Yardbarker: Antonio Alfonseca

Morning Juice: Beane, A's experiment with all-relief pitching staff

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:00:27 -0500

For the final a.m. in baseball's regular season, let's rise and shine together to recap the most recent diamond doings. Roll Call starts in Oakland, where Athletics manager Bob Geren paid tribute to his bullpen by eliminating the middle man — which, in this case, happened to be the starting pitcher — and simply handed the ball to his relief corps. Sounds innocent enough, but ... Game of the Day: Angels 5, Athletics 3Welcome to the future: The A's scratched right-hande...

TEN

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:28:00 -0500

There are 10 commandments.There are 10 business days between paychecks.There are 10 fingers and 10 toes on a human (unless you're a freak like Antonio Alfonseca).There are apparently 10 things I hate about you.And now there are 10 blown saves by Brad Lidge.~Carson

Gregg latest in long line of recent Cubs' closer flops

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:00:11 -0500

Cubs have had some bad closers since 1988, but Hawkins likely worst of worse SAN DIEGO -- The Cubs have had their share of memorable closers over the years, from ribald Rod Beck to self-promoting wacko Turk Wendell to six-fingered flop Antonio Alfonseca.

Don’t look now, but Antonio Alfonseca is making a comeback

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:27:06 -0500

OOOOOOOooohhhh, baby! You see that large mound of flesh up there about to toss a slider past some unsuspecting schlub? Yeah, that’s Antonio Alfonseca. “El Pulpo” for short. And now, the ex-Phillies reliever and cuddliest man in the history of the majors is making a comeback with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the (independant) Atlantic League. Here’s the press [...]

This Day in LSB History

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:00:26 -0500

On this day in LSB history, three years ago, we were contemplating the ramifications of Antonio Alfonseca being DFA'd to make room for Bryan Corey on the active roster...

Bend Me, Break Me, Anyway You Want Me

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:26:43 -0500

Closer day-to-day with a bum knee; no sweat. Ace of the staff returns from screaming line drive assault and battery to sprain ankle while fielding; no big deal. 5 game winning streak; freaking awesome! Okay, having Brad Lidge and Cole Hamels nicked up is not a good thing, but I don't think it's anything to panic over either. Lidge should be available come Friday, and Hamels has already said he expects to make his next start. Relax everyone, and enjoy the wild ride that is the 2009 sea...

Nick Johnson, The Big Dipper

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:45:30 -0500

So I was reading about he Nats today and I clicked on Nick Johnson's thumbnail because I was surprised to see that he was still in the majors and didn't retire 3 years ago. Anyways, he has what has to be the most awesomely hilarious official team photo this side of Antonio Alfonseca's extra half-digit.

DWIPP: 14- Antonio Alfonseca, 2007

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:10:44 -0500

14. Antonio Alfonseca in 2007 Alfonseca’s bad year may have been overshadowed by his 8 saves during the time the Phillies were without a closer. Although he converted 8 saves, he blew 5. (...)

Marlins Acquire Rhodes, Become Worse Team

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:15:40 -0500

The Florida Marlins were on the verge of acquiring future Hall of Fame outfielder Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox before Thursday's trade deadline, but Ramirez ended up with the Dodgers instead. As a consolation prize, the Marlins traded for journeyman reliever, and former Phillies, Arthur Rhodes, from the Seattle Mariners for minor league pitcher Gaby Hernandez. Not only did the Marlins not get better by getting Manny, but they actually got worse by acquiring Rhodes. Most Phillies' fans look back on the year Rhodes spent in Philadelphia with mild disgust. Rhodes went 0-5 with a 5.32 ERA and three blown saves. Rhodes was just another in a long line of Roberto Hernandez's, Antonio Alfonseca's, and Jose Mesa's (although, admittedly, I had a secret crush on Mesa for his blue and red gloves and his english name, Joe Table), veteran journeyman relievers that were supposed to come here and provide some stability and veteran leadership in the bullpen. Instead they came and just plain stunk. Miraculously, after undergoing Tommy John Surgery last year, Rhodes returned for his 17th major league season and is 2-1 with a 2.86 ERA in 22 innings. But that was with Seattle, where it didn't matter because they are the only team currently competing with the Washington Nationals for the Worst Team In The Majors Award. Now Rhodes is in a pressure situation, with the Marlins just one and a half games back of the Phillies, who are in first place in the National League East, a game ahead of the New York Mets. Rhodes is going to be expected to pitch well, like he was expected to in 2006, and we all remember how that went. Way to go Marlins, way to go.

Deja Vu?

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:52:01 -0500

Last year the bullpen nearly cost the Phillies a shot at the playoffs with the likes of Tom Gordon, Ryan Madson, Jose "Joe Table" Mesa, and Antonio "6-Finger Ant" Alfonseca. This season may turn out to be just as bad, as Pat Gillick put together the same crap of Gordon and Madson, but mixed in Tim Lahey, Clay Condrey, and Chad Durbin this time...Deja Vu? Game Preview Chiropractic Hamels v. Tim Redding I work with a guy who's from Rochester and claims to know Tim R...

Phillies Wars- Episode 1

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:16:49 -0500

A long time ago, in an internet far far away, there was boredom around the blogosphere. The Hot Stove had cooled and pitchers and catchers were not close to reporting. And one lonely blogger, desparate for readers, set out to entertain at least himself with comparisons between Phillies baseball and Star Wars characters. Today, Episode I..... Charlie Manuel as Yoda - Yoda was the greatest teacher for young Jedis, just as Charlie Manuel is an accomplished hitting coach. The similarities betw...

Aaron Rowand runs into random wall to jumpstart Phillies

Wed, 30 May 2007 13:38:47 -0500

During a Philadelphia Phillies players' meeting intended to remedy problems the team has faced this year, outfielder Aaron Rowand jumped up and ran head-on into a wall in an attempt to get teammates fired up. The random act of bravery/stupidity came during hour three of the meeting, in the midst of an unintelligible rant from pitcher Antonio Alfonseca....

What's inside Antonio Alfonseca stomach?

Wed, 16 May 2007 09:37:40 -0500

I'm going to assume that no human being ? especially a professional athlete ? can be as out of shape as Antonio Alfonseca looks this year. Wow, got to be a couple of chicken heads at least, or maybe he is using his stomach as an incubator.