Pirates cut Alvarez and Tabata

[PittFaninVa]

The Pirates cut their top two prospects, third baseman Pedro Alvarez and outfielder Jose Tabata, as well as infielder Doug Bernier and outfielder Jonathan Van Every.

That reduced the camp roster to 49.

[wiggles]

We knew that was coming.

[PittFaninVa]

Alvarez and Tabata were optioned to AAA the other 2 were reassigned to minor league camp. They most likely will end up at AAA.

[exNCite]

Alvarez and Tabata were optioned to AAA the other 2 were reassigned to minor league camp. They most likely will end up at AAA.

PFV, what's the difference between being optioned and being reassigned? I know it's a technicality, but not clear on it.

[PittFaninVa]

PFV, what's the difference between being optioned and being reassigned? I know it's a technicality, but not clear on it.

Alvarez and Tabata are on the 40 man roster so when they are "cut" from ML camp they have to be optioned to one of their affiliates. The other 2 guys were not on the 40 man to they get reassigned to minor league camp. They will be assigned to a team later when minor league rosters are posted.

[Jeremy]

Good. Let 'em tear it up in Indy for a couples of months and them bring 'em up. The last thing we need is to see Pedro break camp with the team and then hit .190 through May.

[williamjpellas]

I think Pedro and Tabata---but perhaps Pedro more than Tabata, actually---can both use some more seasoning at Triple-A. Both are going to be major league regulars for us by next season, barring some unforeseen catastrophe. Might as well let 'em bake until brown before bringing them up. I'd love nothing more than for them to hit the ground running in Pittsburgh and never look back. Much better to bring someone up when they're a tad bit overcooked than to bring them up when they're still too raw, so to speak.


Geez, now I'm hungry, all of a sudden.

[Jeremy]

I think Pedro and Tabata---but perhaps Pedro more than Tabata, actually---can both use some more seasoning at Triple-A. Both are going to be major league regulars for us by next season, barring some unforeseen catastrophe. Might as well let 'em bake until brown before bringing them up. I'd love nothing more than for them to hit the ground running in Pittsburgh and never look back. Much better to bring someone up when they're a tad bit overcooked than to bring them up when they're still too raw, so to speak.

Exactly. The Facebook fans might not like this move, but Pedro is still half a season away. You want to see them really tear it up in AAA to make sure they're going to kill it when they get to PNC. The last **** thing we need right now is an Alex Gordon on our hands.

[Kipper]

Inevitable move.

I'm curious to know what is on Kyle Starks development sheet for Jose Tabata as far as specifics go before they bring him up. His K/BB splits are really good and he hits above average. the only thing I can see is perhaps some sort of alteration perhaps to provide more lift from his swing. I remember reading something that said Tabata has the strength for power but has more of a level swing that turns him into primarily a gap guy. I wonder if they are going to try and get some more power out of him (I hope so)

Pedro you figure is going to have to work on everything being it is a new level. I don't doubt they want him to cut back on the strike outs, so choosing pitches and such is likely a priority for Alvarez at AAA

[jnn123]

Dejan has a couple notes up and comments from Huntington on this. Huntington says that he would prefer to keep Pedro and Tabata in major league camp the whole time, but if they were still on the roster after today and they were to get injured, any time they spent on the DL would count as major league service time.

More from Huntington ...

> How close are the two? "Both showed some things to really be excited about this spring, but both also showed there's some development left. In Pedro's case, he's going to get everybody's lefty situational guy, so the left-on-left approach is going to be really important for his big-picture, future success. ... In Jose's case, it's just continued maturation. The focus from pitch to pitch, a challenge for a 21-year-old. But we're excited about their development, and we'll see how quickly they're ready to go."

> On the option deadline: "This is where the roster bites us. It's happened rarely that someone's gotten hurt, but it's happened. Heaven forbid someone like these two were to get hurt, it costs them and it costs us a year of major league service time as an organization. ... It forces us to make a move for defensive purposes."

> Would he rather keep them here? "Without question, yes."

> On Alvarez's progression: "He just needs continued development, continued experienced. It's hard to remember that Pedro hasn't swung the bat against anybody above Class AA at this point. He's shown it at times, but he also shows why we're excited about his future."

> On Alvarez at third base: "We're getting there. He still has work to do. It's a matter of letting the natural abilities he has ... the hands, the arm, he's got the natural attributes to do it on a consistent basis."

UPDATE 8:46 a.m.: And some stuff from Alvarez just now ...

> On being cut: "I was hoping I could keep fooling them a little longer." (Laughs) "No, honestly, like I've said before, you come into spring trying to make the squad, and that was my goal. It just so happens this wasn't the time for that. I've got to go down there and get ready and keep getting better."

> On his general feeling: "I feel very confident in my ability to play this game and to play at this level. Management has been around longer than I have, and they've seen a lot more people come and go. They're the best judges of when I'm ready. I thought I was ready to play professional ball coming out of high school and, after going to college, I realized that both mentally and physically, I wasn't ready."

> On the extensive playing time he got here: Not that I ever lacked confidence, but it gave me some more. They gave me more of a chance, trusted me more. ... It gave me a taste of the game. Now, I know what it's like. It slows down the game for me."

> What he needs to work on: "Everything. My defensive. My offensive approach. My approach to the game every day, my routine. Just trying to be the most complete player I can be."

[Kipper]

They were running (you can still find it) a video on the Pirates site with Pedro answering some questions and reading these responses as well ... he just comes off as a very humble and smart kid. A lot of the same attributes most of us raved about Tony Sanchez after hearing him talk during the one game last year and in interviews this season.

That's interesting about the injuries. I had no idea about there being a cut off limit in ST like that

[jnn123]

When Pedro was cut last year he used the exact same "I was hoping I could keep fooling them a little longer" line. I wonder who wrote that for him.

The injuries/major league service time thing came up with Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen last year as well.

[Kipper]

When Pedro was cut last year he used the exact same "I was hoping I could keep fooling them a little longer" line. [HIGH-LIGHT] I wonder who wrote that for him.
[/HIGH-LIGHT]
The injuries/major league service time thing came up with Neil Walker last year as well.

Scott Boras

[Jeremy]

Scott Boras

BINGO!

Bed Selig needs to get the Boras PR team on the horn to help MLB out with their marketing efforts.

[Kipper]

BINGO!

Bed Selig needs to get the Boras PR team on the horn to help MLB out with their marketing efforts.

Isn't it bad enough that bud has killed this sport competitively?