Pedro Alvarez to the Yankees, Red Sox or even Angels? Inside Pittsburgh Sports gives you the latest rumblings and the Boras side of the story surrounding the standoff between the players union and MLB.

It has been widely reported that the Pedro Alvarez situation could go on for weeks, maybe even months. The first hearing is scheduled for today and this situation will get nasty when the Pirates and Scott Boras tell their side of the story later this month.
One scenario that is being ruled out among MLB insiders is Pedro Alvarez becoming a free agent. “Absolutely no chance‚Äù according to source. All indications are the final verdict will be the Pirates and MLB violated the rules. What the arbiter decides remains to be seen.
Regarding the idea of Pedro Alvarez becoming a free agent, a source close to the situation believes Scott Boras knows the chances are very slim that his client will be ruled a free agent.
What Alvarez and Boras are strictly looking for is to re-negotiate the contract. This situation could stem back to Alvarez not receiving an MLB contract.
There are whispers that Boras believed the Pirates went back on their word that they would offer a MLB contract. Going into the final 48 hours of negotiations there was an understanding that any deal for Alvarez was going to include an MLB contract.
The Pirates contend they were open to the idea but according to source in the Pirates organization Boras didn’t return a phone call until 10:00 p.m. est(August 15th). By then it was too late to get the paperwork in for an MLB contract to be valid. How will this situation play out?
The most likely scenario
(1) Arbitier rules the Pirates and MLB violated the rules but the contract stands and the league is forced to implement a stricter policy in the future. Basically just a slap on the wrist for the Pirates
(2) Abitier rules the Pirates and MLB violated the rules and Pedro Alvarez is returned to next years draft pool.
Unlikely scenario
(3) Re-Negotiation
What happens if the Pirates win the ruling? How does anyone know Boras won’t cause problems if the contract stands? Scott Boras obviously has a rift with Pirates team president Frank Cooneley but Boras and Pirates GM Neil Huntington have a good working relationship dating back to Huntington working for the Indians. Hopefully those two can resolve the tension between the two sides once a ruling is made.