Biography

Mark Christian Bellhorn 

Born in Weymouth, MA on August 23, 1974, where his Dad was doing a veterinary internship.  The family left Weymouth when Mark was about 2 weeks old and moved to Ohio for a while, and then back to Florida.
Graduated from Oviedo High School in 1992 
(Oviedo is 18 miles northeast of Orlando)
Played basketball and baseball in high school.

Attended Auburn University in Alabama from 1993-1995
    and their football team is doing quite well this year, I hear..

Mark enjoys fishing and watching football.

Height: 6'1
Weight: 205
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
College: Auburn
MLB Debut: 6/10/97

Bellhorn lettered at Auburn from 1993-95, helping guide the Tigers to a 134-57 record, three NCAA Regional trips and a College World Series appearance in 1994.  Under Coach Hal Baird, Bellhorn earned All-America honors in 1995 after hitting .342 with 12 home runs and 60 RBI.  In his three-year career on the Plains, Bellhorn hit .317 with 43 doubles, 25 home runs and 138 RBI. (AuburnTigers.com)

Drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 2nd round of the 1995 Amateur draft, and made his MLB debut with them on June 10, 1997

Traded by Oakland to the Chicago Cubs for Adam Morrissey 11/02/01

"The switch-hitting infielder was one of baseball's most pleasant surprises. Mark arrived in Chicago with a career average below .200, but by midseason he became the Cubs' starting third baseman and finished the year with 27 home runs and 56 RBIs to go along with a .258 batting average."  (Bigleaguers.com)

Acquired by the Rockies from the Cubs on June 19, 2003, providing Colorado with a player who can play third base, second base or first base. With the Rockies, Mark hit .236 while playing in 48 games.

THEN.... He was acquired by the  BOSTON RED SOX from Colorado on December 16, 2003 - a wonderful day indeed!  We are very happy to have him here in Boston.

AND NOW...  He is a Yankee - August 2005

AND NOW - a Padre -for the 2006 season

Someone sent this to me the other day - THANKS! (apologies for not remembering who - the email is on the computer at work!) -  it is from  redsox.com news archives Dec 2003. There is also a clip of the teleconference they had with him - it's cool (on redsox.com, not here).  I love finding new info and articles from before I knew him!

The Red Sox added one piece to their puzzle at second base, acquiring Mark Bellhorn from the Rockies on Tuesday in exchange for a player to be named.

Second base has been the most unsettled position for the Sox this winter, as last season's mainstay Todd Walker is a free agent and wasn't offered arbitration.

Bellhorn is coming off a season he'd like to forget, hitting .221 with two homers and 26 RBIs in 99 games. He split the season between the Cubs and Rockies.

Because of that rough season, the Sox will likely bring in other options to compete with Bellhorn in Spring Training. Damian Jackson and Lou Merloni both must be offered contracts by Saturday if they are to return to the team.

However, Bellhorn certainly isn't looking at himself as backup material.

"What I want to do is come in and win the second base job," said Bellhorn from Mexico, where he is playing winter ball. "If I don't win it, I can play numerous positions and help the team that way and with my defense and my speed."

Bellhorn can also play shortstop and third base. In fact, after his breakout season of 2002, he was the Opening Day third baseman for the Cubs this past season.

But things went sour for Bellhorn from the very start, and he never did recover.

"Maybe I was pressing a little too much trying to impress a new coaching staff," Bellhorn said. "I struggled a little in Spring Training. It just got to the point where I got frustrated and couldn't figure things out and maybe my mental mindset wasn't where it should have been and where it was the year before, when I was believing in myself and not thinking too much."

With the Red Sox making a big splash this offseason by acquiring right-hander Curt Schilling, closer Keith Foulke and quite possibly superstar shortstop Alex Rodriguez, general manager Theo Epstein was on record as saying he was seeking an inexpensive solution at second base.

Bellhorn -- who will earn $495,000 in 2004 -- certainly fits that mold.

If Bellhorn can approach his 2002 form, when he belted 27 homers and scored 86 runs, he could be a bargain.

He will have at least one friend right away on the Sox, as Bellhorn teamed with current Boston third baseman Bill Mueller in Chicago in '02.

Bellhorn is looking forward to playing half of his games at Fenway Park.

  
I love this picture!

"I've always liked playing in older ballparks. I enjoyed playing Wrigley," Bellhorn said. "I enjoyed Fenway when I was with Oakland. I enjoy the tradition and knowing the history of players who have played there."

The 29-year-old switch-hitter was born in Weymouth, Mass., but his family moved out of the Boston area almost immediately following his birth.

"My dad is a veterinarian, he was on an internship there," Bellhorn said. "I really only lived there for two weeks. The majority of my family lives in Orlando. My dad was (in Boston) for like two years."

Bellhorn hopes to top his dad in Boston by at least a couple of years.  (I hope so too!)

Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.