Al first received national recognition in 1984 when he was featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd after striking out 32 batters in 14 1/3 innings during a high school season that featured four no-hitters and a New Jersey state championship. Nearly two decades later, the left-hander's assortment of pitches still confuses hitters.
After winning two world championships as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays and another with the Florida Marlins, where he started Game Seven of the 1997 World Series, Al has spent the last five seasons with the Mets. During his stay with
… More the Mets, Al is 70-50 with six shutouts and 850 strikeouts in 1005.2 innings. That continued success has allowed Al to extend two impressive streaks. He has won at least 10 games in eight straight seasons, posting a .500 or better record every time. He has also struck out at least 100 in nine straight seasons, including exactly 200 in both the 1996 and 2000 seasons. During his last championship season, Al pitched the first no-hitter in Marlins' history in 1997.
Al has been honored several times for his charitable work with children. He established Leiter's Landing to work with children in need.
