Alvis Woods facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alvis Woods |
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: August 8, 1953 Oakland, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 7, 1977, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 1986, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .271 | ||
| Home runs | 35 | ||
| Runs batted in | 196 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Alvis "Al" Woods (born August 8, 1953) is a former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of seven seasons. These seasons were between 1977 and 1986. Alvis mostly played as a left fielder. He was a left-handed batter and thrower.
Contents
Alvis Woods' Baseball Journey
Starting His Career
Alvis Woods first got picked by the Montreal Expos in 1971. This is called being "drafted" in baseball. But he did not sign a contract with them. The next year, the Minnesota Twins drafted him. This time, he signed and began his journey.
He spent several years playing in the minor leagues. These are teams below the main MLB teams. In 1976, the Toronto Blue Jays picked him. They chose him in a special draft for new teams.
Major League Debut
Alvis Woods was part of the very first team for the Toronto Blue Jays. This was on Opening Day in 1977. His first game in the major leagues was on April 7, 1977. He entered the game in the fifth inning. He was a pinch hitter for another player.
In his very first time at bat, he hit a home run! This is a rare and exciting way to start a career. He hit it off a pitcher named Francisco Barrios.
Playing for the Blue Jays
Alvis had a good first season in 1977. He played in 122 games. He was the regular left fielder for the Blue Jays. His batting average was .284. A batting average shows how often a player gets a hit.
In 1979, Alvis played in a career-high 132 games. He hit .278 and had 33 extra-base hits. These are hits that are more than a single. In 1980, he had his best year for hitting. His average was .300. He hit 15 home runs and had 47 RBI. RBI means he helped his teammates score runs.
For the next two years, he shared his outfield spot. He also played as a designated hitter. This player bats but does not play a defensive position.
Moving Teams and Retirement
After the 1982 season, the Blue Jays traded Alvis. He went to the Oakland Athletics. But the A's released him during spring training. This means they let him go from the team.
He later signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays again. He played for their Triple-A team, the Syracuse Chiefs, for two seasons. Triple-A is the highest level of minor league baseball.
In 1985, Alvis returned to the Minnesota Twins. He played for their Triple-A team, the Toledo Mud Hens. In 1986, he got a chance to play in the major leagues again. He was called up briefly in May. Then he returned when teams could have more players in September. After that season, he became a free agent. He then decided to retire from baseball.
Overall, Alvis Woods played seven seasons in MLB. He had a career batting average of .271. He hit 35 home runs and had 196 RBI in 618 games.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their first major league at bat
