Alvarez puts on a show

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
June 17, 2012

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 16: Casey McGehee #14 celebrates with Pedro Alvarez #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates after McGehee hit a two run home run during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on June 16, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Pirates defeated the Indians 9-2. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

CLEVELAND- You want to know why the Pirates don't do the easy thing -- the popular thing -- and send third baseman Pedro Alvarez out to Class AAA Indianapolis?

It's not so much the two home runs that Alvarez crushed Saturday, although they were oh so tantalizing and showed the incredible power the man has. One went 376 feet, the other 401 feet. They were big parts of the 9-2 win against the Cleveland Indians, a much-needed win for the Pirates because it snapped a four-game losing streak and an appealing win because the team excelled at the plate, on the mound and in the field.

But there's much more to the Pirates' patience with Alvarez. Part of it is obvious. "We don't have anyone else who can do what he can do," manager Clint Hurdle said. But the other part of it might just blow you away. "In the 37 years I've been in baseball, I haven't been around too many guys who can hit it like he does," Hurdle said. "I'm talking about sound and swing and distance. The guys I've seen do it like that, I can count on one hand."

So Hurdle did, rattling off the names of Willie Mays Aikens, Josh Hamilton, Larry Walker and Jack Clark.

"I put Pedro in that group."

That's why the Pirates stick with Alvarez despite his hideous statistics. That's why Hurdle keeps running him out there nearly every day. It often isn't easy. Alvarez was hitting .118 in June before Saturday and was in a 1-for-19 slide. He hadn't hit a home run since May 27 and just one since May 3. His RBI in Baltimore Thursday night was his first of the month.

Pirates fans can't call the talk shows quickly enough to complain about Alvarez. They want him sent down, traded, released. Hurdle hasn't wavered with Alvarez, but he did show his frustration last week. He met with Alvarez privately Wednesday and then used his pregame radio show to call him out about his approach at the plate. Hurdle said it was the last time he was going to talk to Alvarez about that subject. It sounded very much as if he gave him a last-chance ultimatum.

Then, Alvarez goes out and hits two rockets against the Indians to provide the Pirates' first run and their final two runs.

Tantalizing is the only word to describe Alvarez's power and potential.


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