Adios, Pedro Alvarez. It was never dull.
The Pirates' decision to non-tender Alvarez a 2016 contract comes with less risk that it seems.
Alvarez was a one-dimensional player: He sometimes hit home runs. The rest of the time, he hit for a low average, struck out a lot, failed miserably in the cleanup spot and played horrible defense.
Not everyone can hit 27 home runs, as Alvarez did last season. But as noted previously, 22 of those home runs came with the bases empty, not many of them came in situations that clearly influenced the outcome of the game and they were probably offset by the runs he gave away with 23 errors at first base.
Defense is probably the least-appreciated aspect of baseball. A player may bat four times in a game; he's on the field for potentially 27 outs.
Pitching is important. Of course it is, and pitching and defense are partners. Gerrit Cole got 624 batters out last season. He had 202 strikeouts, which means someone had to handle the ball on 422 (two thirds) of those outs.
Alvarez's error total is misleading because it doesn't count the misplays that were either charitably scored or didn't meet the full criteria for an error. But there were still plays that an average major league first baseman could make that Alvarez didn't execute.
There's a mindset that if an error doesn't lead directly to a run, there's no harm. That's incorrect. Giving away outs means pitchers have to throw more pitches. They have to work through more high-stress situations. Errors allow the opponent to turn the batting order around. An error in the second inning might mean that the opposing team's cleanup hitter gets an extra plate appearance in the ninth inning.
Alvarez is a prototypical designated hitter, if a team is willing to trade a lot of outs for an occasional home run. He will be signed by someone in the American League looking to take a low-risk chance on a player who's a year away from free agency.
As he heads out of town, let's clear up a misconception about Alvarez: He was never apathetic about his game.
Some people got that idea because he never showed much emotion on the field. If bat tossing and helmet slamming somehow translated to success, there would be a Dale Berra wing at the Hall of Fame.
Alvarez never cheated the Pirates on effort. He was respected by teammates, and that's not a privilege afforded to slackers.
He worked. He just didn't produce, and didn't justify his status as the second overall pick in the 2008 draft or the $6 million signing bonus he was paid.
It happens. It was time to move on and stop trying to force a fit that wasn't going to work.
The challenge for the Pirates is to find an alternative that will be better. The home runs notwithstanding, that might not be as difficult as it seems.
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--PLAYING HURT
In case you missed it, the Steelers called out linebacker Ryan Shazier over the time he's missed with a variety of injuries.
Note: This is not related to the concussion he sustained in last Sunday's game.
Defensive coordinator Keith Butler told the Tribune-Review, "He has to play through them, and that's part of growing up and being a veteran in the NFL. If you are waiting to feel good before you play, you are never going to play."
The words came from Butler, but you can bet the message came from a higher authority in the organization.
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--FACING ADVERSITY
What could be more sad than a press conference to announce that a 20-year-old athlete has cancer?
Yet Pitt football player James Connor was so positive and determined, it turned a bad occasion into something uplifting.
Pitt students unfurled a banner at the basketball game that said, "Connorstrong."
Indeed.
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