June 4, 2003

Cape Girardeau, Mo. (June 4, 2003) - In last year's Major League Baseball Draft it was the Boston Red Sox taking Brandon Smith in first day of the draft and the San Francisco Giants taking Zach Borowiak in the second day of the draft. This season it was the Red Sox taking Borowiak in the first day and the Giants taking senior pitcher Tim Alvarez in the second day as Alvarez was drafted in the 36th round today.

Alvarez was taken in the 36th round by the Giants, number 1,083 overall. He was recently selected as a third team All-American by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and TPX.

He was 14-3 this season and was named the Ohio Valley Conference's Pitcher of the Year. He was twice named the Pitcher of the Week in the league, and was named the National Pitcher of the Week by Collegiate Baseball after throwing the first-ever no-hitter in OVC Tournament history last week.

His 14 wins is a Southeast record and tie an OVC mark. He is tied for the national lead in that category. He had the league's best ERA for the second-straight season at 2.74 and led the OVC in wins, ERA, opponent's batting average, innings pitched, complete games and shutouts, while being second in strikeouts and runners picked off.

Alvarez was in shock and amazement when he found out he was drafted today but took the news in stride.

"I was really surprised," he said. "I was thinking late rounds possibly in the 40's, if at all. I really thought that I would most likely be a free agent signing."

Alvarez, who was recruited heavily out of high school and in junior college as a big hitter, said he thought that if he had any chance of going pro it would be as a first baseman and not a pitcher.

The most enticing note about being drafted by the Giants is that after a brief stint in rookie ball in Arizona, he will be assigned to the Giants' Single-A team, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, in Keizer, Oregon. Keizer is just a short two hours away from his home, allowing his parents to see him play on a regular basis for the first time since high school.

"That was great news," Alvarez said. "The scout told me I'd be going there and it blew my mind. My parents can literally drive down and watch each game and turn around and go back home. This is a dream come true."

Alvarez joins teammate Zach Borowiak as the only two Southeast players drafted this year.