Rockies Extend Rafael Betancourt Through 2012

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jan 30, 2011 1:25 PM MST in Transactions & Rumors

The Colorado Rockies were the proud owners of one of the elite set-up men in Major League Baseball in 2010, as Rafael Betancourt earned every bit of the two year $7.55million contract he signed last January. The problem came as Betancourt was only signed through the end of the upcoming season, an issue the Rockies rectified today.

According to Enrique Rojas of ESPN, Colorado has extended Betancourt by adding on $4million commitment to 2012. The 35-year-old right-hander also has a mutual option as part of the extension, allowing him to return in 2013 for $4.25million if both sides exercise the option. Should the Rockies elect not to pick up the 2013 option, the buyout earns Betancourt $250k.

The extension does not affect Betancourt's 2011 salary nor the organization's 2011 payroll.

As Andrew Martin wrote last month:

His strikeouts (12.9 K/9) and walks (1.2 BB/9) were downright elite (in 2010) - like ALL-TIME elite (his 11.3 K/BB ranks 5th all-time behind Dennis Eckersley - twice - Mariano Rivera, and Edward Mujica).

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2010 - Rafael Betancourt	5-1	72	0	0	0	1	4	62.1	52	25	25	9	8	89	3.61	.96

With this deal in place, Rafael Betancourt and Huston Street are both under contract through at least 2012 with the Colorado Rockies.

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Comments

I like the move

but I want to see how 2011 plays out before I take an official stance on it. If he keeps up his 2010 performance, or comes close it, this is great. It also depends on how Tracy uses him this year.

You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the goddamn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all. ~Earl Weaver
Baseball fans love numbers. They love to swirl them around their mouths like Bordeaux wine. ~Pat Conroy
JFK

by jrockies on Jan 30, 2011 1:33 PM MST reply actions

Well that's the risk and the whole game with reliever contracts

The Rockies obviously can’t just wait until the end of 2011 to decide whether to sign him to a 1 year $4mil deal.

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jan 30, 2011 1:49 PM MST up reply actions

I like the terms of the deal

and Betancourt was great last year. I think it will be a steal for the Rockies but only time will tell, like any contract.

by jrockies on Jan 30, 2011 2:04 PM MST up reply actions

oops, I deleted my post since you beat me.

I just want to reiterate that this is closer to what the Dodgers are paying for Matt Guerrier (0.6 WAR, 4.53 x-FIP) than it is what comparable pitchers to Betancourt (Joaquin Benoit, etc..,) are getting on the FA market. It’s a very good deal for the Rockies.

by Rox Girl on Jan 30, 2011 1:52 PM MST reply actions

also that Betancourt had the second lowest x-FIP in the majors last year to Stephen Strasburg

among pitchers over 60 IP.

by Rox Girl on Jan 30, 2011 1:53 PM MST up reply actions

Great point

I didn’t stress that enough in the lead.

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jan 30, 2011 3:12 PM MST up reply actions

Really, the only risk here is the same risk in any pitcher's contract, which is health

Raffy’s been around long enough, and consistent enough, that the team knows what kind of pitcher he is. Health-pending, this is a great deal for the Rockies.

Is it ApRil yet?

Any number above zero is way too many days before Pitchers and Catchers Reports

by Mondogarage on Jan 30, 2011 3:14 PM MST up reply actions

I like this a lot more than the Lindstrom deal

Lindstrom may be younger, but Bets has established consistency. The only thing we need to be worried about is injury.

by mkorpal on Jan 30, 2011 2:13 PM MST reply actions

Well if there was any doubt this team is going for it the next 2 years..

You have gotten your answer this off season.

by Roxfan24 on Jan 30, 2011 2:47 PM MST reply actions

Yup, now it's essentially entirely up to the players (and to a lesser extent, the coaches)

Seriously, I don’t see how anyone can reasonably ask more of the front office. Time for the boys on the field to step up.

Is it ApRil yet?

Any number above zero is way too many days before Pitchers and Catchers Reports

by Mondogarage on Jan 30, 2011 2:52 PM MST up reply actions

good move

human rain delay for 2 more years…hope that K/BB ratio is close to what it was this past season…solid 8th inning guy love it

LETS GO RED WINGS!

2011 will be the year....better be....

Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."

by TuLoRocks2008 on Jan 30, 2011 2:57 PM MST reply actions

he could post a K/BB half of what it was in 2010 and I'd be stoked

for the sake of K/BB anyhow.

Learn about Batting Metrics
Learn about Pitching Metrics

by Andrew Martin on Jan 30, 2011 9:24 PM MST up reply actions

He's been excellent in that department for several years now

In fact, as good as just about any reliever in the game.

60 more days until the Rockies Home Opener!!!!!!!

by RhodeIslandRoxfan on Jan 31, 2011 9:03 AM MST up reply actions

Pitchers are now getting underpaid relative to hitters on the FA market

And this is a perfect example. Betancourt, who projects as one of the top 30 relievers in the game, is making the same as Ty Wigginton, who projects right at replacement level. Incredible.

by Heltonfan on Jan 30, 2011 9:46 PM MST reply actions

I'm starting to think this way

While relievers don’t have as high of a ceiling in value as a hitter, a 1.5 WAR reliever (23 in 2010) is much harder to replace than a 1.5 WAR infielder. Would the Rockies trade Betancourt for Jerry Hairston Jr? Of course not.

