1987 Yankee Prospect Profiles

BRAD ARNSBERG
"'When I took this job, I was looking to give the young pitchers in our organization the opportunity to make the club,' says manager Lou Piniella. Brad Arnsberg is hoping to cash in on the manager's enthusiasm.
Looking to follow the trail blazed by Bob Tewksbury a year ago, Arnsberg has posted some impressive numbers on his way to the bigs. Before joing the Yankees for two September appearances in 1986, the young right-hander led the International League in games started and innings pitched. His 8-12 record at Columbus, however, was a disappointment compared to his previous season in Double-A Albany. In 1985, Arnsberg was masterful as he compiled a 14-2 record with Albany, leading the Eastern League in both ERA (1.59) and winning percentage (.842).
'We feel confident that Brad will come back strong and reach his potential in 1987,' says one Yankees executive. At 23, Brad Arnsberg is indeed one prospect to watch in the Yankees' future."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Brad began 1986 with Columbus and remained with that club until his contract was purchased by the Yankees on September 1 when the roster was expanded to 40 players.
He made his major league debut by pitching the final three innings of the Yankees' 9-2 loss at California on September 6. In those three innings he gave up five hits and two runs (both earned), including a seventh inning solo home run to George Hendrick, while recording one walk and three strikeouts and was not involved in the decision. His other appearance as a Yankee came in his first major league start on September 15 against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. In that game, Brad got a no-decision after pitching five-plus innings, giving eight hits (all but one were singles) and allowing one run (earned) without a walk or a strikeout. After giving up two hits to start the sixth inning with the score tied 1-1, he was relieved by Bob Shirley, who retired the side without giving up a run as the Yankees went on to win the game 5-3. In those two big league appearances Brad gave up a total of 13 hits and three runs (all earned) in eight innings (3.38 ERA) with one walk and three strikeouts.
Brad was one of at least five rookie pitchers to start at least one game for the Yankees in '86. Before joining the Yankees, he started 25 games for the Clippers and was 8-12 with a 4.21 ERA; the eight wins were the second highest total by a Columbus pitcher. He had six complete games and two shutouts, a 2-hit 5-0 win against Richmond on May 25 and a 2-hit 9-0 victory at Syracuse on August 9. In 177.1 innings pitched Brad allowed 168 hits and recorded 53 walks and 96 strikeouts [1.25 WHIP]. He ranked first in the International League in games started (28) and innings pitched, fifth in batting average against (.248) and fourth in walks per nine innings pitched (2.64).
In his two innings with the Yankees in spring training last year (both were relief appearances) Brad was 0-1, allowing 10 hits and six runs (all earned) in seven innings pitched (7.71 ERA) with no walks and three strikeouts. His cumulative minor league record in three seasons is 34-19 with a 3.02 ERA (477.1 IP, 160 ER), with all his appearances as a starter.
Brad posted a 14-2 record and a 1.59 ERA for AA Albany in 1985, leading the Eastern League in ERA and winning percentage (.842), and was tied for lead in wins. He was named the Eastern League All-Star right-handed pitcher, named to the Topps AA All-Star team and voted the Yankees 1985 Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
In his first season of pro ball in 1984, he was 12-5 with a 2.95 ERA for Greensboro of the 'A' South Atlantic League, and tied for the league lead in shutouts (4) and complete games (10). Brad pitched a 5-0 no-hit victory against Savannah on May 24, 1984.
Brad attended Merced Community College where he received his Associate degree in June of 1983. He was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 18th round of the June 1981 free agent draft, selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round of the secondary phase of the January 1982 free agent draft, selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1st round of the secondary phase of the June 1982 free agent draft, selected by the California Angels in the 1st round of the secondary phase of the January 1983 free agent draft, and was the Yankees' 1st round draft choice in the secondary phase of the June 1983 free agent draft- and was signed by Yankee scout Gary Hughes.
In high school Brad was a first-team all-state selection in football and baseball, and in college was a first-team Junior College All-American selection in baseball. His brother Tim is a pitching prospect in the Astros organization.
Brad's hobbies are fishing, hunting, golf and music, and his favorite spectator sports are baseball and college basketball. His favorite team growing up was the Cincinnati Reds, his favorite player was Johnny Bench, and his favorite stadium is Anaheim Stadium. His favorite entertainer is Bill Cosby.
Brad's most memorable moment was 53,000 fans watching his first major league pitch."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


