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Dodgers' Ronald Belisario 3rd in Sporting News NL Comeback Player of the Year

After missing all of 2011 because of work visa issues, the right hander played a key role in the Dodgers bullpen in 2012.

By Riley Breckenridge
Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario finished third in the voting for the The Sporting News NL Comeback Player of the Year award, as selected by a group of 203 major league players.

Some players come back from poor years, some come back from injury, and -- in Belisario's case -- some come back from off-field issues. The right-hander missed the entire 2011 season because he couldn't get a work visa to allow him entry to the United States from Venezuela. The work visa issues stemmed from a positive cocaine test that forced him to serve a 25-game suspension once the 2012 season started.

In 71 innings for the Dodgers in 2012, the 29-year-old posted an impressive 8-1 record with a 2.54 ERA. He received 12 votes for the award, behind Adam LaRoche of the Washington Nationals (29 votes) and award winner Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants (31 votes).