Tony Alvarez

Married Astrid Carolina, crowned Miss World in 1984 ... attended Instituto Privado Boyaca High School in Venezuela.

2004

Opened the season at Class AAA Nashville ... made 71 appearances in left field, 16 in right and 15 in center ... hit .306 (76-248) vs. right-handed pitchers and .241 (21-87) vs. lefties ... hit .314 (55-175) on the road ... went 3-5 on 4/15 at Albuquerque, falling a double shy of hitting for the cycle ... hit .327 (16-49) with four doubles, one home run, eight RBI and 14 runs scored in 16 games from 4/14-5/1 ... compiled a seven-game hitting streak from 5/7-13 (.417, 10-24) ... hit four home runs in six games from 5/12-17 ... produced back-to-back four-hit games on 5/27 at Fresno and 5/28 vs. Colorado Springs ... hit .347 (35-101) with five home runs and 17 RBI in May ... homered in consecutive games on 6/20 vs. Albuquerque and 6/25 at Iowa ... was recalled by Pittsburgh on 6/26 after hitting .308 with the Sounds ... struck out as a pinch hitter on 6/27 at Cincinnati in his first major-league game since 2002 ... hit his first career grand slam (off Doug Davis) and drove in a career-best four runs on 7/2-1 vs. Milwaukee ... made first career start in right field on 7/20 vs. Montreal ... hit safely in five of his first seven starts with Pirates ... was optioned back to Nashville on 7/31 and recalled a second time on 9/6 ... made 10 appearances (two starts) after the second promotion ... went hitless in last nine at-bats ... was 0-7 as a pinch-hitter ... hit .301 (40-133) with six home runs and 26 RBI in 37 games with La Guaira of the Venezuelan Winter League ... signed with the White Sox on 1/19/05 (acquisition recommended by David Wilder).

2003

Spent entire season with Nashville (AAA), his first taste of Triple-A action...Made 51 appearances in left field, 29 in center field and 22 in right field...Made three errors and had 10 assists...Also went 7-for-23 (.304) in six games as the designated hitter...Was placed on disabled list with a pulled left hamstring on 4/15...Was reinstated from D.L. and placed on suspended list (violation of personal conduct code) on 5/6...Was reinstated on 5/13...Reached base safely in 12 consecutive games and batted .333 (12-for-36) from 5/22 thru 6/5...Hit .362 (17-for-47) with 10 RBI in 14 games from 6/23 thru 7/7...Went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI on 8/13 @Portland...Batted .400 (18-for-45) with 13 RBI in 13 games from 8/13-24...Had five hits (seven at bats) and homered in final regular-season game on 9/1 @Albuquerque (15-inning game)...Played winter ball in Venezuela and hit .230 (46-for-200) with four home runs and 24 RBI in 52 games with La Guaria.

2002

Spent full season with Altoona (AA)...Participated in the 2002 Futures All-Star Game in Milwaukee...Was named to the Eastern League post-season All-Star team...Finished second in the league in batting average and hits, and third in doubles...Broke Rob Mackowiak's Altoona record for most hits in a season and tied club record for stolen bases in a season...Finished second in the organization in doubles, third in stolen bases and extra-base hits (53), fourth in hits and total bases (245), fifth in runs and sixth in batting ... Established minor league career highs in games, at bats, runs, hits and doubles ... Made 110 appearances in center field, 13 in left field and one in right field (4/14)...Hit .330 (115-for-348) against righthanders...Swiped three bases on 4/6 vs. Harrisburg...Tied a Curve record with five hits in a game after going 5-for-5 on 5/3 vs. Bowie...Tied another Altoona record one day later with four runs scored vs. Bowie...Went 18-for-45 (.400) during a 12-game hitting streak from 5/7-18 and went 6-for-9 in two games on 6/11-12 ... Produced a 13-game hitting streak from 6/24-7/15 (21-for-55, .382)...Homered twice while driving in six runs on 7/24 vs. Harrisburg...Went 3-for-6 with two home runs and four RBI on 7/28 at Erie...Reached base safely in 32 of his 34 games from 6/24 thru 8/5...Hit safely in 10 straight games from 8/7-16, going 19-for-48 (.396) with 11 runs scored...Had four hits on 8/14 at Reading...Did not commit an error in his last 50 Double-A games...Was recalled by Pittsburgh on 9/3...Made his major league debut on 9/4 at Atlanta and walked in a pinch hitting appearance...Singled off Philadelphia's Randy Wolf for first big-league hit on 9/15 at Veterans Stadium - also made his first career start that day in center field...Made first major league start in left field on 9/28 at Chicago...Hit safely in his last four games, going 5-for-14 (.357)...Hit first career home run off Chicago's Joe Borowski at Wrigley Field on 9/29 ... Made a total of six appearances (five starts) in center field, two appearances (one start) in left field and one appearance in right field (9/22) for the Pirates.

Notes: (thru 2002)

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed as a non-drafted free agent on 9/27/95

ML SERVICE: 31 days

CONTRACT: Signed thru 2003

MOST HR/GAME: 1 HR, 9/29/02 at Chicago (NL).

MOST HITS/GAME: 2 hits, (2 times), 9/24/02 vs. New York (NL) & 9/19/02 vs. Cincinnati.

MOST RBI/GAME: 1 RBI, (2 times), 9/29/02 at Chicago (NL) & 9/28/02 at Chicago (NL).