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jan 30, 2011 10:18 PM MST up reply actions

Well said.

I'm GoRockies!! everybody :P

by CentralCaliRox on Jan 30, 2011 11:11 PM MST up reply actions

Keep in mind

That Bets could have got a 3 year, 20 million deal on the market.

by mkorpal on Jan 30, 2011 11:37 PM MST up reply actions

to wit: if the Rockies pick up his option in 2013

The Dodgers will be paying just $25k less for Matt Guerrier over the same three year span than the Rockies for Betancourt.

Then consider Betancourt is significantly better, has a buyout after 2012, and there is no deferred salary past 2013, and its pretty obvious this is the way to go

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jan 31, 2011 11:27 AM MST via mobile up reply actions

Right

The proper way to model this, I think, is to generate a “perfect world” playing time projection based on the player’s projected WAR/full season. A hitter projecting at 1.5 WAR per season is a guy who you really don’t want to be giving more than 300 PA to… so he should be paid like a .75 WAR player. But a reliever projecting at 1.5 WAR is a guy who you want to ride for all he’s worth, so he’ll get paid for the whole 1.5.

by Heltonfan on Jan 30, 2011 10:37 PM MST reply actions

RafBet has always made me nervous.

And it’s just because his fastball, though fast, is quite flat. The HR scares the bajeebers out of me, and he’s been known to give up his fair share (1.3 HR/9 with a full year in Colorado). I think the extension was totally necessary as he was elite last year and the price tag was relatively low to extend. Anything close to that K/9 BB/9 from 2010 and I’m more than happy.

I'm GoRockies!! everybody :P

by CentralCaliRox on Jan 30, 2011 11:15 PM MST reply actions

Really?

I fell in love with this guy in 2007 as he truely was the one gem in the Indians BP. A great team with a horrible pen but this one guy kept shining on and that was Betancourt.

Had Cleveland had even one more guy like him in 2007 the WS would have been between the Rockies and the Indians.

Wyoming baseball --- GO GHOSTS!

by Kris Hansen on Jan 31, 2011 1:25 AM MST up reply actions

I share CCR's worry sometimes

and I too fell in love with Raffy in 2007. He just throws his fastball in the strike zone on virtually every pitch. There’s no deception and not a lot of movement. It’s fantastic to have a reliever that will throw strikes and get the ball past hitters. There are just times where I shake my head and wonder how a fairly straight 92mph fastball consistently in the zone doesn’t get hit more often. Should he lose a bit of velocity in the next two years, he could be pretty hittable. But it’s hard to argue with the results.

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jan 31, 2011 7:16 AM MST up reply actions

Apart from the fact that relievers are fungible and unpredictable, and he's getting older, and coming off a career year?

It's my blog!

by biondino on Jan 31, 2011 7:29 AM MST up reply actions

what exactly are you taking issue with?

You don’t want a 4mil risk for Betancourt for one year?

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jan 31, 2011 7:39 AM MST via mobile up reply actions

"It's hard to argue with the results"

Isn’t that what we do all the time – demonstrate that over a short period a player’s stats can be much better (or worse) than might be expected? I am very happy with Raffy, and this deal is fine (he’s a bit old which worries me) but does anyone think there’s even a hope he’ll match last years results?

It's my blog!

by biondino on Jan 31, 2011 7:48 AM MST up reply actions

okay, that's what I thought

But that phrase you’re responding to isn’t just his 2010 season. He’s 35 and has made a living firing low 90s fastballs. Those are the results I can’t argue with. His whole successful career.

And no, nobody thinks he will post an 11+ K/BB next year. But he doesn’t have to. I think he’s earning about what Manuel Corpas is this year and about half of Huston Street. Even regression gets his deal paid for. The risk is greater in not making this deal. If you want to get on a soapbox about fungible relievers, career years and multiyear deals, Corpas and Street are solid targets. betancourt not so much.

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jan 31, 2011 8:07 AM MST via mobile up reply actions

Nope, no soapbox required :)

It's my blog!

by biondino on Jan 31, 2011 11:13 AM MST up reply actions

The HR rate is a valid concern

But I think Betancourt gets touched up for the big HR on occasion for the same reason that he’s so effective the rest of the time: Because he just flat refuses to nibble or ever back down from a hitter. With that being the case, I can live with him getting taken deep from time to time. Every bullpen needs a tough SOB who pitches as if his whole life depends on the next pitch being a well-located strike. He’s ours.

by Rockpile Interloper on Jan 31, 2011 11:37 AM MST up reply actions

This is a great move

Betancourt has been nothing but consistently good in his career. Always nice to have that one guy in the BP you can count on to just throw strikes and get it done as a reliever. What a great off season for the Rockies, can’t wait for spring training!

Ubaldo "Iron Arm" Jimenez
Seth Smith’s beard looks on in anticipation.
Zomtober!!!

by Colsportsfan on Jan 31, 2011 4:30 PM MST reply actions