When Clint Hurdle asked lifelong third baseman Aramis Ramirez to take some grounders at first base in pre-game drills, it sent the signal that the Pirates' patience with Pedro Alvarez has finally run out.
They'll squeeze whatever they can out of Alvarez for the rest of this season, then they'll move on and seek another solution for first base in the winter.
Ramirez has been in the major leagues since 1998, appearing in more 2,150 games. He has never played first base. Before that, he played 415 minor league games and never played first base.
Yet now, in the last six weeks of his final season, the Pirates want to see if he can play first base. They think a guy who has never played the position might be a better option than Alvarez.
Alvarez's transition to first base has been awkward. He moved there last season when consistent throwing issues made it impossible for him to play third base.
The thought was that Alvarez wouldn't have to throw much at first. As a third baseman, he'd always shown good hands and the ability to make difficult fielding plays. That hasn't translated to the other side of the infield at all.
Despite having a full spring training to work at first, he's still uncomfortable there more than two-thirds through the season. At times he's scrambling like a man who just realized his train is pulling away from the platform without him.
Alvarez will be eligible for free agency after next season, and there's no chance the Pirates retain him. He's a designated hitter waiting to happen. His power can be impressive, and someone in the American League will be interested. If he's relieved of the burden of playing in the field, maybe his offense will get even better.
But the time has come for the Pirates to address first base, and that will be one of their offseason priorities.
When a 37-year-old novice like Ramirez is being asked to give the job a shot, it's clear management doesn't have much confidence in the incumbent.
It's still too soon for prospect Josh Bell, and there are questions about whether he can handle the move to first base from the outfield. It remains to be seen who the Pirates will play at first next season.
But it's obvious it won't be Alvarez.
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--GOOD MOVE
Signing Sergei Gonchar to a tryout contract is a can't-lose situation for the Penguins.
Gonchar can help the power play, and he's a positive influence in the locker room. He's always been a fanatic about conditioning, so being 41 isn't as big a concern as it might be otherwise.
If he doesn't make the team, there may be a spot for him on the hockey staff. Gonchar has always been a cerebral player, and he'll have plenty to offer after he's off the ice.
If he takes ice time from one of the young defensemen, that's a price a team with Stanley Cup expectations pays.
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--NEW SOUND
The Penguins dropped former newspaper reporter Bob Grove as the host of their pre and post-game radio shows after 10 years.
Say this for Grove: he never cheated anyone on preparation. If Calgary was in a 3-for-40 slump on the power play, his listeners knew about it, even if the Penguins didn't play the Flames for another two months.
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--SHOP AROUND
Pirates radio rights are up for grabs after this season, and the team has some leverage.
The games are currently on 93.7 The Fan (KDKA-FM), which has enjoyed a huge Pirates-fueled boost in its overall ratings over the past few summers of contention.
The details matter greatly to the Pirates and the winning station. Since the team employs the announcers, listeners should expect consistency of content.
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--EXTRA INCENTIVE
News reports suggest the Pittsburgh Symphony is having attendance problems.
Given that Heinz Hall isn't really set up for fireworks, the answer might be a truckload of Beethoven bobbleheads.
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