Luis Alvarado
Encyclopedia
Luis César Alvarado Martínez (January 15, 1949 – March 20, 2001), born in Lajas, Puerto Rico
, was a utility
infielder
in Major League Baseball
.
From through , he played for the Boston Red Sox
, Chicago White Sox
, St. Louis Cardinals
, Cleveland Indians
(1974), New York Mets
and Detroit Tigers
. Alvarado batted and threw right-handed. In nine seasons, he posted a .214 batting average
with five home run
s and 84 RBI
in 463 games played
.
Nicknamed "Pimba", Alvarado broke into the majors in with the Boston Red Sox. In he started at Triple-A with the Louisville Colonels
, and led the International League
in runs
(89) and hits
(166), garnering Most Valuable Player honors. He returned to the Red Sox at the end of the season.
A competent infielder with a strong arm, Alvarado divided his playing time between shortstop
and second base
. After hitting .224 in 59 games for Boston in 1970, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox along with Mike Andrews
in the same transaction that brought Luis Aparicio
to the Red Sox. His most productive season came in , when he posted career-highs in runs (30), hits (57), doubles
(14) and games (103). He also played in parts of five seasons with the Cardinals, Indians, Mets and Tigers, until his retirement in 1977. A very valuable backup infielder, he never batted above .216 in a season.
Alvarado died in his hometown of Lajas, Puerto Rico, at the age of 52.
Lajas, Puerto Rico
Lajas is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in southwestern region, south of San Germán and Sabana Grande; east of Cabo Rojo; and west of Guánica. Lajas is spread over 11 wards and Lajas Pueblo...
, was a utility
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
From through , he played for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1974), New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Alvarado batted and threw right-handed. In nine seasons, he posted a .214 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with five home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 84 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 463 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
Nicknamed "Pimba", Alvarado broke into the majors in with the Boston Red Sox. In he started at Triple-A with the Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels (minor league baseball team)
The Louisville Colonels was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 20th century. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels.-Twentieth century minor league teams:...
, and led the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(89) and hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(166), garnering Most Valuable Player honors. He returned to the Red Sox at the end of the season.
A competent infielder with a strong arm, Alvarado divided his playing time between shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. After hitting .224 in 59 games for Boston in 1970, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox along with Mike Andrews
Mike Andrews
Michael Jay Andrews is a retired American Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics. He is currently the chairman of The Jimmy Fund, an event fundraising organization affiliated with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston,...
in the same transaction that brought Luis Aparicio
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
to the Red Sox. His most productive season came in , when he posted career-highs in runs (30), hits (57), doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(14) and games (103). He also played in parts of five seasons with the Cardinals, Indians, Mets and Tigers, until his retirement in 1977. A very valuable backup infielder, he never batted above .216 in a season.
Alvarado died in his hometown of Lajas, Puerto Rico, at the age of 52.