Omar Beltré
Encyclopedia
Omar Beltre is a Dominican professional baseball
pitcher
who is a free agent.
teen, to sign with the club as a non-drafted free agent on March 1, . He was assigned to the Gulf Coast League
Rangers, and went 5–4 with a 3.54 earned run average
and 44 strikeouts in his first professional season. He improved to 6–3 with a 3.38 ERA and 83 strikeouts for the Appalachian League
's Pulaski Rangers in , leading his team in both wins and strikeouts.
After sitting out the entire season with an injury, he returned to go 3–3 with a 2.39 ERA for the Midwest League
's Clinton Lumber Kings in . Having been used primarily as a starter
up to that point, Beltre only made five starts in 2003, and made eleven appearances out of the bullpen
.
) with the Stockton Ports
in , Beltre earned his first invitation to Spring training
. When he went to the U.S. embassy in January to pick up his work visa, consulate officials were waiting. According to the Rangers' information, consulate officials soon discovered an inordinate number of young minor league ballplayers had been married in a short period of time to women who had previously been denied visas, and it raised a red flag.
Beltre immediately admitted guilt to his involvement in a human trafficking ring, and was assured that he would likely only receive a one year exclusion, and that he would be able to reapply the following year. As it turned out, he was banned from entering the United States for five years, limiting him to winter ball, the Dominican Summer League
and international tournaments.
Alexi Ogando
, who was also involved in the human trafficking ring out of the Dominican Republic
, were granted visas, and allowed to attend Spring training, arriving in the U.S. on the 16th. After spring training, he was assigned to the triple A Oklahoma City RedHawks of the Pacific Coast League
, where he went 0–5 with a 2.39 ERA in fifteen games (five starts) before getting called up to the majors.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who is a free agent.
Early years
Beltre received a $600,000 bonus, the largest the Rangers have ever given a Latin AmericanLatin Americans
Latin Americans are the citizens of the Latin American countries and dependencies. Latin American countries are multi-ethnic, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds. As a result, some Latin Americans don't take their nationality as an ethnicity, but identify themselves with...
teen, to sign with the club as a non-drafted free agent on March 1, . He was assigned to the Gulf Coast League
Gulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
Rangers, and went 5–4 with a 3.54 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and 44 strikeouts in his first professional season. He improved to 6–3 with a 3.38 ERA and 83 strikeouts for the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
's Pulaski Rangers in , leading his team in both wins and strikeouts.
After sitting out the entire season with an injury, he returned to go 3–3 with a 2.39 ERA for the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
's Clinton Lumber Kings in . Having been used primarily as a starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
up to that point, Beltre only made five starts in 2003, and made eleven appearances out of the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
.
Human trafficking ring
After going 5–5 with a 2.45 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 46 games (all in reliefRelief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
) with the Stockton Ports
Stockton Ports
The Stockton Ports are a baseball team in Stockton, California. The Ports play in the Northern Division of the Class A – Advanced California League and are a Minor League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Their home field is Banner Island Ballpark which seats over 5,000 people and opened in...
in , Beltre earned his first invitation to 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...
. When he went to the U.S. embassy in January to pick up his work visa, consulate officials were waiting. According to the Rangers' information, consulate officials soon discovered an inordinate number of young minor league ballplayers had been married in a short period of time to women who had previously been denied visas, and it raised a red flag.
Beltre immediately admitted guilt to his involvement in a human trafficking ring, and was assured that he would likely only receive a one year exclusion, and that he would be able to reapply the following year. As it turned out, he was banned from entering the United States for five years, limiting him to winter ball, the Dominican Summer League
Dominican Summer League
The Dominican Summer League is a branch of affiliated minor league baseball which is played in the Dominican Republic. The league was founded in 1985. The 2011 72-game season begins May 28 and ends August 20...
and international tournaments.
2010 season
Beltre has been dominant in the Dominican League, going 4–3 with a 1.12 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched over the past three seasons. On February 12, 2010, he and pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Alexi Ogando
Alexi Ogando
Alexi Ogando is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers.-Oakland Athletics:Ogando was born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, and originally signed with the Oakland Athletics as an outfielder in...
, who was also involved in the human trafficking ring out of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, were granted visas, and allowed to attend Spring training, arriving in the U.S. on the 16th. After spring training, he was assigned to the triple A Oklahoma City RedHawks of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, where he went 0–5 with a 2.39 ERA in fifteen games (five starts) before getting called up to the majors.