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Lost in the shuffle of all the Eagles hoopla was this: The Phillies recently signed former closer Antonio Alfonseca to an incentive-laden contract.
Okay, so signing washed up relievers sounds like par for the course for the Phillies, and nothing special. Except when a team has Antonio Alfonseca on its roster, it’s guaranteed to lead the league in at least one category: Fingers.
Yes, Alfonseca has six fingers on each hand. Even if someone were to have six fingers on just one hand, Alfonseca would still hold the overall record for fingers. Think of this as a record that will never be broken. What’s somebody going to do, have seven fingers?
And so, next year, the Phillies are going to lead the league in several categories: Most fingers by one player, most fingers for a team (25-man roster times 10, plus Alfonseca’s extra two fingers), etc.
Man, I cannot wait for baseball season.
Update: From Alfonseca’s Wikipedia page:
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 a huge influence on his pitching, as they make his pitches extremely nasty. The trait appears to be genetic – several family members have this trait, and they regard it with pride, as a kind of family emblem.
Some families have crests or togetherness or whatever. The Alfonsecas have fingers.
Report: Phils reach deal with former closer Alfonseca [Beerleaguer]
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