David Wright, the National League captain for the 2013 Chevrolet Home Run Derby, has selected Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez to replace Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Rockies in the Derby, to be held on Monday, July 15th at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.
Alvarez will compete in his first career Home Run Derby, and will become the fifth player in Pirates history to partake in the event, joining Bobby Bonilla (1990), Barry Bonds (1992), Jason Bay (1995) and Andrew McCutchen (2012). The New York native, who graduated from Horace Mann High School in the Bronx in 2005, has 23 home runs on the season, which is tied for second in the N.L. Alvarez, who was named to his first Midsummer Classic, is one of just three Pirates in history to hit at least 23 home runs prior to the All-Star break, joining Hall of Famers Willie Stargell and Ralph Kiner. In 2012, the Vanderbilt product hit a career-high 30 home runs, which was fourth among Major League third basemen and ranked third all-time among Pirates third basemen.
Gonzalez, who is an All-Star for the second time in his career, has withdrawn from the competition after suffering a sprained right middle finger earlier this week.
Original Post 7/11
“Yo, dude? What’s up with that? Come on — El Toro’s born and bred in NYC!”
That was one Pirates’ fan’s reaction when learning that David Wright had snubbed Pedro Alvarez for the home run derby on Sunday. Alvarez is second in the National League in homers and fifth in MLB. Last night, when he walloped his 23rd home run, this was how Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown called it, “Take that, David Wright, says Pedro Alvarez.”
Alvarez can take comfort in manager Bruce Bochy picking him as a reserve and earning his first All-star appearance at the age of 26. But his snub is not only drawing the ire of the Pittsburgh Pirates alone, but many players from other teams as well, including Tampa Bays’ David Price.
No Pedro Alvarez for #hrderby?? And he's from NY…Harper is unreal but with 12?! Really?? I love Bryce but Pedro deserves it!! #whatajoke
— David Price (@DAVIDprice24) July 9, 2013
A couple of more nuggets:
Andrew McCutchen says: He’s probably one of the most powerful guys in the league and can put on a show. It’s unfortunate he didn’t get picked. Pedro definitely deserved it. He’s got tons of power, and it would have been fun to see him in there competing. So I’m a little disappointed.
Rum Bunter says: Wright has always been my favorite non-Pirate, and I’m serious when I say that. Ever since he came to PNC Park in 2006 and put on a show in the Home Run Derby – one that he deserved to make – he’s been my favorite player. I still like the guy, but he’s definitely lost some of my respect after his picks. He’s coming to PNC Park this weekend for a 3-game series, and I, along with the rest of Pirate Nation, are going to boo him until he can’t take it anymore. You know what’s going to be awesome though? When Alvarez hits a couple of home runs this weekend and the crowd goes crazy as he runs past Wright, who will be kicking dirt and looking at the ground, as he ponders his decision of passing up on picking Alvarez to the Home Run Derby.
Many of these pissed-off Pirates and Buc fans even accuse Wright of having an ulterior motive and that he didn’t choose Alvarez because he’s an up and coming star at third base and that he didn’t want him in the National Spotlight. But I wouldn’t go that far.
One thing’s for sure… After a three-day weekend in what will no-doubt be enemy territory for Wright and the Mets, he’ll get no reprieve afterward. Wright will be surrounded by plenty of Bucs during the All Star festivities on Monday and Tuesday at Citi Field as Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen, Jason Grilli and Jeff Locke will all be there in addition to Alvarez.
Ending this with a bit of levity is this… It seems that Pirates righthander A.J. Burnett, who’s having a great season by the way, had a very tough time spelling his own teammate’s name…
Will somebody explain to me how the hell Pedro Alveras is not in the Homerun Derby? Does the National League not wanna win? #ElToro
— AJ Burnett (@wudeydo34) July 8, 2013
My bad. Haha. Alveras! #autocorrectsucks
— AJ Burnett (@wudeydo34) July 8, 2013
Ok,.. Here we go,…Alveraz! #cleanitup34
— AJ Burnett (@wudeydo34) July 8, 2013
I quit! ………EL TORO!
— AJ Burnett (@wudeydo34) July 8, 2013
Okay I gotta be honest with you…. I couldn’t give a cow’s butt who gets selected for the Home Run Derby… I only wanted to post those tweets by Burnett on MMO and needed some filler…
Oh… One last thing…
Hey Buckos, Remember when David Wright came to PNC and put on a show of his own? It’s gotta be killing you that you can’t return the favor at Citi Field. Oh well, that’s how the baseball bounces….