BILL FULTON
"The Yankees' second round pick (secondary phase) in the 1983 June draft, Fulton has pitched two no-hitters in the minors. He was 10-12 in 1986 pitching in Triple-A as well as Double-A and was named to the Eastern League All-Star team while with Albany-Colonie. Fulton features a rising fastball and an outstanding curve."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Bill began 1986 with the Albany-Colonie Yankees in the AA Eastern League. In 14 games (all starts), he was 6-6 with a 4.72 ERA (80.0 IP, 90 H, 46 R, 42 ER, 24 BB, 46 K) [1.43 WHIP] along with five complete games and had a .289 batting average against.
He had two shutouts: a 4-hit blanking of Vermont on May 4 (with a season high seven strikeouts) and a 2-hit shutout of Glens Falls with five strikeouts; both shutouts were seven-inning complete games. Bill was named to the Eastern League All-Star team but did not pitch in that game because he was promoted to the Columbus Clippers (AAA International League) on July 5.
In 12 starts at Columbus, he was 4-6 with a 3.84 ERA (75.0 IP, 89 H, 42 R, 32 ER, 25 BB, 36 K) [1.52 WHIP] along with a .301 batting average against. Bill had two complete game wins, against Maine on July 11 and Toledo on July 26. His high strikeout game with Columbus came on August 15, recording five strikeouts at Maine.
Bill has a riding fastball which can sink, and also features an outstanding curve.
He started the 1985 season in Florida in the Florida Instructional League and moved to Fort Lauderdale on May 29. Bill hurled a seven inning no-hitter against Lakeland on July 2. He tied for second in the Florida State League with nine complete games, was third with a 1.61 ERA and had a .217 batting average against.
The Yankees' second round pick in the secondary phase of the June 1983 free agent draft, Bill had been selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round of the January 1983 free agent draft. On July 25, 1983 Bill pitched a no-hitter against the Geneva Cubs as Oneonta won the game 1-0. In 1984 he posted a 2-3 record in 10 games (eight starts) with 'A' Greensboro, including three complete games, and had a 4.15 ERA.
Bill's nickname is 'Fulty,' started by Lou Piniella, and his favorite spectator sport is football. His favorite team growing up was the Pittsburgh Pirates and his favorite player was Pete Rose. Bill was signed by Murray Cook."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


PHIL LOMBARDI
"Lombardi was the Yankees' third round pick in the 1981 June draft. He hit .292 at Columbus in 1986 and held a .278 batting average in 20 games with New York. He showed he was fully recovered from 1985 knee surgery. Lombardi is a versatile player who could be of value on a 24-man roster."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Phil began the 1986 season at Columbus but was recalled by the Yankees on April 24 when Butch Wynegar was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Before his recall he batted .429 (12-for-28) at Columbus with a homer and three RBIs. He made his major league debut on April 24 against Cleveland in Yankee Stadium at catcher when Ron Hassey was ejected following a called strike three in the fourth inning. Phil struck out against Don Schulze in his first major league at-bat in the sixth inning.
He started at catcher on May 1 against Minnesota, his first major league start, and recorded his first big league hit, a single in the third inning off Frank Viola. He went 1-for-3 in that game. Phil made a defensive appearance at catcher on May 4 against Texas before being optioned to Columbus on May 6. In those three games with the Yankees he hit .200 (1-for-5) and gave up two stolen bases in two attempts.
During his second tour at Columbus, Phil hit .277 (69-for-249) in 68 games with seven home runs and 25 RBIs. He was recalled by the Yankees on September 1. His first major league home run came in a pinch-hitting role, a two-run shot off Curt Young on September 2 at Oakland, a key hit in the Yankees' 9-8 win. His second major league homer came on September 22 at Baltimore, a two-run blast off Scott McGregor that also gave Phil his first game-winning RBI.
Phil had a four-game hitting streak from September 21-24, batting .455 (5-for-11) with two runs scored, a home run and three RBIs. Of his 17 games following his September recall, nine were in a pinch-hitting role and eight were as the starter in left field. In those 17 games he hit .290 (9-for-31) with six runs, three doubles, two homers and six RBIs.
In his nine games as a pinch hitter Phil was 3-for-9 (.333) with two runs, a double, a homer and two RBIs. He had one multiple-hit game, going 2-for-3 on September 24 at Baltimore, and had an assist as an outfielder.
Phil was unable to play a full season in '85, suffering an injured ligament in his left knee which required surgery to repair, and also played with a broken finger in early '85. He did catch 65 games, played 10 as an outfielder and one at shortstop for Albany (AA), batting .256.
He was the Yankees' third round selection (fourth overall) in the June 1981 free agent draft. He stole 22 of 26 bases in 1984 while leading Ft. Lauderdale in RBIs (70). Phil has played the outfield, first base, third base and shortstop in addition to his experience as a catcher.
Phil graduated from Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, California where he was named the 1981 Los Angeles City Player of the Year. He was signed by [Yankee scout] Don Lindeberg.
His nickname is 'Lombo' and his hobbies are sports and fishing, and his favorite spectator sports are baseball and basketball. His favorite team growing up was the Los Angeles Dodgers, his favorite player was Johnny Bench, and his favorite ballpark is Fenway Park. Phil's most memorable moments were hitting his two major league home runs, one that tied a game and one that won a game. His favorite entertainers are Bill Cosby and Rodney Dangerfield."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


AL LEITER
"Leiter was the Yankees' second round pick in the 1984 June draft. He was 4-8 with a 4.05 ERA at Class-A Fort Lauderdale in 1986 and struck out 101 batters in 117 innings. Leiter has an above average fastball, curve and slider."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Leiter appeared in 22 games (21 starts) for the 'A' Ft. Lauderdale Yankees and posted a 4-8 record with an ERA of 4.05 (117.2 IP, 96 H, 63 R, 53 ER, 90 BB. 101 K) [1.58 WHIP]. He had one complete game, a 2-hit 6-0 shutout of West Palm Beach on May 24, recording eight strikeouts in that contest. He followed that by pitching five shutout innings of 2-hit ball with seven strikeouts against Daytona Beach on May 30 and received credit for the Yankees' victory. Al had a season high nine strikeouts twice, on May 13 against Vero Beach and on July 9 at Ft. Myers, but did issue six or more walks six times including a season high of seven walks on June 17 at St. Petersburg. He missed two starts when he was sidelined with a bruised left elbow from July 26-August 8.
Al has an above fastball, curve ball and slider. He was selected by the Yankees in the second round (regular phase) of the June 1984 free agent draft. He began his pro career at Oneonta of the 'A' New York-Penn League, going 3-2 in 10 starts with a 3.63 ERA and notching 48 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched.
He began the 1985 season at Ft. Lauderdale and posted a 1-6 record and 6.48 ERA in 17 starts and recorded a complete game. He finished the year at Oneonta and went 3-2 in six starts with a 2.37 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 38 innings, including two complete games.
Al graduated from Central Regional High School in Bayville, New Jersey in 1984, where he participated in baseball, football and track and led the baseball team to the state championship. His older brother Kurt was a pitcher in the Orioles organization from 1982 through 1984 and his older brother Mark has been a pitcher in the Oriole system since 1983.
Al's hobby is mechanical drawing. His favorite player is Tom Seaver and his favorite entertainer is Bruce Springsteen."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


MITCH LYDEN
"Lyden was selected by the Yankees in the fourth round of the 1983 June draft. He overcame knee surgery last spring to bat .302 and collect 29 RBI in only 46 games at Albany-Colonie. Lyden is an excellent catcher with home run potential."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"In 1986 Lyden suffered ligament damage to his left knee on April 6 in spring training after sliding into home plate as a baserunner. Surgery on the knee was performed the following day by Dr. Dan Kanell.
Following rehabilitation Lyden joined Sarasota, the Yankees entry in the Rookie Gulf Coast League, where he batted .340 (17-for-50) in 17 games with eight runs, seven doubles, three homers and 16 RBIs and had a slugging percentage of .660. He was promoted to Albany-Colonie (AA Eastern League) on July 13 and hit .302 (48-for-159) in 46 games with 14 doubles, a triple, eight home runs, 29 RBIs (including five game winners) and had a slugging percentage of .553. He homered once every 19.9 at-bats and committed just three errors in his 31 games as a catcher. Mitch joined the Columbus Clippers (AAA International League) on August 31 following the completion of Albany's schedule and was 0-for-7 in two games with the Clippers.
Mitch played a full season at Fort Lauderdale ('A' Florida State League) in 1985. He was second on the club in games (116) and at-bats (438); tied for second in doubles (21) and homers (10); and third in total bases (155) and RBIs (58). He caught 101 games, led FSL catchers in fielding percentage (.988), assists (63), putouts (607) and total chances (678), and was named to the Florida State League All-Star team.
The Yankees' first pick (fourth round) in the June 1983 free agent draft, Lyden hit just .148 in 47 games with Oneonta in '83, but led New York-Penn League catchers with a .991 fielding percentage. He began the 1984 season at Sarasota and hit .235 in 54 games. He was promoted to Greensboro and batted .219 in 14 games.
Mitch graduated from Beaverton [Oregon] High School in 1983 and was signed by [Yankee scout] Whitey DeHart. He played baseball, football and basketball in high school, was all-state in football as a defensive back and was offered both football and baseball scholarships by a number of PAC-10 colleges.
His hobbies are fishing, camping, skiing and traveling, and his favorite spectator sport is football. His favorite team growing up was the Cincinnati Reds and his favorite player was Johnny Bench. The greatest influence on Mitch's career was Bucky Dent.
Mitch likes uniform No. 13 because Wilt Chamberlain was his idol as a young basketball player."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


ORESTES DESTRADE
"Destrade signed with the Yankees as a free agent in May 1981. The International League's Rookie of the Year in 1986 as he hit .276 with 19 home runs and 56 RBI, he had his season cut short in late July due to a broken ankle. Destrade has excellent power from both sides of the plate."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Destrade was having an exceptional year at Columbus (AAA International League) in 1986 when he suffered a season-ending broken and dislocated right ankle sliding into second base in a game at Tidewater on July 23. He underwent surgery (by Dr. John Bonamo) to repair the injury on July 28 and missed the remainder of the season.
He finished with a batting average of .276 (99-for-359) in 98 games with 59 runs, 21 doubles, four triples, 19 home runs, 56 RBIs, 185 total bases and a slugging percentage of .515. At the time of his injury, he ranked first in the IL in total bases, second in home runs and third in runs scored. Despite missing more than a month of the season, Destrade still finished tied for third in the IL in home runs and was second in slugging percentage. He hit a home run once every 18.89 at-bats, the fourth best ratio in the IL, led Columbus in home runs and finished third on the club in RBIs.
Orestes was named as the Rookie of the Year in the International League and was named IL Player of the Week for May 19-25. He had a fielding percentage of .986 in 79 games at first base.
In 1985 he led Albany (AA Eastern League) in games (136), at-bats (564), runs (82), hits (119), doubles (24), home runs (23), RBIs (72) and slugging percentage (.471). He was named Eastern League All-Star designated hitter despite leading the circuit in games played at first base (134), total chances (1,194), putouts (1,103) and double plays (99). He finished second in the EL in homers and total bases (222), tied for second in walks (86) and third in runs.
Destrade has progressed steadily through the minors while showing the ability to play both first and the outfield. A switch-hitter, he hits the ball to all fields from both sides but makes better contact from the right side.
In 1981 at Painstville he led the Appalachian League in home runs with 14 and in 1982 hit four homers with 30 RBIs in 64 games at Oneonta. In 1983 at Ft. Lauderdale he led the Florida State League in walks with 82 and was named the league's All-Star first baseman; Orestes was second on the Ft. Lauderdale club in homers and RBIs with 18 and 74 respectively. In 1984, he led the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees with 12 home runs and also had six homers in 35 games with Nashville.
Orestes attended Coral Park High School and Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, where he graduated in 1980. He was all-city in basketball and baseball and was offered college scholarships in both sports. Orestes was a junior college All-American at Florida College and was signed by Yankee scout Fred Ferreira.
His hobbies are basketball, reading, movies and computers and his favorite spectator sport is college basketball. His favorite teams growing up were the Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds and his favorite player was Tony Perez.
Orestes is nicknamed 'Big O.'"

