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| Rafael Betancourt and the Rockies have agreed on a two-year extension that will pay the reliever $3.775 million per season, according to FOX Sports' Tracy Ringolsby. |
Our View: Betancourt was already in the fold after accepting the team's arbitration offer, but he has ultimately agreed to a two-year deal. He will help set up Huston Street, who also agreed to an extension.
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| Rafael Betancourt has accepted arbitration, and will return to the Rockies in 2010, according to the Denver Post. |
Our View: Betancourt posted a 1.78 ERA in 25.1 innings for the Rockies last season, and is likely to be their top setup man in 2010.
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| Rafael Betancourt is expected to accept Colorado's offer of arbitration, according to Fox Sports. |
Our View: Betancourt has until midnight on Monday to officially accept the offer, and it looks like he will indeed do so and be back with the Rockies. Expect him to be used in a similar middle relief role.
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| The Rockies will meet with reliever Rafael Betancourt's representatives next Monday to discuss his future with the team, according to the Denver Post. |
Our View: If he accepts their arbitration offer, he stands to make around $5 million next season. If not, the team is apparently still amendable to negotiating. The Phillies and Red Sox are believed to be interested in his services, though his status as Type A free agent will hurt his value on the open market, since the number of teams willing to surrender two draft picks for a 34-year-old, non-closing reliever figures to be small.
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| The Rockies have declined their $5 million, 2010 option on reliever Rafael Betancourt, according to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse. |
Our View: However, they have a strong interest in keeping him. A new deal could be worked out in the next few days.
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| Aftet throwing a successful bullpen session on Wednesday, Rafael Betancourt (calf) is expected to be available out of the Rockies bullpen, according to the Denver Post. |
Our View: Betancourt has a 1.77 ERA in 20.1 innings for the Rockies this season.
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| Franklin Morales will close games for the Rockies while Huston Street is out with biceps tendinitis, according to the Denver Post. |
Our View: Some thought Rafael Betancourt would be in the mix, but alas, the Rox appear content to go with Morales alone.
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| According to Ed Price at AOL Fanhouse, the Rockies have acquired reliever Rafael Betancourt from the Indians for pitching prospect Connor Graham. |
Our View: The addition of Betancourt will surely help the Rockies address their most glaring need. Colorado's bullpen is riddled with injuries and Betancourt and his 3.52 ERA and 32 Ks in 30.2 innings should help remedy that.
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| Chris Ruddick of The Sports Network is reporting on his Twitter page that the Indians have activated Rafael Betancourt off the 15-day DL. In a corresponding move, the team has optioned pitcher Jeremy Sowers to Triple-A Columbus. |
Our View: Betancourt has progressed nicely during his rehab stint, and he looks to be 100 percent ready to go. He doesn't hold much fantasy value, but the Indians are desperate for a reliever who can get outs, so he should get plenty of opportunity as long as he performs.
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| According to MLB.com, the Indians are preparing to activate reliever Rafael Betancourt before Thursday's series finale with the White Sox. |
Our View: Betancourt was 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA and one save before landing on the DL. He wont hold any fantasy value upon his return outside of leagues that feature middle relievers.
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| Rafael Betancourt is slated to make his third rehab outing with Triple-A Columbus tonight, according to MLBblogs.com. He has been recovering from a strained right groin. |
Our View: That could be his last rehab appearance, and Indians' skipper Eric Wedge mentioned that Betancourt could return by the end of the week. He holds a 3.71 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 26.2 innings, and his fantasy value is limited to deeper leagues that employ middle relievers.
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| Rafael Betancourt threw 35 pitches over two innings during a simulated game Wednesday, according to MLBblogs.com. He is recovering from a strained right groin. |
Our View: He feels good and pain-free right now. He could start a minor league rehab assignment by the end of the week. His fantasy value will be limited as a middle reliever upon his return to Cleveland.
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| According to MLB.com, Indians' reliever Rafael Betancourt threw his second bullpen session on Thursday and reported no problems. Manager Eric Wedge said that he hopes to have Betancourt back by the middle of July. |
Our View: It sounds like Betancourt's recovery is going well, so the middle of July seems like a pretty accurate time frame assuming there are no setbacks. Betancourt has good stuff, as he has managed 29 strikeouts in just 26.2 innings pitched this season, but he is inconsistent at best. His fantasy value is not very high outside of leagues that count holds.
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| Rafael Betancourt is expected to miss four to six weeks to recover from a mild groin strain, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. |
Our View: Betancourt is a hard pitcher to project as he is anything but consistent. He has not been very good this season as he has allowed eight runs in 14 innings. The injury further hurts a struggling Indians pitching staff.
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| Updating a previous report, the Cleveland Indians have placed Rafael Betancourt on the 15-day DL with a strained right groin muscle, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The team recalled Tony Sipp in a corresponding move. |
Our View: Betancourt left Sunday's game after only three pitches, and now we know why. Betancourt had been on a bit of a roll, allowing only one run in his last 10.1 innings while striking out ten.
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| The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that Indians' reliever Rafael Betancourt exited Sunday's game after three pitches with an undisclosed injury. |
Our View: It is unclear at this time what the injury is, but Betancourt only lasted three pitches before he had to be removed. We will keep you updated on his condition as the news breaks.
