Alfonseca's option for 2006 was declined by the Marlins.
Injuries limited the 33-year-old Alfonseca to 27 1-3 innings over 33 appearances this year. He was 1-1 with a 4.94 ERA and two blown saves, allowing 29 hits and 14 walks.
Alfonseca had a base salary of $316,000 -- the major league minimum -- and earned an additional $300,000 in performance bonuses.
This was without a doubt the correct move by the team. Now, I have nothing personally against Alfonseca but after the year he had one doesn't deserve that kind of pay raise. And yes, I plan to state the obvious all day long. But when a player fails his physical at the beginning of the season that should be a clue as to how well he is going to perform and Alfonseca didn't disappoint. He stayed on the DL for much of the season.
I will give him this, one of his stints on the DL came at the same time Mota was on the DL thus making Todd Jones the closer. And for that, we can all be grateful.
Alfonseca is now eligible to file for free agency.