The Alvarez Effect: Erie SeaWolves manager has made his mark in franchise history
In any discussion of the all-time greats in Erie SeaWolves history, the usual names come up each time.
Justin Verlander. Jose Guillen. Aramis Ramirez. Curtis Granderson.
SeaWolves manager Gabe Alvarez has earned his spot on the list.
The Alvarez Effect has been in place since he was assigned to the SeaWolves in 2022. From developing non-prospects for the next level to keeping the 'Wolves competitive, Alvarez has already left his mark in franchise history.
Under Alvarez, the SeaWolves have won two halves and finished near the top in the other two halves.
Alvarez is the first manager to win a playoff series in franchise history and, on Thursday, Erie won a second division title by sweeping Richmond.
More: Erie SeaWolves win Southwest Division title with sweep of Richmond Flying Squirrels
A big key for Alvarez is gaining the respect of his players. The team sprinted to the garage of the Erie Insurance Arena on Thursday night after clinching a playoff series against Richmond. The players grabbed bottles of champagne to celebrate ― but waited to hear from their manager first.
In fact, one player opened a bottle early and was immediately chastised by his teammates.
The excited group quieted down as Alvarez entered the garage. He grabbed a bottle, congratulated his team on a great effort, said some encouraging words for the championship series and started spraying players to set off the wild celebration.
There is a long list of player development successes under Alvarez as well. Kerry Carpenter was a 19th-round pick and seemed lost at the plate at times before arriving in Erie. Alvarez helped turn him into a big leaguer; Carpenter has 20 home runs in 110 games with Detroit this season.
Dane Myers came to the SeaWolves as a converted pitcher learning to get his swing back at the plate. He played 22 games for Miami in the big leagues this year.
Garrett Hill started the 2022 season in Erie and ended it in Detroit, while Reese Olson was a 13th-round pick and made 20 pitching appearances for the Tigers this season. Brendan White was a 26th-round pick and he made 33 appearances for the Tigers this year.
Pitchers Sawyer Gipson-Long, Luis Castillo and A.J. Ladwig made their MLB debuts after playing for Alvarez, along with position players Andre Lipcius and Parker Meadows.
Those prime examples don't even include the number of players who made it to Triple-A Toledo in the past two years.
“He's a great manager and lets guys do their thing. That's the biggest thing. He lets guys cook,” said Erie relief pitcher Adam Wolf. “He has a good balance of being hands-off at times and letting us figure it out. He also keeps it fun in the clubhouse. These past two years I've had the most fun in my career.”
Alvarez had never been a part of a professional organization as a manager or coach before 2022. He was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at USC after his playing days before getting a call from the Tigers.
One big advantage Alvarez has, however, is the experience of being a minor league baseball player who fought his way to the big leagues.
“I try to keep things loose. There is enough pressure in this game and I don't need to add to it,” Alvarez said. “We work very hard before games and when the guys are going well, I sit back and watch. It's about putting guys in good situations.”
From recruiting and coaching college kids for more than a decade, Alvarez has developed a knack for dealing with young players. He knows which players need extra attention and which players are better off with a hands-off approach.
“One thing I focus on is coaching each individual player. It's my job to adapt to them and not their job to get on my page,” Alvarez said.
“He preaches to us to take what we can get and stay calm,” said Erie starting pitcher Ty Madden. “We know what we need to do but having that calm presence is awesome for all of us.”
Alvarez has used his abilities to keep the Tigers informed on who is ready to move up and who needs more work even if it affects the team.
This season has been a perfect example of what a good manager can accomplish. The SeaWolves had a solid roster in the first half and Alvarez led the team to the first-half title. Then the roster was gutted as big-time players like Colt Keith, Dillon Dingler and Wenceel Perez were moved up.
Another loss late in the year was red-hot Justice Bigbie and several pitchers as well.
How did Alvarez respond?
The SeaWolves finished just three games back of the second-half title, which they didn't need to win to make the playoffs after winning the first half.
With the depleted roster, the SeaWolves swept Richmond to get their second playoff series win in franchise history.
Erie is just two wins from its first-ever Eastern League championship and Alvarez has the clubhouse hungry for a title.
“We try to go out there and compete every inning of every game,” Alvarez said. “We're not giving away at-bats or innings on the mound.”
The competitive fire Alvarez brings is contagious on the team. It wouldn't be a surprise if, before long, arguably the greatest manager in SeaWolves history is in the big leagues leading a team to a World Series title.
Contact Tom Reisenweber at treisenweber@timesnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @ETNreisenweber.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Gabe Alvarez is among the greatest managers in Erie SeaWolves history
