Pedro Alvarez gets new deal. Dirty Boras negotiating tactics (extortion) vindicated.

by nostocksjustbonds on Sep 22, 2008 10:44 AM PDT Comment 55 comments

The Pirates caved. From ESPN.

The Pirates have agreed to a reworked deal with third baseman Pedro Alvarez, the No. 2 overall pick from Vanderbilt who was initially signed by Pittsburgh a month ago before a union grievance put the contract on hold, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Monday.

Alvarez and the Pirates agreed to a four-year deal Sunday night worth a guaranteed $6.4 million, the newspaper reported, citing three sources close to the contract talks. The deal is contingent on a physical expected to be performed early this week.

A source told the Post-Gazette the Pirates' signing of the power-hitting collegiate star would likely result in the voiding of a grievance the players' association filed Aug. 27 against the commissioner's office.

It contended Major League Baseball had violated its collective bargaining agreement with the players by approving an agreement between Alvarez and the Pirates shortly after a midnight deadline Aug. 15.

From what I can tell, Alvarez now says the original deal was legit, asks the Union to drop the grievance, and renegotiate the $6M draft deal, which means it isn't negotiating after the deadline.

Boy, these guys can sure argue out of both sides of their mouths. Alvarez/Boras say the original deal is bunk, but want to negotiate it. They got the Union to file a grievance to declare it void for that purpose. The Pirates said "hell, no!" but were under the gun, since they don't want to lose Alvarez, and thus caved and renegotiated anyway.

Expect these Boras tactics to occur more frequently in the future, which is disgusting, because they work.

Backstory here.

H/T: MLBTradeRumors

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

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This is ridiculous

I’m really bugged by this and not because of the Posey angle. This action effectively makes the Aug 15 deadline non existent.

by slcgiant on Sep 22, 2008 10:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Jesus.

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on Sep 22, 2008 10:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Nah.

It was Matty who played for the Pirates; Jesus played for the Giants and Astros, mostly.

your 2008 SF Giants: this isn’t totally insane, just really stupid

by Lyle on Sep 23, 2008 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually...

they all (Felipe, Matty, Jesus) played for the Giants and one day they were in the outfield together.

by Buzzword on Sep 23, 2008 1:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am aware of that

My point was that Jesus did not play for the Pirates. Extraneous pedantry notwithstanding. I presume you also did not get the attempt at humor…

your 2008 SF Giants: this isn’t totally insane, just really stupid

by Lyle on Sep 24, 2008 9:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Matty

Mo?

"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Sep 23, 2008 1:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So..

Instead of the Pirates having him under control for up to 6 years at the major league level, they only have control of him for 4 total years? Is this a 4 year contract and then he enters free agency?

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
How is my adopted son almost twice as old as I am? Nevermind...Go Omar! Warm the Bench!

by WalrusMan on Sep 22, 2008 11:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No

They’ll just start burning option years right now. He still has to have 6 years of major league service time to be a free agent. This just gets him to the majors sooner.

Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com. It's not being updated right now. Hope for more at your own risk.

by groug on Sep 22, 2008 11:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

OT Groug

Why did you stop updating your site?

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Sep 22, 2008 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There were 3 of us writing for it. I realized at one point in late June that I was posting twice a week and the other guys were posting whenever they felt like it, which was never. So I decided I’d wait for them to do anything more than once a month before I would write anything else.

I’m still waiting.

Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com. It's not being updated right now. Hope for more at your own risk.

by groug on Sep 22, 2008 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you need to instill the wrath of groud in them.

There amass been plenty of articles written this spring about the stud shortstop Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum , as well as the fluid young outfielders and thirteen basemen Kevin Frandsen.
comics | cartoons | Nattowear | McFAQ

by Natto on Sep 22, 2008 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve totally got a big Norse hammer at my place that I never use which I could lend him if he needs it for this.

Just hit me up.

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Sep 22, 2008 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

HOWTHEYSCORED, YOU NEED TO UNKIDNAP DAN ORTMEIER THIS INSTANT

Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com. It's not being updated right now. Hope for more at your own risk.

by groug on Sep 22, 2008 5:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If I was talking about Dan Ortmeier, it would have looked more like this:

I’ve totally got a big Norse hammer at my place that I the Giants never use which I could lend him if he needs it for this.

