Giancarlo Alvarado
Encyclopedia
Giancarlo Alvarado is a former minor league pitcher
currently with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
of Japan
's Central League
.
Alvarado was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates
in 1995 and made his professional baseball debut with the rookie class Gulf Coast Pirates that same year. After two seasons in the Gulf Coast League
, he was promoted to the Class-A Augusta GreenJackets
in 1997. He remained in the Pirates system through 2001, playing with the Lynchburg Hillcats
and AA Altoona Curve
. He also played in the Puerto Rico League in the winter of 2001.
He left the Pirates organization as a free agent in 2002 and played for the High Desert Mavericks
in the Milwaukee Brewers
organization in 2002 and the Lakeland Tigers
and Erie SeaWolves
in the Detroit Tigers
organization in 2003.
Unable to land a job in the affiliated minors after the 2003 season, he pitched for the independent Lancaster Barnstormers
and Newark Bears
, the Macoto Cobras
in Taiwan
and a couple of Mexican League teams during 2004-2005.
The Cincinnati Reds
picked him up for 2005 and assigned him to the AA Chattanooga Lookouts
. He also pitched for the Puerto Rico
team in the Olympic Qualifying series and for Gigantes de Carolina
in the 2007 Caribbean Series
.
In 2007, he pitched for Saltillo Saraperos
in Mexico and in 2008 for the Salt Lake Bees
in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
system, his first appearance at the AAA level. His 131 strikeouts for the Bees were third in the Pacific Coast League
.
After the season, he pitched for the Uni-President Lions in the Taiwan Series
and the 2008 Asia Series
. He then pitched for Puerto Rico
in the 2009 Caribbean Series
and the 2009 World Baseball Classic
.
He signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers
for the 2009 season and remained in the rotation for the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
for the entire season, finishing with a 13-10 record and a 3.49 ERA in 27 appearances.
In 2009-10 off season, he signed with Japan's Central League side Hiroshima Toyo Carp
.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
currently with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
.
Alvarado was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
in 1995 and made his professional baseball debut with the rookie class Gulf Coast Pirates that same year. After two seasons in the Gulf Coast League
Gulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
, he was promoted to the Class-A Augusta GreenJackets
Augusta GreenJackets
The Augusta GreenJackets are a minor league baseball team that plays in Augusta, Georgia, as a Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Lake Olmstead Stadium has been the home of the GreenJackets since the 1995 season, although Augusta has fielded a team in the South Atlantic League since 1988...
in 1997. He remained in the Pirates system through 2001, playing with the Lynchburg Hillcats
Lynchburg Hillcats
The Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds fulfilling the final...
and AA Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
. He also played in the Puerto Rico League in the winter of 2001.
He left the Pirates organization as a free agent in 2002 and played for the High Desert Mavericks
High Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch...
in the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organization in 2002 and the Lakeland Tigers
Lakeland Tigers
The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a minor league baseball team based in Lakeland, Florida.Home games are played at Joker Marchant Stadium; opened in 1966 and renovated in 2003. The park, which also doubles as the Detroit Tigers spring training home, seats 8,500 fans...
and Erie SeaWolves
Erie SeaWolves
The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball club....
in the 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...
organization in 2003.
Unable to land a job in the affiliated minors after the 2003 season, he pitched for the independent Lancaster Barnstormers
Lancaster Barnstormers
The Lancaster Barnstormers is an American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
and Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
, the Macoto Cobras
Dmedia T-REX
The dmedia T-REX was a professional baseball team belonging to the Chinese Professional Baseball League .-History:The history of the team can be traced back to early 2001 when local Macoto Bank started to sponsor Taiwan Major League's Taipei Gida, taking over from the original sponsor Sampo...
in Taiwan
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League , or CPBL, is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003...
and a couple of Mexican League teams during 2004-2005.
The Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
picked him up for 2005 and assigned him to the AA Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
. He also pitched for the Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico national baseball team
The Puerto Rico National Baseball Team is a team that is selected by the Puerto Rican Baseball Federation to compete in major international events in representation of Puerto Rico...
team in the Olympic Qualifying series and for Gigantes de Carolina
Gigantes de Carolina
Gigantes de Carolina, Spanish for "Carolina Giants", is the name of several professional sport teams based in Carolina, Puerto Rico:*Gigantes de Carolina , a basketball team in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional...
in the 2007 Caribbean Series
2007 Caribbean Series
The IXIL edition of the Caribbean Series was played in 2007. It was held from February 2 through February 7 featuring the champions teams from Dominican Republic , Mexico , Puerto Rico and Venezuela...
.
In 2007, he pitched for Saltillo Saraperos
Saraperos de Saltillo
The Saraperos de Saltillo are a AAA-level baseball team playing in the Mexican League. They have won 3 championships in 1980, 2009, and 2010. Their homefield is the Estadio De Béisbol Francisco I. Madero in Saltillo, Coahuila. Juan Jose Pacho is the team manager....
in Mexico and in 2008 for the Salt Lake Bees
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bees serve as the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark, known to fans as the Apiary, which was...
in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
system, his first appearance at the AAA level. His 131 strikeouts for the Bees were third in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
.
After the season, he pitched for the Uni-President Lions in the Taiwan Series
2008 Chinese Professional Baseball League playoffs
The 2008 Taiwan Series was played by the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions, team that placed first in the all-season standing, and the Brother Elephants, wild card winner who advanced to Taiwan Series by defeating La New Bears in the Playoff Series...
and the 2008 Asia Series
2008 Asia Series
The 2008 Asia Series was contested on November 13–16 by the champions of Nippon Professional Baseball's Japan Series, the Korea Professional Baseball's Korean Series, Chinese Professional Baseball League's Taiwan Series, and the championship of the China Baseball League of the People's Republic of...
. He then pitched for Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico national baseball team
The Puerto Rico National Baseball Team is a team that is selected by the Puerto Rican Baseball Federation to compete in major international events in representation of Puerto Rico...
in the 2009 Caribbean Series
2009 Caribbean Series
The LI edition of the Caribbean Series was played in . It was held from February 2 through February 7 with the champions teams from Dominican Republic , Mexico , Puerto Rico and Venezuela . The format consisted of 12 games, each team facing the other teams twice...
and the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
.
He signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
for the 2009 season and remained in the rotation for the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
for the entire season, finishing with a 13-10 record and a 3.49 ERA in 27 appearances.
In 2009-10 off season, he signed with Japan's Central League side Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
.