Pedro Alvarez's story is not a cautionary tale, because others will endure the same experiences in the future.
Alvarez has gone from being viewed as one-time savior of a then-depressing Pittsburgh Pirates franchise to being without a job, forced to wait out an entire offseason before joining the Orioles well into spring training on a modest one-year deal.
Any player whose promise earns him that type of expectation also earns him a second chance. Both Alvarez and the Orioles hope the team's warm, welcoming group of fellow second-chancers is the type of environment for the all-business slugger to jump-start his career.