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Sep 22, 2008 6:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I understand. Hard to find good help these days and keeping a site current and updated by yourself is really hard.

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Sep 22, 2008 5:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

< Good help!

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on Sep 22, 2008 9:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the left sidebar?

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Sep 23, 2008 9:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it’s a math equation…

Less than good help something something

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Sep 23, 2008 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you take the sig into consideration

It works out like this:

< good help = Eugenio

It is certainly hard to argue with that logic.

by Lars The Wanderer on Sep 23, 2008 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Then, very quickly, it became infected. Before I had a occasion to pay the way for a drug the partiality had grown into a stocky sore swollen protuberance. I started to appear like a freakish unicorn. In the at cock crow hours of the matutinal I woke up in sincere pain. The thing was throbbing.

In gloom I went into the bathroom and applied a very scorching compress. Immediately, the cyst burst. I will erase the visuals. Suffice it to influence that a perceive of relief and satiation rolled over me the likes of which I had never before experienced. I felt my eyes cylinder back in rapture.

Now, the alter tells me such an infected cyst could have surely led to blood poisoning. Home care is not recommended. And yet a secondary constituent of me hopes it happens again. Gene Weingarten: Thank you.

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Sep 23, 2008 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly!

by Lars The Wanderer on Sep 23, 2008 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So..

What’s the 4 year deal then? If it’s just a “major league contract” that puts him on the 40-man roster, what’s the 4 year deal thing?

by WalrusMan on Sep 22, 2008 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

As I read it he seems to be getting paid an MLB salary over 4 years that equals ~6.4M, rather then receiving a signing bonus up front. Not sure the advantage, but he will be paid a handsome salary from the start rather then the league minimum.

by Scottsdale on Sep 22, 2008 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It probably sets his salary for the first four years, which would be good for Alvarez because he wouldn’t be paid only the $300K to $400K minimum. But at the end of the contract, he won’t have enough service time to qualify for free agency.

So he’d have to go to arbitration to set his salary or reach a new contract agreement.

by Dan from NM on Sep 22, 2008 11:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is a good explanation

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=1026

Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.

by delorean on Sep 22, 2008 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks.

That helped a lot.

by WalrusMan on Sep 22, 2008 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So what happens to Hosmer?

by wilriv21 on Sep 22, 2008 11:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I believe if the union drops the grievance, then his deal is good. I think it’s the union’s choice to drop it or not. I’m assuming they will.

DIAF, Boras.

by chilibean_3 on Sep 22, 2008 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the union just does whatever Boras tells them to do. They’ll drop the Hosmer grievance.

Bonds stands alone.

Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal

by nostocksjustbonds on Sep 22, 2008 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, but it's the princple of the matter. It's not about one player.

Horseshit.

by kaliber on Sep 22, 2008 12:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It is not

It is about one man.

by wilriv21 on Sep 22, 2008 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is about one man

Assuring all of us that his penis does in fact work.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Sep 22, 2008 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’d be inclined to take his word for it as long as he wouldn’t insist on waving it around in our faces all the time.

Neglectful father of David Quinowski

by marcello on Sep 22, 2008 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know! That doesn't even prove anything!

The phallusy there is him supposing that showing us it can wave around is the same as showing us that it works.

The one thing does not mean the other! I need more conclusive evidence.

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Sep 22, 2008 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who does he think he is? Charles Haley?

http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/2008/08/charles-haley-would-like-you-to-watch-him-masturbate.html

by Lars The Wanderer on Sep 22, 2008 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m simultaneously amused and horrified.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Sep 22, 2008 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

phallusy

You so stole that joke from me.

Catcher are base running. Hitters are offense.

by thehavenot on Sep 22, 2008 8:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I pretty much stole all my jokes from people around here. You’re just the first to put it in italics.

Hell, Natto could practically sue me for my Sabes & Baer / Jaunty Shelled Mando knockoffs.

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Sep 22, 2008 11:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, well

It’s the first time for me. I felt special. I just had to point it out and stuff.

