The youngest member of the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox is going to pitch for REGGIO EMILIA in the 2009 Italian Baseball League season. The team announced on Monday on its website that they signed the 26-year-old left-hander Abe Alvarez. Between 2004 and 2006 he appeared in four big league games for the Red Sox and was the youngest player to receive a World Series Championship ring in 2004.
Alvarez was born on October 17, 1982 in Los Angeles, California and went to the California State University in Long Beach from 2002 until 2003. He was selected in the second round of the 2003 amateur draft by the Red Sox and signed shortly after. After starting his professional career in the NY-Penn-League (Low A) in 2003, he began the 2004 season with the Double-A affiliate and celebrated his Major League debut the same year in a start against the Baltimore Orioles (3-8).
Besides a few stints with the Major League team he pitched for the Triple-A team from 2005 until May 2008, when the Red Sox released him. He has a 28-24 record with an ERA of 4.57 in 121 minor league games (99 starts). Alvarez struck out 384 (161 walks) in 532 innings. When his time with the Red Sox ended last year, he joined the CAMDEN RIVERSHARKS of the Atlantic League (independent league) in June, but was traded to the LONG ISLAND DUCKS after just one appearance. He finished the year with the DUCKS and had a 7-4 record with an ERA of 4.58 in 31 games (eleven starts). He had 45 strikeouts (30 walks) in 74 2/3 innings.
