Antonio Alfonseca

{{Infobox baseball biography

|image=Antonio_Alfonseca,_Cards_vs_Phillies,_June_24,_2007.jpg

|caption=Alfonseca with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007

|name=Antonio Alfonseca

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1972|4|16}}

|birth_place=La Romana, Dominican Republic

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=June 17

|debutyear=1997

|debutteam=Florida Marlins

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 23

|finalyear=2007

|finalteam=Philadelphia Phillies

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=35–37

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=4.11

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=400

|stat4label=Saves

|stat4value=129

|teams=

Florida Marlins ({{mlby|1997}}–{{mlby|2001}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|2002}}–{{mlby|2003}})
Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|2004}})
Florida Marlins ({{mlby|2005}})
Texas Rangers ({{mlby|2006}})
Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|2007}})

|highlights=

World Series champion ({{wsy|1997}})
NL Rolaids Relief Man Award (2000)
NL saves leader (2000)

}}

Antonio Alfonseca ({{IPAc-en|æ|l|f|ɒ|n|ˈ|s|eɪ|k|ə}}; {{IPA|es|anˈtonjo alfonˈseka}}; born April 16, 1972) is a Dominican former relief pitcher. He last pitched in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies in {{Baseball year|2007}}. Alfonseca also played for the Florida Marlins ({{Baseball year|1997}}–{{Baseball year|2001}}, {{Baseball year|2005}}), the Chicago Cubs ({{Baseball year|2002}}–{{Baseball year|2003}}), the Atlanta Braves ({{Baseball year|2004}}), and the Texas Rangers ({{Baseball year|2006}}).

He is known for having an extra digit on each hand and foot.

Biography

Image:6finger.jpg

Alfonseca was originally signed by the Montreal Expos as a non-drafted free agent in July {{Baseball year|1989}}. On December 13, 1993, he was taken by the Florida Marlins from the Montreal Expos in the 1993 expansion draft. He made his debut during the 1997 season, and his rookie campaign saw him win a World Series ring with the Marlins. His best year was in {{Baseball year|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 {{Baseball year|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 {{Baseball year|2002}} spring training, Alfonseca had a confrontation with Dale Torborg, the son of then manager Jeff Torborg, and a former professional wrestler.{{cite news | url=https://static.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0328/1359448.html | work=ESPN.com | date=March 28, 2002 | title=Incident reportedly did not lead to trade}} While the Marlins denied any connection, shortly afterwards, on March 27, 2002, he was traded, along with Matt Clement, to the Chicago Cubs for Julián Tavárez, Ryan Jorgensen, Dontrelle Willis, and minor league pitcher Jose Cueto.

On September 2, 2003, while with the Cubs, Alfonseca was thrown out of a game for bumping an umpire with his stomach.[https://web.archive.org/web/20071223041905/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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090210145530/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 {{Baseball year|2004}} season, he filed for free agency, and signed back with the Marlins, but in July {{Baseball year|2005}}, he suffered 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. He pitched for the Phillies in 2007 and for the Lancaster Barnstormers and Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League from 2009 to 2011.

Personal life

His nicknames are {{lang|es|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.

Alfonseca and his wife Rocío have two sons: Antonio, Jr. and Mark Anthony, and two daughters, Jenitza and Asia.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=110134|title=Antonio Alfonseca: Biography and Career Highlights|website=Philadelphia Phillies}}