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


JAY BUHNER
"Buhner was acquired from the Pittsburgh organization in 1984. An arm injury last year kept him off the field until late July. He hit .302 at Fort Lauderdale in 36 games, and in that short span also had seven homers and 31 RBI. Buhner has outstanding power to all fields and an excellent arm."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Buhner was ticketed to start the 1986 campaign at the AA level, but suffered a fractured ulna bone in a spring training game on April 1. As a result, he was placed on the disabled list on April 11 and remained there until July 27.
He made his season debut on July 28 with the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees of the 'A' Florida State League. In 36 games with that club, Jay hit .304 (42-for-138) with 24 runs, nine doubles, seven home runs and 31 RBIs. He has outstanding power to all fields and an excellent arm.
Jay was acquired by the Yankees along with Dale Berra and Alfonso Pulido in exchange for Steve Kemp and Tim Foli in December 1984. He spent the 1985 season with Ft. Lauderdale, batting .296 in 117 games with 11 home runs and 76 RBIs. Jay led the Florida State League in game winning RBIs (15) and was named 'Star of Stars' in the FSL All-Star Game.
He was the Pirates' second round pick (secondary phase) in January 1984. In his first pro season, at Watertown of the 'A' New York-Penn League, Buhner hit .323 in 65 games with nine home runs and a league leading 58 RBIs. He was named to the New York-Penn League All-Star team as an outfielder.
Buhner graduated from Clear Creek High School in League City, Texas and was All-State in baseball. He attended McClellan Community College in Waco, Texas. Selected in the ninth round of the regular phase of the June 1983 draft by Atlanta, Jay signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Texas prior to being drafted by the Pirates. He was awarded a college scholarship only after attending a tryout camp.
An avid hunter and fisherman, Jay's favorite spectator sports are pro basketball and baseball. His favorite team growing up was the Cincinnati Reds and his favorite players were Dave Parker and Willie Stargell. The greatest influences on his career were Stargell and Bucky Dent.
Jay would like to start a guiding business (hunting and fishing) after his baseball career. His favorite entertainers are Chuck Norris, John Wayne and Dominique Wilkins."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


CHRIS ALVAREZ (1986 Yankee Minor League Player of the Year)
"Alvarez was acquired from the White Sox in February 1986. He was voted the Yankees 1986 Minor League Player of the Year after he hit .322 at Fort Lauderdale with eight home runs and 90 RBI. Alvarez was named 'Star of Stars' in the Florida State League All-Star Game."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook


ERIC SCHMIDT
"Schmidt was acquired from the White Sox in February 1986. He spent most of the year at Albany-Colonie, going 7-6 with a 3.96 ERA in 17 starts. Schmidt was 0-2 in five starts at Columbus late in the year."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook


ROBERTO KELLY
"Kelly signed with the Yankees in 1982 as a free agent. He was named to the 1986 Eastern League All-Star team, and in 86 games with Albany-Colonie hit .291, drove in 43 runs and scored 42 times. Kelly missed a good part of the season due to an ankle injury."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"In 1986 Roberto batted .291 (87-for-299) in 86 games with the Albany-Colonie Yankees (AA Eastern League) with 11 doubles, two homers, 43 RBIs, 42 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. He was placed on the disabled list on July 10 due to the presence of bone chips in his right ankle and was not activated until August 23. Roberto was named to the Eastern League All-Star team but was unable to play in the All-Star Game due to his injury.
He was signed as a free agent by the Yankees (scout Fred Ferreira) on February 21, 1982. In his first pro season he hit .198 in 31 games at Bradenton. In 1983 Roberto batted .265 in 20 games at Greensboro and .216 in 48 games in Oneonta, and in 1984 hit .238 (86-for-361) with 68 runs and 32 stolen bases.
He batted .247 (103-for-417) in 1985 in 114 games at Ft. Lauderdale of the 'A' Florida State League and led that circuit with 13 triples. Roberto had 86 runs along with 49 stolen bases, which represents his professional highs in those categories.
Roberto played Little League and in 1982 graduated from Instituto Jose Delores Moscote, a high school in Panama City, where he played baseball, basketball and volleyball."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


SHANE TURNER
"Turner was the Yankees' sixth round pick in the 1985 June draft. He hit .320 with 48 runs scored and 36 RBI in only 66 games at Fort Lauderdale, as a finger injury cut short his season. Turner was named to the Florida State League All-Star Game."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook


KEITH HUGHES
"Hughes played most of the 1986 season with the Albany-Colonie Yankees (AA Eastern League) and batted .307 (99-for-323) in 94 games with seven home runs and 37 RBIs. He missed more than a month of the season with a broken right wrist, which he injured on July 21 against Nashua by slipping while rounding first base following a base hit. Keith was placed on the disabled list on July 22 and wasn't activated until August 26.
He was named to the Eastern League All-Star team prior to his injury. He was promoted to Columbus on August 31 and batted .125 (1-for-8) in two games with the Clippers.
Keith has above average power and is an aggressive outfielder. He was acquired by the Yankees along with pitcher Marty Bystrom on June 30, 1984 from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for pitcher Shane Rawley. Before the trade, he batted .261 (60-for-230) in 70 games with Reading, the Phillies' AA Eastern League affiliate. After he was acquired by the Yankees, he hit .180 (9-for-50) at Nashville, the Yankees' AA affiliate. Hughes spent most of 1985 at Albany, where he hit .269 (97-for-361) in 104 games with 10 homers and 54 RBIs, and batted .296 (16-for-54) in 18 games with Columbus.
Hughes made his pro debut in 1982 by batting .257 at Bend with three home runs and 26 RBIs. He enjoyed the best year of his pro career in 1983, setting highs in average (.329), hits (159), home runs (15) and RBIs (90) at Spartanburg and was named to the South Atlantic All-Star team as the designated hitter.
Hughes graduated from Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania in 1981 and played American Legion baseball. He attended Albright College in Reading, PA but did not play baseball. Keith was signed out of a tryout camp by the Phillies on August 24, 1981.
His hobbies are skiing, tennis and golf, and his favorite spectator sport is snow-skiing. His favorite team growing up was the Phillies and his favorite player was Mike Schmidt. His favorite entertainers are Peter Gabriel and Steven Wright."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide


