Ronald Belliard (born April 7, 1975) 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 ...

second baseman. He played 13 seasons 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) from 1998 to 2010 for the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 hav ...

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 ...

and 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 ...

. He batted and threw right-handed. Belliard was born in

The Bronx, New York The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New York ...

Early life

Belliard is born to Dominican parents, in Bronx New York. Belliard attended Central High School in

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

. He is a distant cousin of former major league

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...

Rafael Belliard Rafael Leonidas Belliard Matias (born October 24, 1961) is a retired professional baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1982 to 1998 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves. He was a member of Atlanta's 1995 W ...

Professional career

Milwaukee Brewers

Belliard was drafted by the

in the 8th round of the

1994 Major League Baseball draft First round selections The following are the first round picks in the 1994 Major League Baseball draft. Compensation picks Compensation Picks Other notable players *Troy Glaus, 2nd round, 37th overall by the San Diego Padres, but did not ...

. Belliard played in the Brewers farm system from 1994 to 1999, winning

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

All-Star honors in 1996 and in 1998 he was honored as a Triple-A All-Star,

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...

All-Star,

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...

1st Team Minor League All-Star and Brewers Minor League Player of the Year. He made his Major League debut on September 12, 1998, as a pinch runner 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 ...

and he got his first Major League hit in his first at-bat, as a pinch hitter, on September 16 against 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 ...

. In , Belliard was named Milwaukee Brewers rookie player of the year. After he began the season at 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. ...

, he was recalled on May 11. He finished the season tops among

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...

rookies in almost every offensive category, including

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

(1st),

runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...

(6th), multi-hit games (4th), runs (6th), hits (4th),

total bases In baseball statistics, total bases is the number of bases a player gains with hits. It is a weighted sum with values of 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run. For example, three singles is three total bases, while ...

(5th), doubles (2nd), triples (T-3rd), hitting streaks (T-5th), walks (1st),

on-base percentage In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...

(1st),

slugging percentage In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...

(3rd) and

extra base hits In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire anot ...

(4th). Ronnie hit his first Major league

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 drove in his first run with a solo shot May 15. In , Belliard established career highs in several categories, including games (152), runs scored (83), hits (150) and doubles (30) while setting the Brewers' National League franchise record with career-high 9 triples. saw Belliard set a career mark with 11 home runs and equaled a career-high with 30 doubles previously set in 2000. Ronnie was Milwaukee's Opening Day second baseman. In , Belliard played second base (49 games) and third base (42 games) for Milwaukee.

Colorado Rockies

On January 17, 2003, Belliard was signed as a minor league free agent by the

after being non-tendered by Milwaukee on December 20 and became the first non-roster invitee in franchise history to start on Opening Day.

Cleveland Indians

Belliard signed a one-year deal with the

for the campaign. In 2004 Belliard enjoyed a fine season from an offensive standpoint, stabilizing the second base position after the club experienced inconsistency at the position in 2003. Ronnie amassed career-highs in hits (169), doubles (48) and RBI (70) and also set a new career-high with 12 HR. He finished 2nd in the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

with 48 doubles, which represented the highest total by an Indian since

Albert Belle Albert Jojuan Belle (born August 25, 1966), known until 1990 as Joey Belle, is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from 1989 to 2000, most notably for the Cleveland Indians. Known for his fierce, competitive temperament ...

's 52 in 1995. His .282 batting average at second base led all AL second basemen. His 169 hits ranked 2nd and his 69 RBI placed 4th among league 2B. Belliard earned his first trip to the

All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...

after hitting .304 (103-339) in the first half with 5 home-runs and 37 RBI in 84 games (was voted in by players). He avoided arbitration and signed a 1-year contract on December 20 with a club option for 2006. In

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

, Belliard collected new career-highs in homers (17) and RBI (78) as he finished 3rd among AL second basemen in RBI and doubles (36) and 4th in home runs.

St. Louis Cardinals

On July 30, 2006, Belliard was traded to the

for utility infielder Héctor Luna in a move designed to acquire for St. Louis an every-day second baseman for the stretch run, and to provide bench bat strength for Cleveland. Belliard was a key part of the Cardinals' success in the 2006

National League Division Series In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...

when he hit .462 with two RBI and two runs scored. The Cardinals defeated the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

three games to one to advance to the

National League Championship Series The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...

. Belliard eventually won his first

World Series ring A World Series ring is an award given to Major League Baseball players who win the World Series. Since only one Commissioner's Trophy is awarded to the team, a World Series ring is an individual award that players and staff of each World Series ...

when the Cardinals won the

2006 World Series The 2006 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2006 season. The 102nd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Detroit Tigers and the National Leag ...

, defeating the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

, four games to one. At the end of the season, however, Belliard was not re-signed, and became a free agent.

