammates over in Pittsburgh and we became really good friends. I've been trying to keep tabs on him and see what's going on and I got the news on social media, of course. So it's like, 'Is it true?' but you guys are coming up to me, so it must be. I'm looking forward to having him over here.
"He's another great clubhouse guy. I think he fits really well with these guys. Obviously, he's got a bat, and the more pop in the lineup we have the better. It's going to help us out a lot."
"Yeah I think it's tough when you have some really, really big names early out there early on, so those guys are getting taken care of first," Worley said. "I was definitely surprised that he lasted as long as he did, but I'm glad these guys pulled the trigger and got him."
Worley also thinks that the lineup is going to be strong. It seems to be a winner for sure in his view.
"I'm thinking I got a good shot at winning," he replied. "We definitely have a dangerous lineup. Spring training numbers don't necessarily show it at this point, but once these guys all get rolling, it's going to be fun."
My Take
Pedro Alvarez #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during batting practice before Game Four of the National League Division Series at PNC Park on October 7, 2013 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Oct. 6, 2013 - Source: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)
There is some flexibility at third, right field, and first base. However, this move isn't because of Alvarez's glove. This move is due to Alvarez's prowess with knocking baseballs out of the ballpark at a high rate.
Left-handed power hitters typically mash at Camden Yards. I would not be surprised one bit to see Alvarez hit 30 this season. Also, with the protection in the lineup that he will have with Machado, Jones, Davis, Trumbo, Schoop, and Wieters, he should excel at a high rate.
The Orioles have continued to add sluggers to their offseason acquisitions. Fans should be excited because there are going to be a great deal of moon shots at the yard this year.
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