It was just his time to go.
In a decision made more than two weeks ago, speedy junior outfielder Sal Belfonte left the Missouri baseball team in an effort to refocus on his education and his future, he said. The team confirmed Belfonte’s decision on Tuesday in an email that wished Belfonte “nothing but the best.”
“It just felt like the best decision for me and for where I am in my life,” Belfonte said. “I’m a junior and I’ll be graduating next year. So I need to be figuring out what I need to be doing education-wise and what I want to be doing for the rest of my life.”
Like most ballplayers, Belfonte wanted to be drafted and move up through the professional level. However, after not being selected to play professionally out of high school and feeling a little burned out after nearly three seasons, Belfonte, a career .176 hitter for the Tigers, felt like it was his time to go.
“I was ready to be done and move on,” he said. “I felt personally this would be the best thing for me.”
Looking back, Belfonte said the decision was a good idea, although, at times, the choice seemed difficult to make. He consulted his family, particularly his father, Joe, and his brother DJ, who played baseball at Nebraska.
Belfonte also talked about his decision to several players on the baseball team before making it.
“Some guys were surprised, but they understood where I was coming from,” Belfonte said.
Belfonte said that he still keeps track of the Missouri baseball team. Currently, he lives with three players on the team: junior Mike McGraw, junior Dillon Everett and a transfer player from Arkansas.
He said it’s not awkward to live with them, but it feels different. Now, he said, sometimes he’ll come home to an empty house since his roommates are often out traveling or practicing.
“All these guys (on the baseball team) are still my friends,” Belfonte said, and added that he had just checked Twitter to find out the score from the Missouri-Missouri State game on Tuesday.
With the extra free time, Belfonte, a communications major, said he’s been focused on trying to get an internship this summer. Belfonte also said that he’s been working out frequently at the Student Recreation Complex and improving his basketball game.
“Now I’m doing my own thing and I’m free,” Belfonte said. “It’s kind of like I’m starting college over right now.”
Belfonte said he liked his time on the squad, which he said accepted him. He holds a lot of good memories from the team but repeated that he felt like it was just his time to go.
“I’ve met a lot of good guys and I’m glad I got to share the field with some of those guys,” Belfonte said. “I’ve had my good times and I’ve had my bad times. Everyone has that. It’s tough not to be around those guys every day, but I’m making it. I’m doing my own thing.”