The Pedro Alvarez arbitration was scheduled for today, and I figured we'd have a resolution to this shortly. Apparently not:
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig was the leadoff witness Wednesday on the first day of testimony in a complicated grievance filed by the players' association after first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez refused to sign his contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Given that Selig was the only witness to complete his testimony and the hearing was recessed until Sept. 23, it appears that barring a settlement, it will be several months before the case is decided.
* * *Michael Weiner, the union's general counsel, and Howard Ganz, an outside lawyer for MLB, made opening statements. Selig completed his testimony before arbitrator Shyam Das and Dan Halem, a labor lawyer for MLB, was in the midst of his direct testimony before the hearing was recessed.
Das has set aside Sept. 23 and 24 for additional testimony. After that, the hearing would resume in October.
The union expects to call additional management officials and present witnesses from the players' side. Management then would get the opportunity to call witnesses, and the lawyers will need several weeks to submit briefs.
Sigh. I'm ready for this story to be done with.