Washington Nationals

Belliard signed a minor league contract with the

on February 18, . He was added to the Nationals' 40-man roster on March 22, 2007. Following an Opening Day injury to shortstop

Cristian Guzmán Cristian Antonio Guzmán (born March 21, 1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Washington Nationals, and Texas Rangers. Professional career Minnesota Twins ...

, second baseman Felipe López was moved to shortstop, while Belliard filled in at second base. Guzmán came back in early May, but at the end of June suffered a season-ending injury putting Belliard back into the starting line-up. By July 23 Belliard had appeared in 85 of the Nationals 98 games, batting .305, and signed a two-year $3.5 million extension with the Nationals. He was viewed as a valuable veteran, capable of starting or as a utility infielder. Belliard hit a game-ending 2-run home run shot off of closer

George Sherrill George Friederich Sherrill (born April 19, 1977) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. Sherrill pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves from ...

with 2 outs and 2 strikes in 12th inning, erasing a 2-1 deficit on June 29, 2008, against the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

. On August 22, 2008, Belliard was a triple away from the cycle as he singled, doubled twice, and homered in a Nationals 13–5 victory over the

Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...

. During the season Belliard set career highs with .473 slugging and .372 on-base percentages despite missing nearly 2 months with injuries. He hit 11 home runs in 96 games (296 at bats) making his ratio of 26.9 at bats-per-home run. This ranked second among Nationals behind

Elijah Dukes Elijah David Dukes, Jr. (born June 26, 1984) is an American former professional baseball player. A right-handed outfielder, he played in Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Washington Nationals. Biography High school years Du ...

Los Angeles Dodgers

On August 30, 2009, Belliard was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor leaguer Luis Garcia. Belliard said this about the trade: In his first at-bat as a Dodger, Belliard hit a home run against Doug Davis of the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...

. In 24 games with the Dodgers, he hit .351 with 5 home runs and took over the starting second baseman job from

Orlando Hudson Orlando Thill Hudson (born December 12, 1977) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball from 2002–2012 with the Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, ...

for the post-season. On January 26, 2010, the Dodgers re-signed Belliard to a 1-year $850,000 contract. He played in 82 games as a part-time player for the Dodgers in 2010, hitting .216. He was designated for assignment on September 7, 2010, and then released on September 9.

New York Yankees

On February 4, 2011, Belliard agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

worth $825,000. He was released on March 28.

Philadelphia Phillies

On March 30, 2011, Belliard agreed to a minor league contract with the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

. He played in 53 games for the AAA

Lehigh Valley IronPigs The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and are named in reference to pig iron, used in the ...

, hitting .251. On June 14, 2011, Belliard announced his retirement

Offseason

During the offseason, he used to play with the

Tigres del Licey Tigres del Licey (English: Licey Tigers) is a professional baseball team in the Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM). The team was founded in 1907 and based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It is one of two LIDOM franchises based in ...

in the

Dominican Winter League Dominican may refer to: * Someone or something from or related to the Dominican Republic ( , stress on the "mi"), on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles, in the Caribbean ** People of the Dominican Republic ** Demographics of the Domi ...

, where he was the captain of the team.

Extortion case

Federal authorities in

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

said a man, George Edwards, tried to get an athlete (not releasing his name, though Belliard's agent later confirmed it was the second baseman) to pay $150,000 to keep quiet about a sexual encounter with Edwards' daughter, Laura L. Edwards, which allegedly resulted in a pregnancy. Federal prosecutors only described the athlete in court as "the victim." Court papers referred only to a "

John Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law enforcement in the United States, such names are often ...

" in accusing George Edwards, 48, of extortion for allegedly seeking money for silence about the player supposedly impregnating Edwards' daughter. Belliard's agent, Dominic Torres, confirmed that Belliard was the player at the center of the extortion case and provided this statement: An affidavit by

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

Special Agent Dustin Sorrells said this about the case: George Edwards admitted to hatching the scheme in court documents and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry to one year and one day in prison. It was less than the recommended range of 21 to 27 months, based on Edwards' past criminal convictions. Perry said she considered the case's unusual circumstances.Ill. man accused of extorting player sentenced to year in prison
'usatoday.com''

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Belliard, Ronnie 1975 births Living people American League All-Stars American sportspeople of Dominican Republic descent Arizona League Brewers players Baseball players from New York (state) Beloit Snappers players Cleveland Indians players Colorado Rockies players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players El Paso Diablos players Harrisburg Senators players Lehigh Valley IronPigs players Los Angeles Dodgers players Louisville Redbirds players Louisville RiverBats players Major League Baseball second basemen Milwaukee Brewers players Potomac Nationals players Baseball players from Miami Sportspeople from the Bronx St. Louis Cardinals players Tucson Toros players Washington Nationals players World Baseball Classic players of the Dominican Republic 2006 World Baseball Classic players