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In Alvarez case, Bucs blinked
At least they were smart enough to stay away from Scott Boras clients in the draft.
That was the hard lesson the new Pirates' regime - president Frank Coonelly and GM Neal Huntington - learned this summer, when they drafted the Boras-backed Pedro Alvarez, a power-hitting third baseman from Vanderbilt.
What followed was a battle of wills that ended Wednesday with the Pirates signing Alvarez to a larger contract. A lot of salve should come with that deal, but it won't be Alvarez who needs it most. Coonelly will.
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The Pirates were going to lose this grievance, or at least they believed they were going to lose, big time. They feared the cost could have been more than just Alvarez. Maybe a compensatory pick in next year's draft.
It that had happened, it would have been a public relations nightmare for the Pirates, who tied a major league record with their 16th consecutive losing season. Coonelly would have taken the brunt of the fans' anger.
If you weren't following this draft drama, here's a brief recap:
The Pirates made Alvarez the No. 2 pick in the June draft even though he was represented by Boras, who is despised by many clubs because of his history of manipulating the system.
Negotiations on a contract for Alvarez moved at a snail's pace until just before the Aug. 15 deadline. The Pirates claimed Alvarez agreed to a $6 million deal a couple minutes before the midnight deadline, but Boras claimed the commissioner's office allowed the Pirates to negotiate the deal after the deadline without permission from the players' union and filed a grievance.
This battle left everyone involved bloodied.
Coonelly, who worked in the commissioner's office and butted heads with Boras over a draft slotting system, appeared overwhelmed in the negotiation process. His ties with the commissioner gave the appearance he was getting a favor when it came to this draft deadline.
Boras made this seem more like a fight against Coonelly than a battle to represent the best interests of his client. If the union won the grievance, Alvarez would probably have been placed into next year's draft. He would have left $6 million on the table and faced another contract battle next summer if he kept Boras as his agent. Alvarez is 21, and missing another season might not get him into the majors until he's 24. That late start could cost him millions when he qualifies for free agency in his early 30s.
Other potential clients were watching and they got a first-hand look at the way Boras does business. He doesn't mind throwing away seasons to win a battle, so anyone interested in his service has to be willing to make that sacrifice.
Alvarez didn't win over many fans when he reneged on the Pirates' original offer at the trade deadline. His silence through the negotiations left some to wonder whether he wants to play for Pittsburgh. And it was odd the organization failed to present its savior at a press conference after signing the contract. They opted for a conference call.
This might all be forgotten if Alvarez quickly rises through the minor leagues, but the honeymoon period with him won't last long if he doesn't produce.
And there are plenty of people to blame if that happens.
Assistant sports editor Joe Tuscano can be reached at jtuscano@observer-reporter.com
