Don’t count out Ronald Belisario

He isn’t just the guy who reported late to camp due to visa problems in Venezuela. He is now a guy with a real shot of being on this club when the roster is finalized late tomorrow night. He has made three relief appearances, two of them AFTER he was reassigned to minor-league camp on March 6. He mowed down seven batters in a row in the eighth and ninth innings against Oakland on Monday, although Nomar reached on a two-out error in the eighth to prevent it from being two perfect innings. Then, last night against the Angels, Belisario pitched the fifth and sixth, and although he gave up a couple of hits and a walk, he still struck out three, including Chone Figgins, Howie Kendrick and Vladimir Guerrero. This guy has great stuff, and the Dodgers don’t have a great bullpen. He is 26, and he has never pitched above Double-A, but he did well pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League this year for Leones de Caracas. That team was managed by Caracas native Carlos Subera, the new manager of the Dodgers high Single-A Inland Empire affiliate. Belisario is TECHNICALLY still in minor-league camp, but while he was never officially promoted back to the big-league side, he is here in Los Angeles with the club, so that should tell you something.