Catcher are base running. Hitters are offense.

by thehavenot on Sep 23, 2008 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think we can be pretty sure his penis does not work.

by robbgin on Sep 22, 2008 1:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Disagree

The reason the Pirates renegotiated is that they were not completely in the right. The MLB granted them an extension that they had no right to give. There was a good chance that the grievance filed was valid, and that he could have ended up back in the draft. That wouldn’t have been good for either party so renegotiating a deal and dropping the grievance was the best resolution.

Boras is ruthless, and obviously will use any and all leverage he can find…but in the end he takes money out of very very rich men’s pockets and in this case gave it to a 21 year old kid with nothing. If Alvarez turns into a stud, no one in Pittsburgh will remember this. If he busts they will, but he’ll certainly be glad he got the extra 400K.

What’s more I don’t see how this sets any kind of bad precedent as long as you get the deals done by the deadline. If you don’t get them done, I think MLB will not grant any further extensions meaning the player would go back to the draft.

by hammystyle on Sep 23, 2008 7:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Right. The overall effect of this will be to make the August 15 deadline more meaningful, not less.

by Evan on Sep 23, 2008 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok. So then what about Hosmer? Another Boras client who supoosedly signed AFTER Alvarez.

by wilriv21 on Sep 23, 2008 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Professional athletes are underpayed (really) employees of a massively profitable business, I’ve got no problem with them hiring the best in the business to get them a bigger slice. People thought Curt Flood was greedy and underhanded just for wanting to be a free agent.

Barry Zito: Mike Hampton with a guitar

by JakeS on Sep 23, 2008 10:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Wrong

Athletes may be the least extreme example of a vastly overpaid segment of society, but they are still over-paid nonetheless. While their salaries might seem more normal compared to, say what movie stars are paid, it is still out of proportion in regard to the rest of society.

The pie that you are suggesting that they get a bigger slice of, is made off the backs of fans. If athletes demand higher salaries, owners comply knowing they can maintain their share of the profits by simply raising ticket and concession prices. Think $8.50 beers.

Of course I don’t blame the players, owners, or even the movie stars that make way more money than what they actual contribute to society, because it is us, the consumers, that tacitly agree to this inherently unfair system.

It is unfair, but we have only ourselves to blame.

Greetings, Marklar! I am Marklar! This is Marklar.

by marklar on Sep 23, 2008 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's why

Disneyland is so expensive, they pay the employees so well.

FIRE BRIAN SABEAN

by zenbitz on Sep 23, 2008 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know if they are unionized,

I doubt it. But if the Disneyland employees could negotiate higher wages, you can be sure it would be reflected in the ticket prices.

Right now, Disney Corp pays what they do, and charges what they do, because they can.

Greetings, Marklar! I am Marklar! This is Marklar.

by marklar on Sep 24, 2008 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with the point that it is paying fans that inflate these salaries, but I don’t necessarily think that’s unfair. If people think it’s too expensive they shouldn’t go, by continuing to pour those billions into the industry they are voting with the only thing that really matters: their wallets. As far as I’m concerned, notions of fair and unfair have nothing to do with that, there’s nothing wrong with owners charging whatever they want for ticket prices. Within that context, players are underpayed for the role they play in bringing that money in. If Pedro Alvarez pans out and becomes an All-Star caliber player the money he brings into the Pirates will dwarf even ten times that signing bonus they were reluctant to pay him.

Barry Zito: Mike Hampton with a guitar

by JakeS on Sep 23, 2008 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes,

we, as fans, are voting with our wallets, and have only ourselves to blame. I never drink beer at AT&T. I love beer, but I am voting with my wallet which gives me the right complain about the prices. Anyone that pays the prices for beer at AT&T and complains has no one but themselves to blame.

I will disagree that it isn’t fair or unfair. Capitalism is inherently unfair, and this is an illustration of its unfairness. It is a closed system. While the players have the right to market themselves to others when they are in disagreement of their worth, we as baseball fans have no other alternative for major league baseball than the one they offer.

Alvarez could also flop. But ultimately whether he pays off, or is a financial loss, it will be the fans that pay either way.

Greetings, Marklar! I am Marklar! This is Marklar.

by marklar on Sep 24, 2008 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heh, well, since our disagreement seems to be as to whether or not capitalism is inherently fair or unfair I think there’s not much further we can take it.

Barry Zito: Mike Hampton with a guitar

by JakeS on Sep 24, 2008 6:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs