- Clay Bellinger
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Clay Bellinger Outfielder / Infielder Born: November 18, 1968
Oneonta, New YorkBatted: Right Threw: Right MLB debut April 9, 1999 for the New York Yankees Last MLB appearance April 8, 2002 for the Anaheim Angels Career statistics Batting average .193 Home runs 12 Runs batted in 35 Teams - New York Yankees (1999–2001)
- Anaheim Angels (2002)
Career highlights and awards - 2× World Series champion (1999, 2000)
Clayton Daniel Bellinger (born November 18, 1968 in Oneonta, New York) is a former Major League Baseball player. Bellinger attended Rollins College.
Contents
Career
s Bellinger played for the New York Yankees in 1999, 2000, and 2001, where he won two World Series rings. He played every position (including designated hitter) except for catcher and pitcher. Perhaps Bellinger's career high point came in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the 2000 World Series. Put in left field in place of David Justice, Bellinger's glove went over the wall to rob the Mets' Todd Zeile of a two run home run and preserve a crucial victory for the Yankees. The Yankees released him when he became eligible for arbitration; Bellinger then signed with the Anaheim Angels. He played two games at first base for the Anaheim Angels in 2002, had one at-bat in which he struck out, and was eventually demoted to the minor leagues.
While playing in the Baltimore Orioles system in 2004, he was recruited by owner Peter Angelos to play for the Greek baseball team in the 2004 Summer Olympics, held in Athens. Bellinger has Greek grandparents and Angelos was in charge of the Greek national baseball team. In order to field a competitive team in his hometown Olympics, Angelos made the controversial decision to use experienced American players mostly with distant Greek ancestry (players ancestry eligibility was allowed to date as far back as great-grandparents), as opposed to native Greeks due to their inexperience in a country where baseball was almost never played. Bellinger reluctantly agreed as he hoped it would earn him a September call-up to the Orioles roster when the Olympics were over. The Greek team went 1-6 and failed to advance to the medal round. Bellinger was clearly the most recognizable player from that team, one of a handful of players with Major League experience and the only player to have won a World Series ring. He was not promoted to the Orioles roster after the games concluded.
After Baseball
Bellinger was recently the assistant coach of the Chandler, Arizona Little League All-Stars, who advanced to the 2007 Little League World Series.
As of 2011, he was working for the Gilbert Fire Department.[1]
References
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
New York Yankees 1999 World Series Champions 2 Derek Jeter | 11 Chuck Knoblauch | 13 Jim Leyritz | 14 Hideki Irabu | 17 Ricky Ledée | 18 Scott Brosius | 19 Luis Sojo | 20 Jorge Posada | 21 Paul O'Neill | 22 Roger Clemens | 24 Tino Martinez | 25 Joe Girardi | 26 Orlando Hernández | 27 Allen Watson | 28 Chad Curtis | 29 Mike Stanton | 35 Clay Bellinger | 36 David Cone | 38 Jason Grimsley | 39 Darryl Strawberry | 42 Mariano Rivera (World Series MVP) | 43 Jeff Nelson | 45 Chili Davis | 46 Andy Pettitte | 47 Shane Spencer | 51 Bernie Williams | 55 Ramiro Mendoza
Manager 6 Joe Torre | Bench Coach 50 Don Zimmer | Pitching Coach 34 Mel Stottlemyre | First Base Coach 53 José Cardenal | Hitting Coach 49 Chris Chambliss | Third Base Coach 30 Willie Randolph | Bullpen Coach 57 Gary TuckRegular season • American League Division Series • American League Championship Series New York Yankees 2000 World Series Champions 2 Derek Jeter (World Series MVP) | 11 Chuck Knoblauch | 12 Denny Neagle | 13 José Vizcaíno | 14 Luis Sojo | 17 Dwight Gooden | 18 Scott Brosius | 19 Luis Polonia | 20 Jorge Posada | 21 Paul O'Neill | 22 Roger Clemens | 24 Tino Martinez | 25 Chris Turner | 26 Orlando Hernández | 27 Allen Watson | 28 David Justice | 29 Mike Stanton | 31 Glenallen Hill | 33 Jose Canseco | 35 Clay Bellinger | 36 David Cone | 38 Jason Grimsley | 42 Mariano Rivera | 43 Jeff Nelson | 46 Andy Pettitte | 47 Shane Spencer | 51 Bernie Williams | 55 Ramiro Mendoza | 58 Randy Choate
Manager 6 Joe Torre | Bench Coach 52 Don Zimmer | Pitching Coach 34 Mel Stottlemyre | First Base Coach 53 Lee Mazzilli | Hitting Coach 49 Chris Chambliss | Third Base Coach 30 Willie RandolphRegular season • American League Division Series • American League Championship Series • Mets–Yankees rivalry • Subway Series Categories:- Baseball players from New York
- 1968 births
- Living people
- Major League Baseball infielders
- New York Yankees players
- Anaheim Angels players
- People from Otsego County, New York
- American people of Greek descent
- Olympic baseball players of Greece
- Baseball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Rollins Tars baseball players
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