Alvaro Espinoza
Born: 2/19/1962 in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela
MLB Debut: 1984-09-14 | Final Game: 1997-07-12
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 170 lbs
Full name: Alvaro Alberto Espinoza
Biography
Alvaro Espinoza, born in 1962, was a versatile position player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1984 until his retirement in 1997. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 942 games, showcasing his skills as a reliable infielder. Espinoza recorded 630 hits, including 22 home runs, and drove in 201 runs, with a career batting average of .254. Although not predominantly known for his power, he added a notable presence on the base paths with 13 stolen bases, highlighting his capability as a well-rounded player during a time when the game was increasingly emphasizing speed and versatility.
Espinoza’s playing career spanned the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, an era marked by significant changes in baseball, including the rise of power-hitting and the early whispers of the steroid controversy. His contributions to teams such as the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and the Cleveland Indians reflected his adaptability and dedication to the game. While he may not have been a household name, Espinoza's consistent performance and defensive reliability earned him respect among his peers and fans, solidifying his legacy as a steadfast contributor in the competitive landscape of Major League Baseball.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 942 | 2478 | 252 | 630 | 105 | 9 | 22 | 201 | 13 | 76 | 324 | 0.254 | 0.279 | 0.331 | 0.610 | -7667.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | MIN | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1985 | MIN | AL | 32 | 57 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0.263 | -166.5 |
| 1986 | MIN | AL | 37 | 42 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0.214 | 0.0 |
| 1988 | NYY | AL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1989 | NYY | AL | 146 | 503 | 51 | 142 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 3 | 14 | 60 | 0.282 | -948.6 |
| 1990 | NYY | AL | 150 | 438 | 31 | 98 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 16 | 54 | 0.224 | -2221.8 |
| 1991 | NYY | AL | 148 | 480 | 51 | 123 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 33 | 4 | 16 | 57 | 0.256 | -1218.7 |
| 1993 | CLE | AL | 129 | 263 | 34 | 73 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 27 | 2 | 8 | 36 | 0.278 | -485.9 |
| 1994 | CLE | AL | 90 | 231 | 27 | 55 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 33 | 0.238 | -1205.6 |
| 1995 | CLE | AL | 66 | 143 | 15 | 36 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0.252 | -628.9 |
| 1996 | CLE | AL | 59 | 112 | 12 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 0.223 | -272.1 |
| 1996 | NYN | NL | 48 | 134 | 19 | 41 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 0.306 | -272.1 |
| 1997 | SEA | AL | 33 | 72 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0.181 | -575.6 |
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | NYY | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | - |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.182 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | WS | CLE | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
| 1995 | ALCS | CLE | 4 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.125 |
| 1995 | ALDS1 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 24 | 8 | 108 | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| 2B | 86 | 43 | 92 | 176 | 9 | 45 |
| 3B | 219 | 117 | 93 | 231 | 24 | 15 |
| P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 624 | 527 | 890 | 1717 | 77 | 415 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | MIN | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | MIN | SS | 31 | 21 | 25 | 69 | 5 | 15 |
| 1986 | MIN | 2B | 19 | 11 | 12 | 36 | 3 | 7 |
| 1986 | MIN | SS | 18 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 4 |
| 1988 | NYA | 2B | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | NYA | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989 | NYA | SS | 146 | 144 | 237 | 471 | 22 | 114 |
| 1990 | NYA | SS | 150 | 141 | 268 | 447 | 17 | 100 |
| 1991 | NYA | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | NYA | 3B | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | NYA | SS | 147 | 136 | 223 | 438 | 21 | 113 |
| 1993 | CLE | 2B | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 1993 | CLE | 3B | 99 | 50 | 42 | 107 | 10 | 9 |
| 1993 | CLE | SS | 35 | 13 | 18 | 47 | 1 | 13 |
| 1994 | CLE | 1B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1994 | CLE | 2B | 20 | 11 | 26 | 62 | 1 | 15 |
| 1994 | CLE | 3B | 37 | 12 | 12 | 31 | 4 | 2 |
| 1994 | CLE | SS | 36 | 34 | 53 | 117 | 5 | 27 |
| 1995 | CLE | 1B | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 | CLE | 2B | 22 | 9 | 18 | 39 | 2 | 7 |
| 1995 | CLE | 3B | 22 | 16 | 10 | 27 | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 | CLE | SS | 19 | 9 | 13 | 35 | 2 | 8 |
| 1996 | CLE | 1B | 18 | 8 | 97 | 8 | 0 | 10 |
| 1996 | CLE | 2B | 5 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 5 |
| 1996 | CLE | 3B | 20 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 | CLE | SS | 16 | 8 | 16 | 29 | 1 | 12 |
| 1996 | NYN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | NYN | 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | NYN | 3B | 38 | 30 | 20 | 52 | 8 | 2 |
| 1996 | NYN | SS | 7 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 1997 | SEA | 2B | 14 | 7 | 21 | 23 | 1 | 9 |
| 1997 | SEA | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | SEA | SS | 17 | 13 | 21 | 34 | 2 | 5 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 1 |
| First Base | 24 |
| Second Base | 87 |
| Third Base | 218 |
| Shortstop | 624 |
| Designated Hitter | 4 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | CLE | AL | $400,000 |
| 1995 | CLE | AL | $450,000 |
| 1994 | CLE | AL | $475,000 |
| 1993 | CLE | AL | $500,000 |
| 1992 | NYA | AL | $1,000,000 |
| 1991 | NYA | AL | $650,000 |
| 1990 | NYA | AL | $256,000 |
| 1989 | NYA | AL | $68,000 |
| 1986 | MIN | AL | $60,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $3,859,000 | ||