Matt Belisle smile was ear-to-ear after he got the news that he earned a place in the Cleveland Indians' bullpen. The problem is that smile is a constant with the 37-year old veteran of 14 Major League seasons.
Belisle pitched in his first Major League game for the Reds on September 7, 2003, three weeks after the Reds obtained the right-handed pitcher as a player to be named later on August 14. The Reds sent Kent Mercker to the Atlanta Braves. Belisle was that player.
The second round pick by the Braves our of McCallum High School in Austin, Texas pitched in five more games in 2003, the next spring in 2004, he was in Sarasota, Florida trying to make the Reds' roster on opening day. The Reds sent him to pitch at the Triple A level in Louisville. Belisle made the Reds' roster on Opening Day, 2005.
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Belisle has learned how to focus.
"In one sense it's not that different now," said Belisle, who was unemployed until the Indians signed him to a minor league contract on February 25. "The other, the glaring obvious, is trying to get established and making it, not knowing what the big leagues is like. When I compare it to now, having some time accrued, making the club, the emotions is somewhat similar. Some of the same feelings I had back then, I have now."
The difference between the veteran Belisle and the rookie Belisle is a product of the knowledge accrued.
"I'm able to focus better on the task at hand, rather than looking too far ahead," Belisle said.
Six nights ago on March 21, Belisle was hammered by the Kansas City Royals in his inning of work. Belisle was competing for the Indians only open bullpen job with Alexi Ogando and Carlos Torres. That inning could have determined if Belisle had a job or face the real possibility of retiring from baseball.
"Belisle gave up five runs but he didn't let the game run him," Indians manager, Terry Francona said.
Three days later the Indians released Torres. Belisle will travel with the team to Seattle to open the season. Monday night against the Diamonbacks, Belisle gave up a run but it the Diamondbacks scored it on a double off the end of Jake Lamb's bat.
"I thought Belisle was pretty good," Francona said. "He found his breaking ball that he didn't have the other night. There was the inside out on Lamb, he actually made a good pitch."
"When you're young you try to build a mental game," Belisle said. "It's easy to divert a little bit and let the uncontrollable get in your head. I feel like this time around. I've done a better job on focusing on what I can control. I believe in that and trust in that. I am doing things to the best of my ability and letting the chips fall where they may."
Baseball is a game that will humble every player at one time or another.
"That's what baseball will do to you over time," Belisle said. "You don't have time to sit around and dwell on it. You look at yourself and think what is the most important thing I can do right now to progress forward. I don't like what happened but what can I do right now to get going. Because (A), I need to do that for myself and (B), I have teammates who depend on me. It is not just about you."
Belisle is still trying to improve as let's face it his career is winding down.
"The game of baseball is relentless. It is going to keep punching you in the face. Even when you get up off the mat, it's going to punch you down again. It just builds some toughness in you, some relentlessness to focus on what you can. Nail your work every day and be selfless and just go at it, because the punches are going to keep coming."
At 37 and going into his 15th year, Belisle is rolling with the punches and still smiling.
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