After some flight delays earlier in the week, Pedro Alvarez has joined almost the entire Pittsburgh Pirates roster at Spring Training in Bradenton. He was the last Pirates player waiting for his arbitration results. The team and the player were only separated by $500,000 before Wednesday's hearing. Alvarez won his case and can now focus on his new position.
After leading the National League in home runs in 2013, Alvarez's salary jumped from $700,000 to $4.25 million last season. This season, his second year of arbitration eligibility, Alvarez came out on top and will make $5.75 million. Alvarez is eligible for free agency in 2017.
Alvarez is widely considered the biggest question mark and potentially most influential player for the Pirates this season. He is getting the starting job at first base and looking to solidify a position that has been a disappointment for much of the last five years. No Pirate has played more than 110 games at first base since Adam LaRoche in 2008.
Alvarez played in 122 games last year, but struggled with a foot injury late in the season. He was moved to first base after his ability to throw from third to first was lost, but only started five games at the position. His mental state will be just as important as his physical state this season as his fielding woes stuck with him in the batter's box. Former Pirates first baseman Kevin Young is with the team in Bradenton to work with Alvarez on his fielding at a new position.
Alvarez spoke with the media before the arbitration ruling was made public today and declined comment on the matter. However, he did tell a group of reporters, "I feel very good about it. Very positive. I'm grateful for opportunity to go and compete over there."
Now with his contract details resolved, it is time for Alvarez to focus. If he can hit around .250 and 30 home runs, all the woes of last season will be long forgotten and the Pirates will be in the postseason mix once again.