Rafael Belliard was a professional baseball player who played as a shortstop for various teams in the Major League Baseball (MLB) during his career. He was born on October 24, 1961, in Pueblo Nuevo, Dominican Republic.
Belliard began his professional baseball career in 1979 when he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent. He spent several years in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with the Pirates in 1982. Belliard played for the Pirates for four seasons, from 1982 to 1985, before being traded to the Atlanta Braves in 1986.
Belliard played for the Braves for six seasons, from 1986 to 1991. During his time with the Braves, he was known for his excellent defensive skills and was considered one of the best defensive shortstops in the league. He helped the Braves win the National League West division title in 1991.
After leaving the Braves, Belliard played for several other teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers, the Detroit Tigers, and the Cincinnati Reds. He played his final season in the MLB with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998.
Throughout his career, Belliard was primarily known for his defensive skills. He was a skilled fielder and had a strong arm, which made him a valuable asset to any team he played for. However, he was not known for his offensive abilities and was considered a weak hitter.
Belliard retired from professional baseball in 1998 after playing for 17 seasons. He finished his career with a .221 batting average, 4 home runs, and 152 runs batted in. Despite his lack of offensive prowess, Belliard was widely respected for his defensive skills and was considered one of the best defensive shortstops of his era.
After retiring from baseball, Belliard worked as a coach and instructor in the minor leagues. He also worked as a coach for the Atlanta Braves and the Detroit Tigers. In 2014, he was inducted into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame.
In conclusion, Rafael Belliard was a professional baseball player who played as a shortstop for various teams in the MLB during his career. He was primarily known for his defensive skills and was considered one of the best defensive shortstops of his era. Despite his lack of offensive prowess, he was widely respected for his contributions to the game and was inducted into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
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