Álvaro Alberto Espinoza Ramírez [es-pe-noh'-zah] (born February 19, 1962) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, and Seattle Mariners. He batted and threw right-handed.
| Álvaro Espinoza | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Espinoza at Progressive Field in 2015 | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born: February 19, 1962 Valencia, Carabobo State, Venezuela | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 14, 1984, for the Minnesota Twins | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 12, 1997, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .254 |
| Home runs | 22 |
| Runs batted in | 201 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Member of the Caribbean | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2014 |
Early life
editBorn in Valencia, Carabobo, he graduated from Pedro Gual High School where he played baseball, soccer and basketball.
Playing career
editAs a young prospect, Espinoza was let go by the Houston Astros system. But he went on to have twelve decent seasons with the Minnesota Twins (1984–1986), New York Yankees (1988–1991), Cleveland Indians (1993–1996), New York Mets (1996) and Seattle Mariners (1997).
In a 12-season career, Espinoza hit a .254 average with 22 home runs and 201 RBI in 942 games, including 252 runs, 105 doubles, nine triples, and 13 stolen bases.
Espinoza's was one of New York Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppard's favorite names to announce.[1]
He was also noted for his bubble gum hat antics, as well as other practical jokes he and teammate Wayne Kirby used to play on the 1995 Cleveland Indians.
Coaching career
editFollowing his playing career after the 1997 season, Espinoza turned to coaching. In 1998, he worked with the Montreal Expos as their minor league infield coordinator.
Hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, Espinoza made his managerial debut in 1999 and guided the Single-A Vero Beach Dodgers to a 48–85 record in the Florida State League. He spent 2000 and 2001 as the Dodgers' Minor League roving infield coordinator.
In 2002, Espinoza was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and then named their infield instructor in 2004.
On March 3, 2023, Espinoza was hired by the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League to serve as the team's hitting and third base coach.[2] He was replaced following the hiring of Endy Chávez on January 8, 2024.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ Curry, Jack (April 13, 2000). "Yankees Notebook – An Especially Warm Reception for the Low-Profile Stottlemyre". New York Times. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ↑ "Tecolotes announce two new coaches for 2023 season". lmtonline.com. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ↑ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 08 de enero de 2024". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia – Gary Gillette, Peter Gammons, Pete Palmer. Publisher: Sterling Publishing, 2005. Format: Paperback, 1824pp. Language: English. ISBN 1-4027-4771-3
External links
edit- Career statistics from Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
- Retrosheet