Mark Bellhorn
Encyclopedia
Mark Christian Bellhorn (born August 23, 1974 in Boston, Massachusetts
) is a Major League Baseball
second baseman
who is currently a free agent
. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed. He stands 6-1 and weighs 205 lbs.
suburb of Oviedo, where he attended St. Luke's School and graduated from Oviedo High School
. Bellhorn would go on to attend Auburn University
from 1993 through 1996, where today his father, Ted Bellhorn, is a professor of Veterinary Medicine.
Mark Bellhorn has one brother, Todd, who played in the New York Mets
minor league system in 1998 and 1999.
, where he would play in the 1994 College World Series. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080515&content_id=399309&vkey=news_t564&fext=.jsp&sid=t564
After playing college ball at Auburn University, Bellhorn broke in the majors with Oakland Athletics in 1997, drafted in the second round. That year he managed a .228 batting average
with six home run
s and 19 runs batted in. Over the next three seasons with the Athletics he saw only limited playing time, batting .131 with one homer and five RBI.
On August 29, 2002, Bellhorn became the first player in National League
history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same inning, doing so in the Cubs' ten–run 4th inning at Miller Park. Bellhorn also tied a team record with five RBI in the inning. His 2002 campaign was a record-setting season for the Cubs: his 27 home runs was the most-ever by a Cubs switch-hitter, and he became the first player in Cubs history to hit a home run from all four infield positions. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20020829&content_id=116547&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=null
On June 20, 2003, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies, and finished the year hitting .221 with two home runs and 26 RBI.
and Nomar Garciaparra
suffered early-season injuries. He proceeded to have the best batting average of his career, hitting .264 with 17 home runs and 82 RBI. Despite leading the league in strikeout
s (177), Bellhorn was among the league leaders in walks
(88, 3rd), pitches seen per at bat, Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position
, and on-base percentage (.373, first among AL second baseman). Nearly half of his 2004 plate appearances resulted in a strikeout, walk or home run.
He spent a year with the Yankees, and in 2006 he joined the San Diego Padres.
In 2007, Bellhorn signed a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds with an invitation as a non-roster player to the Reds' spring training
camp. He was then optioned to their Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats
, and a few days later he accepted the minor-league assignment.
On August 12, 2007, the Reds designated Bellhorn for assignment to make room for Josh Hamilton, who was coming off the 15-day disabled list. On October 12, 2007, Bellhorn refused his outright assignment to the minors, becoming a free agent
. In , he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was assigned to their Double-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Suns
. After a couple of months with the Suns, he was released by the Dodgers on July 24, 2008. http://www.insidesocal.com/dodgers/2008/05/dodgers-sign-ma.html
In February , Bellhorn signed a minor-league contract with his former team, the Colorado Rockies.
's perfect game in the 7th inning of Game 1. Bellhorn then hit a three-run homer off Jon Lieber
to give the Red Sox a 4-2 victory over the Yankees in Game 6 of the ALCS
. He also homered in Game 7 of the ALCS, sending the ball high and clanging it off the right-field foul pole.
Boston won Game 1 in the World Series
, thanks to Bellhorn's eighth-inning two-run home run off Julián Tavárez
(again, hitting a ball off the foul pole, this time Pesky's Pole
at Fenway Park
) to beat the St. Louis Cardinals
11-9. In doing so, Bellhorn became the first second baseman ever to homer in three consecutive postseason games. In Game 2, he hit a two-run double
to help the Sox pull away to a 4-1 lead in an eventual 6-2 victory. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series in a four-game sweep of the Cardinals.
In fourteen post-season games, Bellhorn hit three doubles and three home runs with eight runs and eight RBI. He hit a .191 batting average (9-for-44). His on-base percentage was .397, slugging average .447, and OPS
.844. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124088459426462243.html
Mark Bellhorn appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on November 1, 2004. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/10017/index.htm
Selected Newspaper Articles Chronicling Career
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed. He stands 6-1 and weighs 205 lbs.
Personal life
Mark was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1974. He would, however, be raised in the Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
suburb of Oviedo, where he attended St. Luke's School and graduated from Oviedo High School
Oviedo High School
Oviedo High School is a grade 9-12 public secondary school set on a campus in Oviedo, Florida, a growing community situated in southeastern Seminole County operated by Seminole County Public Schools. The “Oviedo School” was established in 1932 as a comprehensive K-through-12 educational facility; ...
. Bellhorn would go on to attend Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
from 1993 through 1996, where today his father, Ted Bellhorn, is a professor of Veterinary Medicine.
Mark Bellhorn has one brother, Todd, who played in the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
minor league system in 1998 and 1999.
Early career
Bellhorn was drafted in the 37th round of the 1992 Free Agent Draft by the San Diego Padres out of high school, but did not sign. Instead, he would attend Auburn UniversityAuburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, where he would play in the 1994 College World Series. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080515&content_id=399309&vkey=news_t564&fext=.jsp&sid=t564
After playing college ball at Auburn University, Bellhorn broke in the majors with Oakland Athletics in 1997, drafted in the second round. That year he managed a .228 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with six home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 19 runs batted in. Over the next three seasons with the Athletics he saw only limited playing time, batting .131 with one homer and five RBI.
