Pitcher Ronald Belisario absent -- possibly for the year
Ronald Belisario could miss the 2011 season, according to his agent, Paul Kinzer.
Pitchers and catchers were supposed to report to the Dodgers’ spring-training complex on Wednesday, but Belisario wasn’t there. The hard-throwing reliever reported late to camp in each of the last two years because of visa problems.
His latest problems could be more serious.
Kinzer would not specify why Belisario was still in his native Venezuela. But asked if Belisario was having trouble securing a visa, Kinzer replied, “It goes a little deeper than that.”
Kinzer said he didn’t think Belisario would be able to enter the United States at any time this year.
“Unless some things change drastically, I’m not very optimistic at this point,” Kinzer said.
In addition to being late to camp, Belisario missed more than a month of the regular season to receive treatment in a substance-abuse program. He was also charged with driving under the influence in 2009 and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.
-- Dylan Hernandez in Phoenix
For Bellasario personally, I hope he gets his life straightened out and has a happy ending. Sadly, I can't say the same for his Dodger career.
Posted by: DG | 02/16/2011 at 12:14 PM
Wow.
Well, kudos to Colletti for stocking up on relievers. That's one down, and as yet we don't feel a thing.
Posted by: kjp | 02/16/2011 at 12:16 PM
time to dump this Loser!
Posted by: joey | 02/16/2011 at 12:20 PM
ned looks really smart right now stocking up on relievers
Posted by: matt | 02/16/2011 at 12:21 PM
Dodgers will again miss the playoffs.......it pains me to bleed Dodger blue these days.....
Posted by: Tom, Long Beach, California | 02/16/2011 at 12:28 PM
One and done, great 2009 and then..........? It's funny, you hear people talk sometimes and go "yeah, yeah, yeah," cause it sounds like a crock. But I took a class at a community college last year and this young kid claimed to be a friend of a Dodger prospect, so I started going "sure, o.k. kid, yeah, yeah, yeah." The kid goes on to say what a troubled guy Bellisario was, big time drinker and partier, alot of emotions and reckless. Guess the kid new something. Man what a waste of Major League talent, Bellisario was downright filthy at his best.
Posted by: aaron d. | 02/16/2011 at 12:31 PM
FUHGEDDABOUDIT
Posted by: OldBrooklynFan | 02/16/2011 at 12:57 PM
Kemp must be pretty angry, seeing as he won't be the first player to quit on the team this season.
Posted by: Chumpy Kemp | 02/16/2011 at 01:24 PM
While I hope Bellasario gets his life back together, this is just one more example of the stupidity of Dodger management...he should have been dumped & replaced.
Posted by: kgoddess | 02/16/2011 at 01:25 PM
Good night sweet Belisario. He is history and his departure is of no consequence. Start counting and by the time you hit 100.....Ned will have hired another pitcher. And so it goes.
Posted by: skyharbor | 02/16/2011 at 01:46 PM
Nice going Belisario...Your over and out. Yep good old Ned was smart to stock up on these re-tread pitchers. Better now than a few weeks into the season. I just wish Frank Mc Court was out FOREVER!
Posted by: Cokomo | 02/16/2011 at 02:45 PM
Doesn't matter anymore why Belli didn't show. Also doesn't matter anymore how effectively he throws. He obviously has problems the Dodgers just don't need to deal with right now. Dump him. And good riddance.
Posted by: k | 02/16/2011 at 02:54 PM
Situation like this, have to protect the team's best interests.
He's gone - let him go, never to wear Dodger blue again.
But hope for the best for the young man. Can't say whether he has any problems or not obviously, and it doesn't matter - just hope he does well in his life after the Dodgers.
Posted by: alanw19 | 02/16/2011 at 03:09 PM
Don't think we were really counting on him for much anyway were we?
.
I do hope whatever his personal problems and demons are though that he conquers them.
Posted by: Labeldude | 02/16/2011 at 03:44 PM
Why does Hugo Chavez hate the Dodgers?
Posted by: jim hitchcock | 02/16/2011 at 04:19 PM
I wasn't counting on him, either. He wasn't very impressive when he returned last year. What a shame.
Posted by: Since '58 | 02/16/2011 at 05:03 PM
"Dodgers will again miss the playoffs.......it pains me to bleed Dodger blue these days....."
Tom, if you were stacking your entire Dodger deck on the performance of Ronald Bellarsario, I hope to restore your confidence in the 2011 Dodgers by passing along the information that the Dodgers have hired Susan Cruise, a 29 year old single mother from West Covina, to work at one of the Krispy Kreme stands on the reserved level. Her impact alone will be about as significant Bellasario's, whether he was here or not.
Posted by: DG | 02/16/2011 at 08:06 PM
Not surprised. Belisario needs to get his crap together or will be out of the league soon. I just don't get these guys some times.
Posted by: Ty | 02/16/2011 at 08:41 PM
Not surprised. Belisario needs to get his crap together or will be out of the league soon. I just don't get these guys some times.
Posted by: Ty | 02/16/2011 at 08:41 PM
Will someone PLEASE keep bellisarioa way from teh bottle and the base?
Posted by: Blue Sangre | 02/16/2011 at 10:37 PM
He should just tell immigration that because he's from LA, he thought he was supposed to behave like Charlie Sheen. That should get him another chance.
Posted by: neoncactus | 02/17/2011 at 07:21 AM
>> While I hope Bellasario gets his life back together, this is just one more example of the stupidity of Dodger management...he should have been dumped & replaced.
Uh, I think he has been.
Posted by: BlueinAZ | 02/17/2011 at 08:45 AM
The Giants want him.
Posted by: Tripod | 02/17/2011 at 11:48 AM
Still laughing as i try to type DG. Now there is room for real competition between Hawksworth,Troncoso, and Link for the 7th inn duties.
Posted by: N.P.Krohn | 02/17/2011 at 03:50 PM
Belesario is a cancer...best for the dodgers to let him go....suspend with no pay....drugs and crime...plus Venezula....a commie, red, country.....i would let him go...but knowing this clown he wold work out a deal with another team for more money....i would hold his black feet to the fire and make them cook...indefinitely....he let the team down twice.....intolerable..
Posted by: joe terry | 02/18/2011 at 11:57 PM