Ronald Belisario
Encyclopedia
Ronald J. Belisario (born December 31, 1982, in Maracay
, Venezuela
) is a Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
as a 16-year-old amateur free agent
in 1999, playing in the rookie-class Venezuelan Summer League
in 2000 and rookie-class Gulf Coast League
in 2001. He played with various "A" ball teams in 2003-04. He was placed on the Marlins 40 man roster in September 2004 but missed the 2005 season because of undergoing Tommy John surgery
on his right elbow. He also missed the 2006 season because of an unspecified suspension.
After missing two seasons he returned to the mound in the Pittsburgh Pirates
farm system in 2007 and remained in the Pirates system for 2008, finally being promoted to AA with the Altoona Curve
.
He signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
for 2009. He was late in showing up for spring training because of some visa
problems in his home country, so did not get a chance to compete until late in the spring. However, he pitched well in the last few spring training games and was added to the Dodgers opening day
roster on April 6, 2009. Belisario made his Major League debut on April 7, working one scoreless inning as a relief pitcher
against the San Diego Padres
. He pitched in 69 games for the Dodgers out of the bullpen in 2009, finishing 4-3 with a 2.04 ERA and 64 strikeouts.
Belisario was expected to be on the Dodgers opening day roster for 2010, but again had visa problems in Venezuela. His status was complicated by a driving under the influence
charge that had been filled against him in Pasadena, California
. He pled guilty to a lesser charge through his attorney but did not finally report to spring training until March 27, at which point he was placed on the restricted list. He did not rejoin the Dodgers until April 21. On July 7, 2010, Belisario was again placed on the restricted list by the Dodgers for unknown reasons. He eventually rejoined the team on August 10. He finished the season 3-1 with a high 5.04 ERA in 55.1 innings worked.
For the third year in a row, Belisario did not report on time for spring training in 2011 due to problems in Venezuela. The team reported that he would be absent "indefinitely" and that they did not know when, or even if, he would report for the 2011 season. He was placed on the restricted list to start the season and on April 19, it was revealed that he would not receive a visa in 2011.
Maracay
Maracay is a city in north-central Venezuela, near the Caribbean coast, and is the capital and most important city of the state of Aragua. Most of it falls under the jurisdiction of the Girardot Municipality. The population as per the 2001 census was 750,000...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
) is a 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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
Baseball career
Belisario was signed by the Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
as a 16-year-old amateur free agent
Free 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....
in 1999, playing in the rookie-class Venezuelan Summer League
Venezuelan Summer League
The Venezuelan Summer League is a minor league baseball rookie league which operates in Carabobo and Aragua states, Venezuela.The VSL was created in 1997, after several operational years of the Major League Baseball's academies in the country...
in 2000 and rookie-class Gulf Coast League
Gulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
in 2001. He played with various "A" ball teams in 2003-04. He was placed on the Marlins 40 man roster in September 2004 but missed the 2005 season because of undergoing Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
on his right elbow. He also missed the 2006 season because of an unspecified suspension.
After missing two seasons he returned to the mound in the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
farm system in 2007 and remained in the Pirates system for 2008, finally being promoted to AA with the Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
.
He signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
for 2009. He was late in showing up for spring training because of some visa
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
problems in his home country, so did not get a chance to compete until late in the spring. However, he pitched well in the last few spring training games and was added to the Dodgers opening day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
roster on April 6, 2009. Belisario made his Major League debut on April 7, working one scoreless inning as a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. He pitched in 69 games for the Dodgers out of the bullpen in 2009, finishing 4-3 with a 2.04 ERA and 64 strikeouts.
Belisario was expected to be on the Dodgers opening day roster for 2010, but again had visa problems in Venezuela. His status was complicated by a driving under the influence
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
charge that had been filled against him in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. He pled guilty to a lesser charge through his attorney but did not finally report to spring training until March 27, at which point he was placed on the restricted list. He did not rejoin the Dodgers until April 21. On July 7, 2010, Belisario was again placed on the restricted list by the Dodgers for unknown reasons. He eventually rejoined the team on August 10. He finished the season 3-1 with a high 5.04 ERA in 55.1 innings worked.
For the third year in a row, Belisario did not report on time for spring training in 2011 due to problems in Venezuela. The team reported that he would be absent "indefinitely" and that they did not know when, or even if, he would report for the 2011 season. He was placed on the restricted list to start the season and on April 19, it was revealed that he would not receive a visa in 2011.