Antonio Alfonseca (born March 16, 1972 in La Romana, Dominican Republic) is a right-handed pitcher in the Texas Rangers organization. He was signed by the Rangers to a minor league contract in January of 2006. Alfonseca has also played with the Chicago Cubs (2002-2003), the Atlanta Braves (2004), and the Florida Marlins (1997-2001, 2005). Alfonseca was signed by the Montreal Expos as a non-drafted free agent in July 1989.
While with the Cubs, Alfonseca was thrown out of a game on September 2, 2003, for hitting an umpire with his stomach.
His nickname is "El Pulpo" or "The Octopus." He has six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, a condition known as polydactyly; his extra small fingers next to his pinky have no influence on his pitching, as they don't touch the ball. The trait appears to be genetic - several family members have this trait, and they regard it with pride, as a kind of family emblem.
