Thanks to loyal SoSG reader Karina for translating this article about everybody's favorite wayward middle reliever:
Belisario "I can't repeat the bad stuff"
-The reliever is faithful he'll pitch for the Dodgers this season-Valencia.- Ronald Belisario could have been living in California earning half a million dollars as a relief pitcher for Los Angeles Dodgers; instead, he decided to stay in Venezuela and yesterday he was looking for a job in the humble Independent Central League of Baseball (Licibeis is its acronym in Spanish).
Vices and indiscipline were the causes that made the US Embassy to reject his visa request, which disables him to join the Bums. The Bravos de Margarita closer wants to play at Licibeis to stay in shape for the upcoming Venezuelan Winter Baseball season, starting on October 12th.
"I'm very happy because this league is useful to make me stay in shape until the problems in the United States are solved and I get my visa to come back to the big leagues", said the Maracay-born from the José Bernardo Pérez stadium, in Valencia, where the tryout for this blossoming league was made.
Belisario, who stayed two months on the restricted list during the MLB regular season for "substance abuse" last year, as it was defined by the American press, is sure to not have any regrets from his own acts, even if he acknowledges to have received a learning lesson. "I don't have any regrets. One can learn from mistakes. I can't repeat the bad stuff. Things happen because they have to. Anyone can go through a bad moment", declared the Closer of the Year from last season's Venezuelan winter baseball.
He keeps his hopes high.
Even if his forecast looks dark, with no guarantees to come back to the MLB, he doesn't lose the faith and thinks he can play with the Dodgers this very same season. "If God allows it, my problems will be solved in a while, maybe in a month. I want to start pitching on this league (Licibeis) so the Dodgers realize I'm in shape and they speed up the paperwork", he stated. "Last year, the Embassy put me on a waiting list. So far, I hadn't heard anything".
He believes he doesn't need professional help
In spite of the numerous problems he's faced due to consumption of alcohol and "substances", Ronald Belisario doesn't consider he needs medical help to overcome his situation, because he believes his willpower is strong enough.
"I don't need medical help", the reliever declared. "My family has been very supportive. They advised me to stay focused and ahead, because things are going to solve. I'm strong-minded. I know many ballplayers that have been through similar experiences and they have recovered. Why shouldn't I?"
Belisario is still under contract with the Dodgers, which prevents him to play in Mexico or Japan.
And your two cents, Karina?
and this is my two cents: I've followed Belisario's career since the beginning because he played for Aguilas. I remember to be very pissed off when they traded him, because he wasn't ever given enough chance and he has real talent. It's a pity and a shame he's wasted a God-given talent on addiction. In spite he didn't have a proper spring training and lost two months of the MLB season, he started pitching in Venezuela around mid-November and he was just lights out: no small feat, because he was pitching to lots of big-leaguers and promising players (that's the time when said players start playing winter baseball). I just hope he gets his act together, he's still young and could have a nice career, with the Dodgers or another team in a high-profile league.
photo: Alejandro Van Schermbeek/Lider
2 comments:
Thank you for the update, karina.
I wonder how much the Pirates knew.
I never thought you were going to publish my two cents
*blushes*
@Fred's Brim Marlins AND Pirates...
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