2012 Media Guide - MLB.com - Colorado Rockies

34 MATT BELISLE RHP
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 225 B/T: R/R Age: 31/32
Born: June 6, 1980 in Austin, TX Residence: Austin, TX
Major League Service: 6.019 Contract: Through 2013 (‘14 mutual)
obtained: Signed as a Minor League free agent on January 14, 2009
HIgHLIgHTS
Will be entering his third season with the Rockies in 2012...has tossed 164.0 relief innings over the last two
seasons (2010-11), the third-most in the NL...recorded a career-high 10 wins in 2011, which were most relief
wins in MLB and second-most wins among Rockies pitchers...set a career-high with 76 appearances for the
Rox in 2010, also recorded a career-low 2.93 ERA (92.0 ip, 30 er)...joined Rockies as a Spring Training nonroster
invitee and appeared in 24 games for the club in 2009...recorded a pair of scoreless outings (2.0 ip) in
the 2009 NLDS vs. PHI...on 9/16/07 at MIL, began the game with five consecutive strikeouts...tossed first complete
game (9.0 ip, 1 er) on 4/28/07 at PIT...earned first MLB win on 9/9/03 vs. PIT...made MLB debut on
9/7/03 at STL...was the Atlanta Braves’ first pick (second round) in the June 1998 First-Year Player Draft.
CAREER
• The Rockies are his third organization, as he also played in the Cincinnati and Atlanta systems...he made his MLB debut
with the Reds but never played in the Majors with the Braves.
• Spent parts of five Major League seasons with the Reds (2003-08), going 16-22 with a 5.06 ERA in 132 games (43
starts)...ended 2008 season on the disabled list and was not tendered a contract by the Reds, becoming a free agent.
• Made a career-high 76 appearances in 2010, previous was 60 appearances (5 starts) in 2005...also had career-best 21
holds, a career-low 2.93 ERA (92.0 ip, 30 er) and second-most games finished in 2010.
• Set a career high by notching 10 wins in 2011, all in relief...were the most relief wins in the Majors in 2011 and the second-most
relief victories for a Rockies pitcher in franchise history (Gabe White, 11 wins in 2000).
• Belisle has tossed 164.0 relief innings over the last two seasons (2010-11), the third-most in the NL...he also owns the
NL’s seventh-best strikeout to walk ratio (4.97; 149 so, 30 BB) among NL relievers since 2010.
• All 174 of his appearances with the Rockies have been as a reliever...the 2009 campaign marked his first season since
2003 that he did not make a Major League start.
• After making at least two starts each year in the Majors with Cincinnati from 2005-08, Belisle has now made 174-straight
relief appearances since joining the Rockies in 2009...his 150 appearances over the last two seasons are tied with
Washington’s Tyler Clippard for the fifth-most in the National League.
• Owns a record of 11-15 with a 5.38 ERA in 43 games (241.0 ip) as a starter in the Majors...as a reliever, he has gone
25-17 with a 3.74 ERA in 263 career appearances (295.2 ip).
• Has 43 relief outings of 2.0 or more innings, going 5-2 with a 2.02 ERA (98.0 ip, 22 er) in those 43 appearances.
• Earned his first career save on 7/4/05 at SF and earned his second career save on 6/22/10 vs. BOS.
• Issued a total of just 11 walks in two seasons from 2008-09 (60.2 ip in that span)...in 2007, when he made 30 starts,
Belisle averaged just 2.2 walks per 9.0 innings pitched (7th in NL) as well as 2.9 strikeouts per walk (8th in NL).
• From 2008-11 has walked just 41 batters...that mark is tied for the third-lowest among all MLB relievers (min. 150
appearances)...only Mariano Rivera (37) and Sergio Romo (38) have fewer walks since 2008.
• Right-handed hitters (.293, 36 HRs) and lefties (.281, 29 HRs) have hit Belisle almost identically during his MLB career.
• Made postseason debut with Rockies in 2009, pitching twice as a reliever (Games 2, 3)...retired six of the seven batters
he faced (2.0 ip, 0 er).
2011
• Spent his third season in Rockies organization and led the club in games (74), relief innings (72.0) and relief wins (10).
• Belisle’s 10 wins in 2011 set a new career-high, were the most relief victories in the Majors and were the second-most
relief victories for a Rockies pitcher in franchise history (Gabe White 11 wins in 2000)...ended the season with a five-
2011 HIgHS AND LoWS CAREER
2, 18x, last: September 13 at MIL ..........................Strikeouts ..................9, 2x, last: September 16, 2007 at MIL
7, July 3 vs. KC ........................................................Hits ..........................................12, April 21, 2008 vs. LAD
6, July 3 vs. KC ........................................................Runs..............................7, 3x, last: April 21, 2008 vs. LAD
6, July 3 vs. KC ..................................................Earned Runs ......................7, 2x, last: June 15, 2007 vs. TEX
1, 5x, last: August 30 at ARI ................................Home Runs ....................................4, April 18, 2005 vs. CHC
2, April 8 at PIT ........................................................Walks ..................................5, September 26, 2006 at FLA
None ..............................................................Complete games ....................................1, April 28, 2007 at PIT
None ..............................................................Innings (Starter)..................................9.0, April 28, 2007 at PIT
3.0, August 3 vs. PHI ......................................Innings (Reliever) ................................4.0, April 20, 2006 at MIL
10.1, May 16-June 8 ..................................Scoreless Inning Streak........11.1, 2x, last: July 24-August 13, 2010
5, August 8-September 28 ....................................Win Streak............................5, August 8-September 28, 2011
2, 2x, last: June 26-August 7 ..............................Losing Streak ....................................4, June 15-July 29, 2007
39
BELISLE