Betancourt serves up roundtripper: Colorado closer Rafael Betancourt didn't have a great day on the mound for the Rockies on Thursday. He recorded one strikeout and gave up two hits to the Diamondbacks in the ninth inning. He gave up a two-run homer to Justin Upton, which gave Arizona the 9-7 win. Betancourt was hit for his first loss of the year. (Updated 05/17/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/25/12).
Fantasy Analysis
Betancourt is 1-1 on the year for the Rockies and has closed out seven games. The Rockies haven't given him many opportunities to record a save, which hurts his Fantasy value. Despite his lack of chances so far this season, Fantasy owners should still view Betancourt as a viable relief pitching option moving forward. (Updated 05/17/2012).
05/17/2012 19:58 D-Backs win on Upton's blast in ninth
Justin Upton hit a two-out, two-run homer off closer Rafael Betancourt in the ninth inning to help the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 9-7 on Thursday in a game that was briefly delayed by a swarm of bees.
05/09/2012 12:27 Dear Mr. Fantasy: New world order for closers
The relief pitching landscape sure has changed on a dime since opening day. Who are the right replacements to target? Our Scott White re-ranks his top closer options and answers your questions in Dear Mr. Fantasy.
For a long time, Rafael Betancourt looked like a typical "closer in waiting," posting excellent numbers as a set-up man while waiting his turn for an opportunity to pitch in the ninth inning. After nine years in the majors, even though Betancourt continued to put up impressive peripheral stats, it looked like his opportunity to close had passed him by. It took a tricep injury to incumbent closer Huston Street for Rockies manager Jim Tracy to give Betancourt a chance to be his closer last August. Even when Street returned later in the year, Betancourt kept the job, and this year, he will head into spring training as a closer for the first time. He can help Fantasy owners with strikeouts and WHIP, though his tendency to allow homers makes him a mild ERA liability. That one weakness isn't enough to make Betancourt worth ignoring in standard mixed leagues, but he should be drafted as a No. 2 relief pitcher in those formats. (Updated 2/21/12)