ALFONSO PULIDO
"Alfonso split the 1986 season between the Yankees and the Columbus Clippers. He began the season in Columbus and went 3-4 in eight games (all starts) with a 2.96 ERA (54.2 IP, 57 H, 24 R, 18 ER, 15 BB, 12 K) [1.32 WHIP] before the Yankees purchased his contract on June 12.
He made his American League and Yankee debut that night in a starting role against the Orioles in Baltimore and pitched five innings, giving up six hits and four runs (all earned), the runs coming on two solo home runs by Juan Beniquez and a two-run homer by Eddie Murray. Pulido issued one walk and recorded a single game career high of seven strikeouts but did not receive a decision in the Yankees' 7-5 win.
In his next appearance, pitching in relief of Joe Niekro on June 17 against Boston, he pitched 6.2 scoreless innings (his longest major league outing) and gave up just two hits with two walks and two strikeouts and did not get a decision in the Yankees' 7-6 loss. That began a span of six consecutive relief appearances through June 28, allowing just 12 hits and three runs in 9.1 innings pitched (1.42 ERA) along with five walks and four strikeouts [1.82 WHIP]. Alfonso recorded his first major league save on June 21 at Toronto, pitching one inning and giving one hit and one run (a solo homer by Cliff Johnson) to preserve Dave Righetti's win in the Yanks' 4-2 10-inning victory.
Following those six relief outings, Alfonso picked up his first major league win in a starting role on July 3 against Detroit, going five innings and allowing four runs (three earned), including a Darrell Evans solo homer. He left after pitching to two batters in the sixth inning and the Yankees ahead 8-4 and was credited with the win in the Yankees' eventual 9-5 victory. Alfonso followed with his first major league loss in his next outing, a start at Texas on July 8, lasting just one inning and giving up seven hits and five runs (all earned), including two-run homers by Pete O'Brien and Oddibe McDowell in the Rangers' 6-1 win.
He was outrighted back to Columbus on July 17. In his second stint with the Clippers, he appeared in 15 games (including two starts) and posted a record of 2-4 with three saves and a ERA of 3.07 (41.0 IP, 36 H, 17 R, 14 ER, 10 BB, 16 K) [1.12 WHIP]. He rejoined the Yankees for a second time on September 1 when his contract was purchased from Columbus. In his two stints with the Clippers, Pulido's overall AAA totals in '86 were a record of 5-8 with three saves and a 3.01 ERA (23 G, 10 GS, 95.2 IP, 93 H, 41 R, 32 ER, 25 BB, 28 K) [1.23 WHIP].
He made one appearance with the Yankees after rejoining the club, on September 1 at Oakland pitching 0.2 innings of relief against the A's and giving up four hits and one run (earned). Overall in his two stays with the Yankees, Pulido was 1-1 with one save, a 4.70 ERA (10 G, 3 GS, 30.2 IP, 38 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 9 BB, 13 K) [1.53 WHIP] and a .306 batting average against. In his three starts he was 1-1 with a 9.82 ERA (11.0 IP, 22 H, 13 R, 12 ER, 4 BB, 9 K) [2.36 WHIP] and a .407 batting against, and in his seven relief appearances he was 0-0 with one save, a 1.83 ERA (19.2 IP, 16 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 4 K) [1.07 WHIP] and a .229 batting average against.
Alfonso throws a screwball, which he developed in 1982, at three different speeds. He began his professional career as an outfielder. He had to borrow a glove and spikes, and tried out in street clothes the day he signed his first professional contract.
In 1977 he led the Mexican Center League with 14 games started, and in 1978 led the MCL in games started (16) and tied for the league lead with three shutouts. Alfonso made his Mexico City debut in 1981, and in 1982 pitched all but one game out of the bullpen.
Alfonso opened the 1983 season at Mexico City and was a member of the Mexican League All-Star team. He tied for the Mexican League league lead in wins (17) and had his contract purchased by the Pirates in July, although Pittsburgh did not recall him from Mexico City until September. Alfonso made his major league debut on September 5 (second game) when he started against St. Louis, lasting only two innings and giving up four hits and three runs (two earned) along with a walk and a strikeouts but was not involved in the decision.
He had an outstanding year at Hawaii (AAA) in 1984, going 18-6 with a 2.54 ERA. Named the Pacific Coast League's left-handed pitcher of the year in 1984, Alfonso led the PCL in innings pitched (216), complete games (16) and shutouts (4), and his 2.54 ERA was the league's second best, behind teammate Bob Walk's 2.26. He had a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.67:1 and was 1-1 in PCL postseason play. Alfonso appeared in one game with Pittsburgh after his recall on September 9, pitching two innings of relief against St. Louis on September 15.
He was traded to the Yankees with infielder Dale Berra and outfielder Jay Buhner for outfielder Steve Kemp, infielder Tim Foli and cash in December 1984. Alfonso spent the entire 1985 season with the Clippers, posting a record of 11-8 with a 3.39 ERA in 31 games (including 20 starts). He pitched a complete game shutout and had a save.
Alfonso was born on a ranch between Cordoba and Vera Cruz. His hobbies include hunting, fishing and listening to music."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide