Rafael Jose Betancourt (born April 29, 1975) is a Venezuelan former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

and

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...

, as well as in

Nippon Professional Baseball is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league ...

(NPB) for the Yokohama BayStars.

Career

Boston Red Sox/Yokohama BayStars

Betancourt was originally signed as an amateur

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

by the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

on September 13, 1993. The Red Sox released him following the 1999 season and then re-signed him as a free agent in December 2000 after he spent the 2000 season with the Yokohama BayStars of

. He was granted free agency again in October 2001, after serving the required time to acquire free agency.

Cleveland Indians

After sitting out the 2002 season due to right elbow surgery, Betancourt signed with the

as a minor league free agent on February 6, 2003. He began the season with the Double-A Akron Aeros, making 31 appearances and posting a 1.39

ERA An era is a span of time. Era or ERA may also refer to: * Era (geology), a subdivision of geologic time * Calendar era Education * Academy of European Law (German: '), an international law school * ERA School, in Melbourne, Australia * E ...

, 16 saves and 75

strikeouts In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

in innings. Betancourt was soon promoted to the Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

, where he recorded one save and a 4.05 ERA in four games. On July 12, the Indians purchased Betancourt's contract, and he made his Major League debut for the Indians the next day against the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

. In the game, he tossed innings, giving up an earned run while walking one and striking out one. Betancourt pitched in 33 games for the Indians in 2003, going 2–2 with one save and an ERA of 2.13. In 2004, Betancourt spent the entire season with the Indians, finishing 5–6 with four saves and a 3.92 ERA in 68 relief appearances. On July 8, 2005, Betancourt became the sixth Major League player to be suspended for testing positive in

steroid A steroid is an organic compound with four fused compound, fused rings (designated A, B, C, and D) arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes t ...

s testing. He went on to appear in 54 games, posting a 4–3 record, one save and a 2.79 ERA. In 2006, Betancourt's ERA grew a full run higher than his previous season. He finished with a 3–4 record, three saves and a 3.81 ERA in 50 relief appearances. Betancourt's best season was in 2007, as he finished 5–1 with three saves and a 1.47 ERA in 68 relief appearances. He registered career bests in ERA, innings pitched (),

WHIP A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue thro ...

(0.76), and walks allowed (9). On January 23, 2008, Betancourt signed a new two-year contract with the Indians worth $5.4 million guaranteed. The deal also included a $5 million club option for 2010. His success from 2007 did not carry over to 2008, as he finished 3–4 with four saves and a 5.07 ERA in 69 relief appearances. In 2009, Betancourt began the season 1–2 with one save and a 3.52 ERA in 29 games.

Colorado Rockies

On July 23, 2009, Betancourt was traded to the

for minor league pitcher Connor Graham. He made 32 relief appearances with the Rockies to finish the season, going 3–1 with one save and a 1.78 ERA. His $5 million club option was declined at the end of the season, making him a free agent. Betancourt qualified as a Type A free agent, and was offered arbitration by the Rockies. On December 7, 2009, Betancourt accepted the arbitration offer from the Rockies, returning to the team from free agency. In his first full season in Colorado, he finished 5–1 with one save and a 3.61 ERA in 72 games. Betancourt improved on those numbers in 2011, going 2–0 with eight saves and a 2.89 ERA in 68 relief appearances. After numerous seasons being a set up man, Betancourt was named the Rockies' closer prior to the 2012 season. On January 25, he signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract extension with the Rockies that included an option for 2014. Betancourt saved 31 games as closer, and posted a 1–4 record with a 2.81 ERA in 60 relief appearances. Betancourt made 32 relief appearances in 2013, going 2–5 with 16 saves and a 4.08 ERA. On August 22, he suffered a season-ending injury to his right elbow. Eight days later, it was announced that Betancourt would undergo

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...

to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Despite concerns that the injury may end his career, manager Walt Weiss stated that Betancourt would continue pitching. On October 29, the Rockies declined his option for 2014, making him a free agent. On April 25, 2014, Betancourt signed a new minor league deal with the Rockies. He spent the season rehabbing from surgery and did not make an appearance in the majors. On January 30, 2015, Betancourt signed a minor league contract to remain with the Rockies. He made his return to the Rockies' bullpen on April 6, tossing a scoreless inning while striking out two in Colorado's 10–0 win over the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

. On August 23, Betancourt was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...

. At the time, he was 2–4 with one save a 6.18 ERA in 45 relief appearances. Betancourt was released by the Rockies on August 27. Betancourt announced his retirement from baseball on February 26, 2016.

Pitching style

Betancourt's best pitches were a 90–94 MPH

four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch (baseball), pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the fastest ball thrown by a pitcher. It is s ...

, and a slider which was often mistakenly called a

slurve The slurve is a baseball pitch in which the pitcher throws a curve ball as if it were a Slider (pitch), slider.

. He also threw a changeup. Although he was not classified as a

strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

pitcher, Betancourt got more than his share by throwing a significant number of strikes. He was a converted

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball positions, baseball or softball fielding position between second base, second and third base, which is considered to be among the Defensive spectrum, most demanding defensive positions. Historically, the ...

with a metal plate and six screws in his pitching elbow. Betancourt was known in some circles for his odd windup. He constantly tapped his foot on the rubber before coming set with a runner on base. He would constantly move his hands around and then tug on his baseball cap (sometimes doing it nine times) prior to throwing the next pitch. This was among the longest windups in the league. There is a rule to avoid unnecessary delays which states that if a pitcher takes at least 12 seconds to deliver a pitch, the pitch is automatically ruled a ball. Betancourt was one of the few pitchers who have had this rule enforced while pitching.

References

External links

Weak-hitting shortstop found new life in bullpen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Betancourt, Rafael 1975 births Living people Akron Aeros players Bettencourt family Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Cleveland Indians players Colorado Rockies players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Columbus Clippers players Grand Junction Rockies players Gulf Coast Red Sox players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from Venezuela Major League Baseball players suspended for drug offenses Michigan Battle Cats players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Cumaná Sarasota Red Sox players Trenton Thunder players Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Japan Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States Venezuelan sportspeople in doping cases World Baseball Classic players of Venezuela Yokohama BayStars players 2006 World Baseball Classic players