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 on August 8, 1953, is a former professional baseball player from America. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of seven seasons. His career spanned from 1977 to 1986. Alvis mostly played as a left fielder. He was a left-handed batter and thrower.
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Alvis Woods' Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Alvis Woods began his baseball journey in the minor leagues. He was first chosen by the Montreal Expos in 1971, but he did not sign with them. The next year, the Minnesota Twins drafted him, and he signed to play.
He spent several seasons playing for minor league teams. Then, in 1976, the Toronto Blue Jays picked him in a special draft. This draft was for new teams joining Major League Baseball.
Making His MLB Debut
Alvis Woods was part of the very first team for the Toronto Blue Jays. This was on their Opening Day, April 7, 1977. In his first game, he entered as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning. A pinch hitter is a player who bats in place of another player.
In his first time at bat in the major leagues, he hit a home run! This happened on the fifth pitch he saw. He hit it off a pitcher named Francisco Barrios from the Chicago White Sox.
Playing for the Blue Jays
Alvis finished his first season in 1977 with a .284 batting average. This means he got a hit almost 28.4% of the times he batted. He played in 122 games as the main left fielder for the Blue Jays.
In 1979, Alvis had a great season. He played in 132 games, which was the most in his career. He hit for a .278 average and had 33 extra-base hits. These are hits like doubles, triples, and home runs.
The next year, 1980, was even better for him. He had his highest batting average at .300. He also hit 15 home runs and had 47 RBI. An RBI means he helped a teammate score a run.
For the next two years, Alvis shared his outfield duties with other players. He also sometimes played as a designated hitter. A designated hitter bats for the pitcher but does not play a defensive position.
Moving On and Retirement
After the 1982 season, Alvis Woods was traded to the Oakland Athletics. However, the Athletics released him during spring training. He then signed a new contract with the Blue Jays in July to play in their minor league system.
He spent the next two seasons playing for the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. The Blue Jays released him again at the end of the 1984 season.
Alvis returned to the Minnesota Twins for the 1985 season. He played the whole year with their Triple-A team, the Toledo Mud Hens. In 1986, he started with Toledo but was called up to the major leagues briefly in May. He was called up again in September when teams could have more players.
After the 1986 season, Alvis became a free agent. This means he could sign with any team. However, he decided to retire from baseball.
Career Highlights
In his seven seasons in Major League Baseball, Alvis Woods played in 618 games. He had a career batting average of .271. He hit 35 home runs and had 196 RBI.
More to Explore
- List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their first major league at bat
