2012 Media Guide - MLB.com - Colorado Rockies

BETANCOURT CONTINUED
abled list from 4/20-5/16 with a strained lat muscle in his right side, suffered on 4/19 at BAL…was the third straight season
in which he spent time on the DL…enjoyed new career bests in innings (3.1) and strikeouts (5) on 7/5 vs. NYY…from
8/23 thru the end of the season his ERA was 1.10 in 13 games (16.1 ip, 2 er) and had 10.0 consecutive scoreless innings
from 8/24-9/7… saved 3 straight chances from 8/25-9/28, a new career-high…batters hit .241 (52-for-216) off him with 7
home runs allowed…pitched for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
2005: Was a productive and reliable member of the best bullpen in baseball, starting the year with 9.0 hitless/scoreless
innings as he retired 27 of his first 28 batters faced…did not allow a hit/run until his 5th outing on 4/18 at KC…overall
in April he was 1-0, 0.73 ERA (12.1 ip, 1 er) in 8 games…tossed a career-high 3.0 ip 4/9 at Detroit (retired 9
straight)…was on the 15-day DL from 6/30-7/8 with right shoulder inflammation before being suspended for 10 days from
7/8-18 for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program…was activated from the suspended list on
7/18…his first batter average against of .189 (10-for-53) was the ninth-best mark among AL relievers…his ERA was 20thbest
among AL relievers.
2004: Spent his first full season in the big leagues and was a reliable member of the Tribe’s bullpen, compiling an
ERA of 3.23 (30.2 ip, 11 er) in the second half…spent a short amount of time as the Tribe’s closer in late April/early
May…on the year he saved 4 games in 11 chances (36.4 pct.) as his 7 blown saves were tied for third in the AL behind
Esteban Yan (10) and Jason Grimsley (9)…his 6 relief losses were tied for fifth among AL relievers …was placed on the
DL on 6/26 with right biceps tendonitis and arm fatigue and was activated on 7/11 after a one-game rehab appearance at
Double-A Akron...allowed only one (9.2 ip) run over his last 12 outings (from 9/5)…led the team with 12 holds.
2003: Split season between Double-A Akron, Triple-A Buffalo and in the Majors with Cleveland after joining the organization
in the off-season…was his first ever appearance at the Triple-A and big league levels after spending a year in the
minor leagues in Japan and missing the entire 2002 season due to right elbow surgery…split the first half of the 2003 season
between Akron and Buffalo, recording a 29.1 inning scoreless streak from 4/16 to 6/13 with Akron…promoted to the
big leagues for the first time on 7/12…saved 13 straight games from 5/15 to 6/10 (13.0 ip, 0 er) -- the longest such streak
in the minors since 2002…overall in the minors between Akron and Buffalo he recorded a combined ERA of 1.73 with 17
saves and held hitters to a .201 (39-for-194) average against in 35 outings…made his MLB debut and suffered a toughluck
loss on 7/13 vs. CWS, tossing 1.1 inning…recorded his first MLB win on 7/27 vs. MIN and his first MLB save on 8/10
vs. ANA…led the team with 32 appearances in the second half.
2002: Did not pitch professionally in 2002 as he rehabbed from right elbow surgery the previous July…was not
signed by any club before signing with Cleveland after a tryout prior to the 2003 season.
MINoR LEAgUES 2001: Re-signed by Red Sox prior to 2001 season and spent the season at Double-A Trenton
before being shutdown for the season on 5/17 with right elbow troubles…underwent surgery on his right elbow on 7/23 to
transpose the ulnar nerve as well as having a metal rod placed in his right forearm to stabilize his right elbow and
ulna...2000: Sold to the Yokohama Baystars of Japan’s Central League in November of 1999 and appeared in 11 games
in the Japanese major league before spending the rest of the season in the Japanese minor leagues with Searex...1999:
Best season to date between Single-A Sarasota and Double-A Trenton, striking out a combined 63 batters in 61.2 innings
while recording an ERA of 3.21 in 45 outings…ranked fifth in the Eastern League in saves at Trenton and fourth in walks
per 9.0 innings (1.65) by a reliever...1998: Spent most of the season at Single-A Sarasota of the Florida State
League...1997: First season as a pitcher came at Single-A Michigan of the Midwest League where he recorded 11 saves
and struck out 52 batters in 32.1 ip…his 14.5 SO/9.0 ip was the best mark among Midwest League relievers as were his
runners allowed per 9.0 ip (7.8)...1994-1996: Spent the first three seasons of his professional career as a middle infielder
in the Boston minor league system before being converted to a relief pitcher in 1997 by the Red Sox farm brass.
PoSTSEASoN: Has pitched in a total of three playoff series, including the 2009 NLDS vs. the Phillies while playing
for Colorado and the 2007 ALDS (Yankees) and ALCS (Red Sox) while playing for Cleveland...made relief outings in
Games 2, 3, 4 in 2009, allowing just one run, a solo homer (Werth) in Game 2...pitched 1.0 scoreless inning in Rockies
Game 3 loss, striking out the side (5 batters faced)...in 2007, Betancourt appeared in seven postseason games for the
Indians, logging a 5.40 ERA (10.0 ip, 6 er)...his postseason was highlighted by two scoreless outings in the Division Series
against the NYY.
PERSoNAL: Rafael Jose Betancourt…married to wife Chela…they have two children - a girl, Raniel (2/12/99) – and
a boy, Rafael (1/22/03)…Victor Martinez is the Godfather of his son, Rafael…resides in Cumana, Venezuela.
17 WINS IN 18 gAMES, MLB TEAMS (REgULAR SEASoN)
YEAR TEAM DATES
2009 Rockies June 4-22 (17 of 18)
2006 Dodgers July 28-Aug.15 (17 of 18)
1986 Mets April 18-May 10 (18 of 19)
1979 Expos Aug. 28-Sept. 15 (17 of 18)
1977 Phillies Aug. 3-23 (19 of 20)
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BETANCoURT