Matthew Thomas Belisle (beh-LYLE; born June 6, 1980) is an American former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

, and

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

. Belisle was drafted by the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

in the second round of the

1998 Major League Baseball Draft The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998. A total of 1445 players were drafted over the course of 50 rounds. First round selections ...

Early life

He was born in Austin, Texas, and attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School through middle school. He attended

McCallum High School A. N. McCallum High School is a public high school in Austin, Texas, United States. McCallum, the second oldest high school in the Austin Independent School District (formerly known as Austin Public Schools prior to desegregation in 1971), open ...

and was drafted out of high school by the

in the second round of the

1998 Major League Baseball draft The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998. A total of 1445 players were drafted over the course of 50 rounds. First round selections ...

Career

Minor leagues

Belisle began his professional career in , pitching for the Rookie-level

Danville Braves The Danville Braves were a Minor League Baseball team in Danville, Virginia. They were an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and were a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have played home games at American Legion Post 3 ...

. He was promoted to the Single-A

Macon Braves Macon may refer to: Places Belgium *Macon, Belgium France *Mâcon ** Ancient Diocese of Mâcon **Mâcon, another name for the Mâconnais wine from that region United States of America * Macon, Alabama * Macon, Georgia * Macon, Illinois *Macon ...

to begin the season; in 15 starts, he had a 2.38

ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...

and a

WHIP A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

under 1. This was good enough to get Belisle a promotion to Single-A Advanced

Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...

where he had a 3.43 ERA in 12 starts. He spent all of and most of with the Double-A

Greenville Braves The Greenville Braves were an American minor league baseball franchise, based in Greenville, South Carolina, that served as the Class AA farm team of the Atlanta Braves between 1984 and 2004. The Braves played in Greenville Municipal Stadium for ...

before being traded to the

for veteran

relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue (medical), fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection (sports), ejection, or for other strategic ...

Kent Mercker Kent Franklin Mercker (born February 1, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played for nine teams over his 17-year career. Career Mercker was born in Brownsburg, Indiana and lived in several different cities ...

as the PTBNL on August 14, 2003.

Cincinnati Reds

Belisle was assigned to Triple-A

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

and was called up to the majors on September 7, , making his debut that same day. In his debut, he pitched 2 innings, giving up a solo

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

and

walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults o ...

one. In 6 relief appearances, he had a 1–1 record and a 5.20 ERA. Belisle did not play in the majors in . He spent the entire year in Triple-A and struggled with a 9–11 record and a 5.26 ERA in 28 starts. In , Belisle spent the entire year in the majors, mostly pitching out of the

bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...

. He made 5 starts and 55 relief appearances with an ERA of 4.41. He went 2–0 with a 3.60 ERA in 40 innings in , but missed a big chunk of the season with a back injury. In , in a career-high 30 starts for the Reds, Belisle went 8–9 with a 5.32 ERA after winning the number five spot in the starting rotation, after being mostly a reliever the past two years. In , he struggled in 6 starts with a 1–4 record and 7.28 ERA before being sent down to Triple-A and being reconverted into a relief pitcher.

Colorado Rockies

On January 14, , Belisle signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies. IMG 1754 Matt Belisle

Belisle enjoyed the best season of his career with the Rockies in 2010, mostly as a

setup pitcher In baseball, a setup man (or set-up man, also sometimes referred to as a setup pitcher or setup reliever) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the eighth inning, with the closer pitching the ninth. As ...

, posting a 7–5 record, 2.93 ERA, 91 K in 92 innings of work. He led all big league relievers with his 92 innings pitched. In January 2011, he avoided

salary arbitration Free agency in Major League Baseball (MLB) concerns players whose contracts with a team have expired and who are therefore eligible to sign with another team. Free agents may be eligible for pendulum arbitration, also called "salary arbitration" or ...

with Colorado by signing a 1-year deal worth $2.35 million. The Rockies signed Belisle to a new two-year deal worth $6.125 million a month later that overwrote his prior deal, and also got him under contract an extra year before hitting free agency. In addition, it included an incentive in which he would earn an additional $225,000 in bonuses based on games finished. He proceeded to compile a 10–4 record with a 3.25 ERA and 58 Ks in 72 IP. Before the 2012 season, he agreed to a two-year extension (which added a $4.1 million salary for 2013 and included a mutual option for 2014) at a minimum of $4.35 million. He went on to pitch to a 3.71 earned run average with a 3–9 record as well as 69 strikeouts in 80 innings. The 33-year-old Belisle came into 2013 being considered one of the Rockies' more reliable relievers. He compiled a record of 5–7 with a 4.32 ERA in 72 games.

