3B Alvarez will remain with Pirates after camp

Pedro Alvarez will remain the Pittsburgh Pirates' starting third baseman, despite a deep batting slump that began last season and has carried over into spring training. In Grapefruit League play, Alvarez is hitting .133 and has struck out in 13 of 30 at-bats. However, two of his four hits were home runs, and general manager Neal Huntington cast aside the notion that Alvarez might not break camp with the Pirates. ''The rumors of him starting at Triple-A have never come from the Pirates,'' Huntington said. ''It's been outside speculation. It's not what we've thought (of doing). We asked him to do some things coming into spring training and he's done those. He's going through a tough stretch right now. ''Are we going to be able to get him out of it? We believe we will.''