Road to the World Series
In 2002, Bellhorn was traded to the Chicago Cubs and hit .258 with 27 home runs and 56 RBI.On August 29, 2002, Bellhorn became the first player in National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same inning, doing so in the Cubs' ten–run 4th inning at Miller Park. Bellhorn also tied a team record with five RBI in the inning. His 2002 campaign was a record-setting season for the Cubs: his 27 home runs was the most-ever by a Cubs switch-hitter, and he became the first player in Cubs history to hit a home run from all four infield positions. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20020829&content_id=116547&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=null
On June 20, 2003, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies, and finished the year hitting .221 with two home runs and 26 RBI.
Boston Red Sox - Regular Season
In 2004, Bellhorn was signed by the Boston Red Sox as a utility infielder; however, he became the regular second baseman after Pokey ReesePokey Reese
Calvin "Pokey" Reese, Jr. , is an American retired professional baseball infielder. Reese is a two-time National League Gold Glove Award winner and played with the Cincinnati Reds , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Boston Red Sox...
and Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra is a former Major League Baseball player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and...
suffered early-season injuries. He proceeded to have the best batting average of his career, hitting .264 with 17 home runs and 82 RBI. Despite leading the league in strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s (177), Bellhorn was among the league leaders in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
(88, 3rd), pitches seen per at bat, Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position
Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position
Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position is a baseball statistic derived by dividing a players hits with runners in scoring positions by his at bats with runners in scoring position...
, and on-base percentage (.373, first among AL second baseman). Nearly half of his 2004 plate appearances resulted in a strikeout, walk or home run.
After the Red Sox
In 2005, Bellhorn struggled, registering a lower batting average and dramatically increasing his strikeouts. The Red Sox eventually released him. Bellhorn signed with the New York Yankees days later. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/yankees/2005-08-30-bellhorn-yankees-report_x.htmHe spent a year with the Yankees, and in 2006 he joined the San Diego Padres.
In 2007, Bellhorn signed a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds with an invitation as a non-roster player to the Reds' spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
camp. He was then optioned to their Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
, and a few days later he accepted the minor-league assignment.
On August 12, 2007, the Reds designated Bellhorn for assignment to make room for Josh Hamilton, who was coming off the 15-day disabled list. On October 12, 2007, Bellhorn refused his outright assignment to the minors, becoming a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. In , he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was assigned to their Double-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
. After a couple of months with the Suns, he was released by the Dodgers on July 24, 2008. http://www.insidesocal.com/dodgers/2008/05/dodgers-sign-ma.html
In February , Bellhorn signed a minor-league contract with his former team, the Colorado Rockies.
2004 postseason
For the first seven postseason games of his career, Bellhorn had two hits in 25 at-bats (.080); however, his resurgence started when he broke up Mike MussinaMike Mussina
Michael Cole Mussina , nicknamed Moose, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played for the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees ....
's perfect game in the 7th inning of Game 1. Bellhorn then hit a three-run homer off Jon Lieber
Jon Lieber
Jonathan Ray Lieber is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
to give the Red Sox a 4-2 victory over the Yankees in Game 6 of the ALCS
2004 American League Championship Series
The 2004 American League Championship Series was the Major League Baseball playoff series to decide the American League champion for the 2004 season. It was played between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, at Fenway Park and the original Yankee Stadium, from October 12 to October 20, 2004...
. He also homered in Game 7 of the ALCS, sending the ball high and clanging it off the right-field foul pole.
Boston won Game 1 in the World Series
2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the Major League Baseball championship series for the 2004 season. It was the 100th World Series and featured the American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, against the National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals...
, thanks to Bellhorn's eighth-inning two-run home run off Julián Tavárez
Julián Tavárez
Julián Tavárez Carmen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-Minor leagues :...
(again, hitting a ball off the foul pole, this time Pesky's Pole
Pesky's Pole
Pesky's Pole, commonly referred to as The Pesky Pole, is the nickname for the right field foul pole at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. It is named after Johnny Pesky, who played second base, shortstop and third base for the Red Sox from 1942 to 1952, except for 1943-45 during World War II....
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
) to beat the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
11-9. In doing so, Bellhorn became the first second baseman ever to homer in three consecutive postseason games. In Game 2, he hit a two-run double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
to help the Sox pull away to a 4-1 lead in an eventual 6-2 victory. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series in a four-game sweep of the Cardinals.
In fourteen post-season games, Bellhorn hit three doubles and three home runs with eight runs and eight RBI. He hit a .191 batting average (9-for-44). His on-base percentage was .397, slugging average .447, and OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
.844. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124088459426462243.html
Mark Bellhorn appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on November 1, 2004. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/10017/index.htm
External links
General InformationSelected Newspaper Articles Chronicling Career