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Jorge Alvarez had already spent 17 full seasons as a pro going into 2005, a decade of that in independent ball.
He returned for an 18th season with independent San Angelo for two main reasons, he told The San Angelo Standard-Times that July.
"I love the game and I can still help some teams, the 36-year-old told The Standard-Times. "When I can't help anybody, I will retire."
Alvarez ended up continuing to help teams for several seasons more, before he finally turned coach and manager.
Alvarez' stay in affiliated ball, however, lasted seven total seasons. He topped out at AA.
Alvarez' career began in 1988, signed by the Dodgers as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic.
Alvarez started with the Dodgers in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He hit .293 in 55 games. He then made short-season Salem in 1989 and high-A Vero Beach in 1990.
He made AA San Antonio in 1991 and stayed there for three seasons. He hit .298 in 66 games his first year there and .271 in 89 games over his third. Alvarez moved to the Marlins and AA Portland for 1994, where he hit .206 over 89 games.
Alvarez then moved on from affiliated ball. He played 13 games in 1995 in Taiwan with Brother. He also saw independent Laredo and Amarillo. With Amarillo, he'd play with through 1997, then later in 2000 and 2001.
He got off to a hot start with Amarillo in 1996. He attributed his good hitting to experience and work, according to The Alexandria Town Talk.
"I play all year," Alvarez told The Town Talk after a June Amarillo win over Alexandria. "I played in the Dominican Republic and in Columbia during the winter. I see the ball a little better than someone who hasn't played all year, I guess."
Alvarez returned to Taiwan in 1998, for 28 games with Uni-President. He then played in Mexico and at independent Somerset.
He continued playing largely full time through 2010, his age 42 season. He served as a player-coach that last season with Shreveport-Bossier before he finally turned manager with independent El Paso, though he saw three final games in 2012 with independent Grand Prairie.
Alvarez' manager at Shreveport, Ricky VanAsselberg, praised the hire, according to OurSportsCentral.
"Jorge did a great job for us both on and off the field," VanAsselberg said, according to the site. "I know he could still hit .300 next season too but this is a great opportunity for him and I join the whole Captains organization in wishing him nothing but the best in El Paso."
1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:3,849
Made the Majors:1,292-33.6%
Never Made Majors:2,556-66.4%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:528
10+ Seasons in the Minors:323-X
Made the Majors:1,292-33.6%
Never Made Majors:2,556-66.4%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:528
10+ Seasons in the Minors:323-X
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