St.Louis Cardinals

On December 2, 2014, Belisle signed a one-year deal with the

. After throwing a perfect inning against the

Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...

, he experienced pain in his arm. The Cardinals attempted to give him rest to alleviate the pain, but were unsuccessful, placing him on the

disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...

on June 30. Through that point, Belisle had a 3.00 ERA in 30 games. The club activated him from the DL on September 12. During a game against the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

on September 18, Belisle helped further the more-than-century old

Cardinals–Cubs rivalry The Cardinals–Cubs rivalry, also called the Route 66 rivalry and The I-55 rivalry, refers to the rivalry between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs of the National League (NL), one of the most bitter rivalries in Major League Baseball and ...

. Cubs pitcher

Dan Haren Daniel John Haren (born September 17, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Haren played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Wa ...

hit teammate

Matt Holliday Matthew Thomas Holliday (born January 15, 1980) is an American professional baseball coach and former left fielder who is the bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB from 2004 to 2018 for the ...

in the back of the helmet. Two innings later, Belisle grazed

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

Anthony Rizzo Anthony Vincent Rizzo (born August 8, 1989) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. He is a three-time ...

behind the knee in the seventh inning, prompting his ejection. The Cubs won, 8–3. Remarked Cubs

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

Joe Maddon Joseph John Maddon (born February 8, 1954) is an American former professional baseball manager and coach. He has managed the Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. Maddon began his coaching career in MLB ...

about Belisle hitting Rizzo, "I have no history with the Cardinals except I used to love them growing up. That really showed me a lot today in a negative way. I don't know who put out the hit. I don't know if

Tony Soprano Anthony John Soprano is a fictional character and the antihero protagonist in the HBO television drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), portrayed by James Gandolfini. Soprano is a member of the American Mafia, Italian-American Mafia and, ...

is in the dugout. I didn't see him in there. But we're not going to put up with it, from them or anybody else."

Washington Nationals

On February 17, 2016, Belisle, signed a minor league deal with the

. The Nationals selected his contract and added him to their 40-man roster on March 29. Belisle led the team with a 1.76 ERA over 46 innings out of the bullpen, but he was left off the Nationals' roster for the 2016 National League Division Series against the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

Minnesota Twins

On February 3, 2017, Belisle signed a one-year contract with the

. Belisle began the season as the setup man for the Twins but after August, he was put as closer for the team for the remainder of the season. He finished the season with a 2–2 record in 62 games and a career high 9 saves.

Cleveland Indians

On February 25, 2018, the

signed Belisle to a minor league contract, and purchased his contract on March 29, 2018. Belisle was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...

by the Indians on May 2, 2018. He elected free agency on May 8 after clearing waivers. Belisle re-signed with the Indians organization on a minor-league contract on May 16, 2018. The Indians released Belisle on June 11, 2018.

Minnesota Twins (second stint)

Belisle rejoined the Twins after signing a Major League contract with the team on June 11, 2018. In his second stint with the Twins, Belisle did not have a good outing, finishing the season with a 9.13 ERA in 25 appearances. On the final day of the season,

Joe Mauer Joseph Patrick Mauer (born April 19, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher and first baseman, who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Minnesota Twins. A six-time All-Star, Mauer is the only ca ...

requested Belisle to be the pitcher on the mound when he appeared for one final pitch as a catcher before retiring after the game.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Belisle, Matt 1980 births Living people Cincinnati Reds players Colorado Rockies players St. Louis Cardinals players Washington Nationals players Minnesota Twins players Cleveland Indians players Danville Braves players Macon Braves players Myrtle Beach Pelicans players Greenville Braves players Richmond Braves players Louisville Bats players Chattanooga Lookouts players Dayton Dragons players Sarasota Reds players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Austin, Texas Articles containing video clips