GRAND SLAMS: None.

LONGEST HITTING STREAK: 2002: 4 games, Career: 4 games (2002).

2000 South Atlantic League All Star (mid-season)

1999 New York-Penn League MVP/All Star

His seven-year minor league totals include a .290 batting average (545-for-1882), 50 home runs, 261 RBI and 171 stolen bases (240 attempts) in 520 games.

Has recorded a .349 (260-for-744) average at home and a .271 (203-for-748) average on the road during his last four minor league seasons.

2001

Hit .326 with eight home runs and 36 RBI in 92 minor league games...Led entire Pittsburgh organization in batting...Began season with Lynchburg (A)...Hit just .214 (6-for-28) in his first eight games before going 4-for-5 on 4/15 vs. Wilmington...Hit safely in six straight games from 4/26 to 5/12, going 12-for-23 (.522) with five multi-hit efforts...Hit .467 in 12 home games and .229 in 13 road games while playing with Lynchburg...Made all 21 defensive appearances in left field and made three errors...Was promoted to Altoona (AA) on 5/14 and hit safely in seven of his first nine Double-A games (12-for-36, .333)...Went 3-for-5 with a homer and season-high four RBI on 6/10 vs. Reading...Hit safely in a season-high seven straight games from 7/2-9 (13-for-30, .433); streak began with a 1-for-7 effort on 7/2 vs. Bowie...Recorded back-to-back three-hit games on 7/18-19 at Bowie. ...Batted .370 (37-for-100) in 25 games during the month of July...Played final game on 8/1...Left the team to be with his ill father in Venezuela...Returned to club for last week of the season, but did not play...Made a total of 40 appearances in left field and 25 in center field for Altoona...Committed four errors and had eight assists while playing the outfield...Also made one appearance at second base (6/14 at Erie) and went 2-for-3 in one game as the designated hitter (7/9 vs. Erie).

2000...
Spent entire season with Hickory (A)...Led Pittsburgh organization in stolen bases and tied for fifth among South Atlantic League leaders in that department...Led league in caught stealings...Established minor league career highs in every offensive category except batting average...Made 92 appearances in left field, 10 in center field and seven at first base...Also went 7-for-29 (.241) in eight games as the designated hitter and 0-for-2 with a walk as a pinch hitter...Went 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored in his first game on 4/6 vs. Augusta...Hit safely in his first nine games, going 14-for-34 (.412) with four home runs, 13 RBI and 13 runs scored...Was named S.A.L. Player-of-the-Week for the week of April 6-13...Hit grand slam on 4/29 at Macon...Homered seven times and knocked in 24 runs during the month of April...Hit safely in season-high 11 straight games from 5/4-14 (13-for-42, .310)...Recorded season-high five RBI on 6/7 at Cape Fear...Produced 10-game hitting streak from 6/12-25 (12-for-34, .353)...Was named to mid-season All-Star team...Had second five-RBI game on 7/17 at Delmarva...Batted .317 (32-for-101) in his final 26 games...Homered just twice in his last 57 contests after hitting 13 in his first 61 games...Hit .324 at home and .251 on the road.

1999...
Spent entire season with Williamsport and was named MVP of the New York-Penn League's Pinckney Division...Was also named to All-Star team and led league in hit-by-pitches...Ranked second among organization farmhands in stolen bases...Led club in batting, runs, home runs and RBI...Hit safely in his first 11 games, going 18-for-42 (.429) with 13 runs, two homers and 13 RBI...Hit .464 (13-for-28) in June and .367 (29-for-79) in July...Recorded 14-game hitting streak from 7/20 thru 8/3 (24-for-53, .453)...Had four hits, scored five runs and tallied five RBI on 7/29 vs. Jamestown...Earned Player-of-the-Week honors from July 26-August 1...Batted .358 at home and .287 on the road...Made a total of 33 appearances at third base, 10 as the DH, seven at second base, five in center field and one each at first base, shortstop and behind the plate (game two on 8/30 vs. Mahoning Valley).

1998...
Spent entire season with Bradenton...Led club in nearly every offensive category...Shared league lead in sacrifice flies...Made 29 appearances at third base, nine at first base, five at shortstop and four at second base.

2000

Spent entire season with Hickory (A)...Led Pittsburgh organization in stolen bases and tied for fifth among South Atlantic League leaders in that department...Led league in caught stealings...Established minor league career highs in every offensive category except batting average...Made 92 appearances in left field, 10 in center field and seven at first base...Also went 7-for-29 (.241) in eight games as the designated hitter and 0-for-2 with a walk as a pinch hitter...Went 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored in his first game on 4/6 vs. Augusta...Hit safely in his first nine games, going 14-for-34 (.412) with four home runs, 13 RBI and 13 runs scored...Was named S.A.L. Player-of-the-Week for the week of April 6-13...Hit grand slam on 4/29 at Macon...Homered seven times and knocked in 24 runs during the month of April...Hit safely in season-high 11 straight games from 5/4-14 (13-for-42, .310)...Recorded season-high five RBI on 6/7 at Cape Fear...Produced 10-game hitting streak from 6/12-25 (12-for-34, .353)...Was named to mid-season All-Star team...Had second five-RBI game on 7/17 at Delmarva...Batted .317 (32-for-101) in his final 26 games...Homered just twice in his last 57 contests after hitting 13 in his first 61 games...Hit .324 at home and .251 on the road.