Pedro Alvarez?

[Dogknot3]

He was injured most of the year.  Players get their balance and power from their legs.  His legs was injured and painful.

I am giving him a pass on his 2011 season.  He is still only two years removed from being the top prospect in all of baseball.  I am not going to judge his performance and write him off based on one injured plagued season.

[Possum]

Alvarez seems to have the tools. We were all glad when he was drafted and the Pirates would have been widely criticized if they had not drafted him. Some players take longer than others to reach their potential. Some never reach it. He was drafted to fill a need and the Pirates will suffer if he fails to fill it. If it takes too long, he may be close to leaving by the time he becomes a force. So let's hope he develops into the power hitter they need and that he does it soon.

I remember Bob Bailey, who was signed at age 18 to be a future slugger, made his ML debut at age 19 and was disappointing his first few years. They gave up on him by age 23 and traded him to LA for an aging Maury Wills. Bailey later became a significant part of the Expos' lineup in the 1970s. Alvarez is older and was drafted from college. He should develop faster. Let's hope that Alvarez' best years are with the Pirates.  

Me too Bobster.  Bailey was the answer to all the Pirates 3b ills in the early 60's after the "Tiger" was traded to the Phillies.  I can distinctly remember that there was a special tv show that KDKA did promoting Bailey and what he could do for the 4th place Buccos (93-72 in 1962).

Of course Bailey did not prove to be much of the HR and RBI guy they thought he would be.  Yes, they gave up on him early but I think that with Richie Hebner just 2 yrs away that Bailey's days as a Pirate would have ended then.

[bobster]

Hard to say, Possum. If Bailey had become the hitter for the the Bucs that he was for the Expos, they might have traded Hebner as a prospect, as Bailey was only 26 when Hebner came up in 1969. Their career totals are not too dissimilar. It would have been a nice problem to have.

The Bucs had one heck of a pipeline back then. Hebner, Oliver, Sanguillen, Ellis, Robertson, Moose, Luke Walker, Patek and even Gene Garber (who was traded and became a bullpen ace with Atlanta) all came along at about the same time with Kison not far behind. In fact, it looked like a rebuilding project in 1969 when they lost Clendenon, Wills, Mota and McBean in the expansion draft. But that young group went 88-74 in 1969, won the WS in 1971 and were one of the dominant teams throughout the 1970s.

[BuccoJoe]

Let's not forget the best guy in the pipeline in 1960s, namely Stargell!