Izzy Alcántara
Encyclopedia
Israel Cristostomo "Izzy" Alcántara (born May 6, 1971 in Baní
, Dominican Republic
) is a former Major League Baseball
player for the Boston Red Sox
and Milwaukee Brewers
.
by the Montreal Expos
in 1990. In the minor leagues, Alcantara was very successful, with at least 27 home runs and an OPS
of .940 or higher in each of his seasons from 1997 to 2001. He led the International League
in home runs twice, with 36 in 2001 and 27 in 2002. His OPS
of 1.023 in 2000 was the best in the International League.
, debuting in the major leagues on June 25, 2000. That season, he hit .289 with four home run
s in 45 at bat
s. Despite some success at the plate, Alcántara quickly found himself deep on the Red Sox bench after irking Boston manager Jimy Williams
by a perceived lack of hustle during a game against the Chicago White Sox
. For a time, Williams refused to play Alcántara despite general manager Dan Duquette
's insistence the outfielder be put in the lineup of a team that suffered from low power numbers. In , Alcántara's average declined to .263 with no home runs in 38 at bats in Boston although he continued to smash AAA pitching.
Alcántara is remembered for an incident while he was playing with the Pawtucket Red Sox
, Boston's AAA affiliate of the International League
. On July 3, 2001, after being brushed back a second time by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
pitcher Blas Cedeño, Alcántara turned around, kicking catcher Jeremy Salazar, karate
-style, in the mask before charging the mound, throwing an unsuccessful punch at Cedeño before turning around as other players joined the fight until he was tackled by Kevin Orie
. The incident cost Alcántara a six-game suspension and his spot on the International League
's All Star squad.
In Izzy's defense, the Providence Journal offered this explanation:
"What happened may have been simmering for some time. By his actions, it appears Alcantara knew something might occur that night. After the game Alcantara insisted Cedeño was throwing at him. Early in May, Alcantara slammed two home runs off Red Barons pitcher Pete Zamora, who later hit Alcantara with a pitch and was suspended and fined by the league. On July 2 Alcantara belted another home run off Zamora and may have, in Zamora's view, hot-dogged it a little around the bases. In Alcantara's mind, the July 3 eighth inning eruption was no innocent development and may have been planned as retaliation by Red Barons pitchers."
, where he hit .250 with 2 home runs in 32 at bats. His final Major League game was on August 22, 2002 and he was released by the team after that season.
of Taiwan
's Chinese Professional Baseball League
in , but was released for reasons never fully explained by the management.
In 2005, Alcántara also played four games for the New Jersey Jackals
of the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
.
Baní
Baní is a capital town of the Peravia Province, Dominican Republic. It is the commercial and manufacturing center in a region producing bananas and coffee.- Overview :...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Minor leagues
Alcántara was signed as an amateur free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in 1990. In the minor leagues, Alcantara was very successful, with at least 27 home runs and an OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
of .940 or higher in each of his seasons from 1997 to 2001. He led the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
in home runs twice, with 36 in 2001 and 27 in 2002. His OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
of 1.023 in 2000 was the best in the International League.
Boston Red Sox
Alcántara's minor league success did not carry over to the little time he spent in the Major Leagues, as he played parts of two seasons for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, debuting in the major leagues on June 25, 2000. That season, he hit .289 with four home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in 45 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. Despite some success at the plate, Alcántara quickly found himself deep on the Red Sox bench after irking Boston manager Jimy Williams
Jimy Williams
James Francis "Jimy" Williams is an American former manager of three Major League Baseball teams. He was born in Santa Maria, California.-Playing career:...
by a perceived lack of hustle during a game against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. For a time, Williams refused to play Alcántara despite general manager Dan Duquette
Dan Duquette
Daniel F. Duquette is the Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations for the Baltimore Orioles. He was the General Manager of the Montreal Expos from September through January and for the Boston Red Sox from through March...
's insistence the outfielder be put in the lineup of a team that suffered from low power numbers. In , Alcántara's average declined to .263 with no home runs in 38 at bats in Boston although he continued to smash AAA pitching.
Alcántara is remembered for an incident while he was playing with the Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
, Boston's AAA affiliate of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. On July 3, 2001, after being brushed back a second time by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are a professional minor league baseball club located based in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. They currently play in the International League's Northern Division and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club...
pitcher Blas Cedeño, Alcántara turned around, kicking catcher Jeremy Salazar, karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
-style, in the mask before charging the mound, throwing an unsuccessful punch at Cedeño before turning around as other players joined the fight until he was tackled by Kevin Orie
Kevin Orie
Kevin Leonard Orie is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. He is an alumnus of Indiana University, where he was a standout for the Hoosiers baseball team.-Chicago Cubs:...
. The incident cost Alcántara a six-game suspension and his spot on the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
's All Star squad.
In Izzy's defense, the Providence Journal offered this explanation:
"What happened may have been simmering for some time. By his actions, it appears Alcantara knew something might occur that night. After the game Alcantara insisted Cedeño was throwing at him. Early in May, Alcantara slammed two home runs off Red Barons pitcher Pete Zamora, who later hit Alcantara with a pitch and was suspended and fined by the league. On July 2 Alcantara belted another home run off Zamora and may have, in Zamora's view, hot-dogged it a little around the bases. In Alcantara's mind, the July 3 eighth inning eruption was no innocent development and may have been planned as retaliation by Red Barons pitchers."
Milwaukee Brewers
Before the season, he was signed as a free agent by the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, where he hit .250 with 2 home runs in 32 at bats. His final Major League game was on August 22, 2002 and he was released by the team after that season.
Later career
He briefly played for Uni-President LionsUni-President Lions
The Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions are a professional baseball team based in Tainan City, Taiwan. The organization is named after the Uni-President Corporation, one of Taiwan's largest conglomerate whose sub-company Uni-President Baseball Team Company oversees operations of the team...
of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
's Chinese Professional Baseball League
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League , or CPBL, is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003...
in , but was released for reasons never fully explained by the management.
In 2005, Alcántara also played four games for the New Jersey Jackals
New Jersey Jackals
The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina, is a professional, independent baseball league located in the Northeastern United States and the Canadian province of Quebec. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is...
.
External links
- Description of kicking incident from RedSoxConnection.com
- YouTube video of kicking incident
- Baseball Reference minor league statistics
- MLB historical statistics