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| Reliever Rafael Betancourt won't play for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports. He would prefer to ease into spring training after not throwing this winter. Betancourt also suffered a lat injury early in 2006 after playing in the previous WBC. |
Our View: We're sure the Venezuela club will be crushed. How can they ever manage to replace a middle reliever who posted a 5.07 ERA last year?
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| Rafael Betancourt continues to struggle to find the form that made him one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, but the team is still hopeful that he will rebound down the stretch, according to MLB.com. "You look at the depth of his breaking ball and the arm action on his changeup, and it's better," manager Eric Wedge said. "Where he struggles is in regard to how to use it." |
Our View: Betancourt could still figure into the mix for saves if things were to suddenly click for him cause the team doesn't appear to have much confidence in Masa Kobayashi in the role, though Betancourt has shown little sign of returning to last year's dominance.
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| Rafael Betancourt has been a huge disappointment for the Indians in the first half as he has failed to remotely approach his production of last season, according to The Plain Dealer. |
Our View: Betancourt has failed to live up to expectations including allowing right handers to bat .315 leading to a 6.00 ERA, while permitting seven of 14 inherited runners to score. The "stuff" is still there for an extended run of success, but there has been little consistency to speak of this season.
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| Updating a previous report, Rafael Betancourt has indeed been removed from the closers role in Cleveland and the spot will now be filled by four pitchers, according to the Associated Press. “I look at it like we have four guys I feel comfortable using in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, depending on the matchup and availability,” manager Eric Wedge said. “That’s how I’m goring to play it out. I’m not going to say somebody is or somebody isn’t (a closer). I feel we can be comfortable using all four of those guys.” |
Our View: The four pitchers are Jensen Lewis, Rafael Perez, Masa Kobayashi and Bentacourt, and it sure looks like Kobayashi is the top option with Betancourt most likely to slide back into his setup role since most managers like to keep their top lefty (Perez) for tough matchups.
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| Rafael Betancourt, who has struggled for most of the past two weeks, may have lost his hold on the closing job in Cleveland to Masa Kobayashi, according to MLB.com. "I've got to reflect upon everything and go from there," manager Eric Wedge said when asked about the fate of Bentancourt. "I haven't had time to think about it just yet." |
Our View: What is clear in all of this is that Kobayashi appears to be a must pick up in deep mixed leagues as the potential for him to pick up saves moving forward appears to be very real given that he has two in his last two appearances.
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| Rafael Betancourt just isn't getting it done right now, he has allowed runs in five of his last seven appearances after allowing another run on Thursday. |
Our View: Masa Kobayashi picked up his second save in as many appearances on Thursday for the Tribe and is certainly is worth a pickup in AL Only leagues, and he may have worked his way into mixed league consideration as well. As for Betancourt, keep an eye on his role, it might be changing.
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| Matt Stairs singled to open the Toronto 10th and took second on an infield single by Lyle Overbay on a ball that glanced off Rafael Betancourt's left elbow and ricocheted into foul ground.
Betancourt was examined by trainers and stayed in the game to face Gregg Zahn, who bunted over both runners. Pinch-hitter Brad Wilkerson was intentionally walked to load the bases for Stewart, whose flyball to center easily scored Stairs. Hill's single to center made it 3-0. |
Our View: Betancourt, who failed last year as the Indians interim closer has done the same this year. Once injured Joe Borowski returns from the disabled list, Betancourt is expected to return to his eighth inning setup role.
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| Rafael Betancourt (5.93 ERA) got three quick outs in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees for his third save of the season. |
Our View: Betancourt has had his issues when trying to secure the ball in the ninth inning, this year and last. Once Joe Borowski returns from the disabled list Betancourt is expected to return to his setup role.
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| Rafael Betancourt worked a perfect ninth for his second save in as many nights. The right-hander added a strikeout to raise his April total to 12. |
Our View: Betancourt is filling in for the injured Joe Borowski, last year's saves leader, but may not lose the role even when Borowski returns. Most believe it's time to pass the baton to the younger reliever.
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| The Rafael Betancourt era began on Thursday as he picked up his first save since Joe Borowski was placed on the DL. |
Our View: Betancourt should not only do a better job than Borowski, he could actually be a tremendous performer if the club decides to stick with him even when Borowski is good and healthy.
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| According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Rafael Betancourt will replace Borowski at closer. The report noted that the right-hander wasn't available Tuesday night against Boston after pitching two days in a row. |
Our View: Wedge said he'd use Jensen Lewis or Rafael Perez if he needed a closer. It will come as no surprise if Betancourt finishes out the season as the Indians' ninth inning option.
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| Rafael Betancourt will likely get the first chance to be the Indians' acting closer while Joe Borowski is on the DL, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. If the team decides to experiment with a "closer by committee", then Rafael Perez, Jensen Lewis, Masa Kobayashi and Jorge Julio would all get a shot.
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Our View: Betancourt racked up seven strikeouts over seven innings this season, and his fantasy stock will rise if he ultimately gets annointed as the Indians' closer.
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| Rafael Betancourt avoided arbitration with Cleveland by signing a two-year deal on Wednesday, according to the AP. The deal includes an option for a third year. Betancourt was one of the best setup men in the game last year, holding a 1.47 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in 68 games, and he could see ninth-inning work if the Tribe ever decide to remove Joe Borowski from the closer role. |
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| The Indians avoided arbitration with Rafael Betancourt by signing him to a one-year deal Tuesday, according to SportsTicker. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. He held a 3.81 ERA in 50 games for the Tribe last year. |
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