- Antonio Alfonseca
Infobox MLB player
name=Antonio Alfonseca
width=300
position=Relief pitcher
team=Free Agent
number=--
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1972|4|16
birthplace=city-state|La Romana|Dominican Republic
debutdate=June 17
debutyear=1997
debutteam=Florida Marlins
statyear=2008 season
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=35-37
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=4.11
stat3label=Strikeout s
stat3value=400
stat4label=Saves
stat4value=129
teams=
*Florida Marlins (by|1997-by|2001)
*Chicago Cubs (by|2002-by|2003)
*Atlanta Braves (by|2004)
*Florida Marlins (by|2005)
*Texas Rangers (by|2006)
*Philadelphia Phillies (by|2007)Antonio Alfonseca (born
April 16 ,1972 in La Romana,Dominican Republic ) is aright-handed pitcher , who last pitched for thePhiladelphia Phillies , who is also known for his extra digit on each hand and foot. Alfonseca has also played for theFlorida Marlins (by|1997-by|2001, by|2005), theChicago Cubs (by|2002-by|2003), theAtlanta Braves (by|2004), and the Texas Rangers (by|2006). He was signed by the Phillies onJanuary 14 , by|2007. He is currently afree agent .Alfonseca was originally signed by the
Montreal Expos as a non-drafted free agent in July by|1989. OnDecember 13 , by|1993, he was taken by the Florida Marlins from the Montreal Expos in the 1993expansion draft .His best year was in by|2000 with the Marlins when he led the
National League in saves with 45, and won the National League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year.At the end of the by|2001 season, Alfonseca had surgery to repair a
herniated disc . Subsequently, the Marlins asked Alfonseca to lose 15 pounds to help to relieve stress on his back. At a weigh-in during by|2002spring training , Alfonseca had a confrontation withDale Torborg , the son of then managerJeff Torborg . [cite news | url=http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0328/1359448.html | publisher=ESPN.com | date=March 28 ,2002 | title=Incident reportedly did not lead to trade] While the Marlins denied any connection, shortly afterwards, onMarch 27 ,2002 , he was traded, along withMatt Clement , to the Chicago Cubs forJulian Tavarez ,Ryan Jorgensen ,Dontrelle Willis , andJose Cueto .On
September 2 , by|2003, while with the Cubs, Alfonseca was thrown out of a game for bumping an umpire with his stomach. [ [http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20030902&content_id=508885&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chn "Alfonseca, Alou ejected"] , Carrie Muskat, MLB.com,September 2 ,2003 ] He was subsequently suspended for five games. [ [http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20030906&content_id=514856&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chn "Alfonseca to miss five games"] , Carrie Muskat, MLB.com,September 2 ,2003 ]After the by|2004 season, he filed for free agency, and signed back with the Marlins, but in July by|2005, he went down due to a right elbow injury and missed the rest of the season. He was released by the Marlins, signed with the Rangers, but after another mid-season elbow injury was released by them. The Phillies signed him in January 2007.
His nicknames are "El Pulpo" ("The Octopus"), "The Dragonslayer", and "Six-Fingers". He has six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, a condition known as
polydactyly . His grandfather also had this trait. Alfonseca regards it with pride, as a kind of family emblem. [ [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/041406dnsporanglede.1c489e86.html "Rangers' Alfonseca relies on sinker, not a little extra"] , Evan Grant,The Dallas Morning News ,April 13 ,2006 .] The extra finger has no influence on his pitching, as it does not touch the ball.ee also
*
List of Major League Baseball saves champions
*List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders References
External links
* [http://www.theonion.com/content/node/41417 Onion article satirizing Alfonseca's polydactyly]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.