Don't forget that the earlier statement was coming from the former alvarez09.

And 2LaRoches4HOF before that, too, probably.

Comments by a "rival scout" in Sports Illustrated.....

"Pedro Alvarez's swing is still a bit of a mess. He's a dead pull hitter with an uppercut swing that has several holes—a plus fastball inside, a breaking ball away and a front-door breaking ball. He really struggles with pitch recognition. Alvarez got rushed to the big leagues and hasn't played as hard as he should. If he doesn't drastically change his mind-set, he might become a bust...."

If anything the Pirates play too soft with these guys. I certainly have never heard anybody say they "rush" prospects, until this Law guy.

How about we lay the blame where it belongs? On Alvarez.

At some point, a guy has to take his own career by the horns.

That's why drafting players is a gamble. You draft on talent/potential. But the single biggest factor in whether a guy will succeed or fail at the top tier is his mental makeup and desire. You can't gauge those things. Since you can't see them until a guy hits a rough spot. Usually, prior to professional baseball, these guys are better than most everybody around them. In high school, summer leagues, or college- they are usually best of the best. That's how they got drafted.

It isn't until they hit similar levels of consistently good opposition, that you get to see what they are made of.

And some guys just aren't made of steel. That's why some never pan out. It's also why, some players develop that toughness, and can still realize their potential even if it's later than others.

But there comes a time when it's all on the player. And Alvarez hasn't looked like he's ready to seize his career.

Blame the Pirates for a lot of bumbling, stupid decisions, and mismanagement. Not on this one though.

A lot of people say things involving how little they think Pedro cares or doesn't want to play for the Pirates.

Why would any player not try? there is zero incentive in not trying. even if pedro hated the pirates, he would be trying his hardest to put up numbers so that when FA comes around he'll be able to sign with the yankees or red sox or whatever team he actually wants to play for.

In my opinion, this isn't about heart or will because a player would be dumb if he wasn't trying his hardest.

This is about a guy who needs to figure out how to adjust to a league that adjusted to him.

your more credible right ? Law is a smart guy. Alvarez is a mess, whose fault is it ? never the Pirates in your eyes.

2 words. Alex Gordon. Alvarez can still get this turned around

I'm seriously thinking about the Jets FO as taking the lead as the worst FO in sports. Not only do they give their regressing QB a contract extension, they go out and bring in a guy that will ensure theres contraversy. they have also ensured that neither will be sucessful.

The meter doesn't even begin to register until they've had a few straight losing seasons.

We've had 19.

And nobody cares about us.

They sign a Tebow. We sign a Barmes and a New York reject.

The Pirates took garbage and turned it into more garbage. the Jets took a decent team and ruined it through shear stupidity. OF course over the long haul the Pirates are the unquestioned king.

The first stupid move the Jets made was hiring a Ryan. When you go swimming in that gene pool, you're bound to come out a mess.

has law been a big alvarez supporter at draft time? was he on the bandwagon when pedro lit it up in his debut?

Thats a fact.

"Lit it up in his debut"

That's a good one.

Could it be that Alvarez just stinks at hiting the ball.Looks like He tries to hit a homerun every single at bat.As soon as pitchers learned about Him he became a stink fest.

Also if Alvarez does not turn things around and quickly this new Pirate growth of young players is over once again.The whole year depends on Alvarez,all ready he stinks to high heaven.Tired of the excuses this team makes with players who flat out stink.The guy has major potential but factualy he is terrible right now and has not improved at all either.

Just getting fed up with the nonsense with this organizations young players and how the economics of baseball treat them like a bunch of babies.I'm convinced if you took Dan Blysma or any coach on any professional team and made there players believe in themselves and made it clear to them they are not gonna get a ounce of money unless they work hard all season long to acheive their goals that is all it would take to turn this garbage franchise around.
They are treated like a bunch fo whiney sissy babies and spoiled to death.So they give nothing in return.

Mario made it clear to Matt Cooke that His garbage illegal hitting would not be tolerated one bit and Cooke turned it around.The Pirates ownership stinks and has no clue what leadership means and is the worst in major league sports history.

Shocking, since Klaw has always been such a huge Alvarez fan. Wonder if he thinks the same about Smoak.

Yankess have those kind fo players and still end up stinky down the stretch of the season and whine about money.