Jim Bowden: Wouldn't Be Surprised If Alvarez Traded This Offseason
PITTSBURGH (KDKA 93-7 The Fan)- ESPN Senior Baseball Analyst and former MLB general manager Jim Bowden joined Bob Pompeani on his show Saturday.
Pompeani asked if there was any chance of the Pirates signing Pedro Alvarez to a long-term contract.
"Power pays, it just does. Scott Boras represents him," Bowden said. "I think it's going to be very difficult for the Pirates to sign him long-term, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's traded this offseason."
Bowden thinks that the Pirates need to have Gregory Polanco on the major league roster to stay in the pennant race.
"I have no problem with them making sure that he's not Super 2 eligible," Bowden said. "But you can manage the service days any way you want. For example, if you bring Polanco up today, and you get to September and you're not in the pennant race and you're not going to win and you're in the same spot you are now, you can option him out and save the 30 days in September."
Bowden added that the Pirates could also option him out for the first month of next season; teams do not have to do it at the beginning of a player's career.
Bowden told Pompeani that he was disappointed with the Pirates offseason after making the playoffs in 2013.
"I loved what they did last year, but when (A.J.) Burnett, (Justin) Morneau and (Marlon) Byrd departed and they didn't replace them, I predicted they'd finish in fourth place, just ahead of the Cubs. And that's where I had them," Bowden said. "I had the Cardinals, Milwaukee and the Reds all ahead of them, and I still do. I'm disappointed."
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