ANTONIO ALFONSECA

'Antonio Alfonseca' (born April 16, 1972 in La Romana, Dominican Republic) is a right-handed pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization who is also known for his extra digit on each hand and foot. Alfonseca has also played for the Florida Marlins (1997-2001, 2005), the Chicago Cubs (2002-2003), the Atlanta Braves (2004), and the Texas Rangers (2006). He was signed by the Phillies on January 14, .
Alfonseca was originally signed by the Montreal Expos as a non-drafted free agent in July . On December 13, 1993, he was taken by the Florida Marlins from the Montreal Expos in the 1993 expansion draft.
His best year was in 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 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 2002 spring training, Alfonseca had a confrontation with Dale Torborg, the son of then manager Jeff Torborg.^[1] While the Marlins denied any connection, shortly afterwards, on March 27, 2002 he was traded, along with Matt Clement, to the Chicago Cubs for Julian Tavarez, Ryan Jorgensen, Dontrelle Willis, and Jose Cueto.
On September 2, , while with the Cubs, Alfonseca was thrown out of a game for hitting an umpire with his stomach.^[2] He was subsequently suspended for five games.^[3]
After the 2004 season, he filed for free agency, and signed back with the Marlins, but in July 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"), 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.^[4] The extra finger has no influence on his pitching, as it does not touch the ball.

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See also

References

External links

See also

★ List of Major League Baseball saves champions

★ List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders

★ Florida Marlins all-time roster

References

External links

★ Onion article satirizing Alfonseca's polydacty