The Betancourt Thread

[splitterpfj]

OK, in the Greinke trade thread, there's plenty of "Betancourt Bashing" going on...so I'm giving the Brewers' new shortstop his own thread.

 

Why do you, or do you not, want Betancourt to start at shortstop for the 2011 Brewers?

 

Please keep in mind, there is already a thread for possible replacements in the Transactions/Rumors Forum...this thread is not the place to say, "Go Get Cabrera", this is the place to discuss the merits of Betancourt.

[greeg35]

has there ever been a trade involving a PTBGB (player to be given back)?

The numbers, scouting reports, first hand accounts, anecdotes, etc...speak for themselves. There really is no defense for this guy (no pun intended). I would prefer a Cruz/Counsell platoon if given those two choices. As it is, I sign a veteran such as Renteria who is looking for a starting job.

[bigredrobbo]

The merits of Betancourt? We got Megan Fox!!

[logan82]

He is a terrible defender and a terrible hitter. Gomez is a better hitter. Maybe he is a nice guy. I really don't like Luis Cruz and I didn't want to see him playing SS for us but now I do.

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

He might made a decent pinch hitter (if we need a jack), but six seasons, four of the six below .300 OBP, and a lifetime best OBP of .310

He also has negative value as a defensive player. That is unacceptable

[trwi7]

He's fat, lazy and awful at baseball.

[bigredrobbo]

He's fat, lazy and awful at baseball.

But, on the plus side, has a beautiful singing voice!

[Invader3K]

The positive is that the Brewers only have him for one season before the Royals basically pay for his contract buyout.

 

I hope Cruz gets a shot in spring training.

[sbrylski]

His glove alone negates around 20% of the value Greinke adds. He must not see the field.

 

If Betancourt were to hit .300 OBP / .400 SLG, Cruz would only need to hit about .250 / .300 to break even.

[owbc]

Now that our pitching problems are solved, it is clear beyond doubt that fielding is the Brewers' biggest area of concern. Therefore, Betancourt needs to go. Does he have any minor league options left? We could start him in Nashville and bring him up if and only if someone gets hurt.

 

I would also be fine with releasing him tomorrow, giving him back to the Royals for a bag of baseballs, or any scenario that prevents him from ever wearing a Brewers uniform.

[Beast Light]

The Greinke trade means we are going for it ...so lets GO for it.

 

Not sure if its just me, but it seems as if the Brewers historically have a lot of low OBP guys in their lineup. If they are going to maximize the talent of Weeks, Braun, Hart and Fielder, this needs to change. So my vote is to make replacing Betancourt a high priority.

[Crew2323]

Apparently Betancourt will be the starting SS, from TH:

 

 

Melvin said Yuniesky Betancourt, who came with Greinke in the trade,

will be the starting shortstop and likes his offense and says his

defense is underrated.

"I think he's an exciting player who is still young," said

Melvin. "He led their club in RBI. I think he will do OK in the field."

 

[PeaveyFury]

I would also be fine with releasing him tomorrow, giving him back to the Royals for a bag of baseballs, or any scenario that prevents him from ever wearing a Brewers uniform.

 

I think this is harsh.... we're already picking up the tab on him for 2010, so I have no problem with bringing him in to spring camp and seeing if there's something fixable about his footwork or whatever that the team feels he can straighten out. I don't exactly have confidence that a team like the Royals that does pretty much everything terribly didn't miss or fail to correct something that our staff might.

 

The major concern is making sure that there's at least an alternate option that doesn't involve a 41 year old being forced to play everyday.

[joepepsi]

He kinda hits lefties OK. .283/.319/.436. Can Counsell hold up for 100+ games at ss?

[owbc]

That was a bit of hyperbole, but I really think that starting Betancourt is unacceptable. The defense really needs to improve or the Brewers will not maximize the potential of their rotation. Teams with bad defense rarely make the playoffs. Maybe RR will stress the fundamentals in spring training and try to coach Betancourt, but the option needs to be available to dump him if he doesn't show any improvement.

[PeaveyFury]

That was a bit of hyperbole, but I really think that starting Betancourt is unacceptable

 

Don't get me wrong, I completely agree that if things remain the same this year as they were last year, it's absolutely unacceptable. But you're not the first person to suggest cutting ties with him already or 'sending him back to the Royals,' seriously or not. I don't see the point of that- at least see what he's got in the spring.

the option needs to be available to dump him if he doesn't show any improvement.

 

I agree completely.

[TooLiveBrew]

"He led their club in RBI. I think he will do OK in the field."

 

http://i.min.us/idzS5k.gif

 

 

Doug, come on. Please have some more magic up your sleeve.

[Harold Hutchison]

Betancourt is an improvement over Escobar - .692 OPS vs. .614 from Escobar.

[danzig6767]

Apparently Betancourt will be the starting SS, from TH:

 

 

Melvin said Yuniesky Betancourt, who came with Greinke in the trade,

will be the starting shortstop and likes his offense and says his

defense is underrated.

"I think he's an exciting player who is still young," said

Melvin. "He led their club in RBI. I think he will do OK in the field."

 

I was wanting to believe that Melvin was forced to take Betancourt in this trade, but now i'm starting to wonder if Doug asked for Betancourt to be included.

[TooLiveBrew]

Betancourt's terrible defense more than negates that offensive edge, though.

[Funketown]

Betancourt is an improvement over Escobar - .692 OPS vs. .614 from Escobar.

Betancourt is also one of the worst defensive SS's in a long time. Oh, and he gets on base less often than Escobar.

[kramnoj]

Betancourt's offense has been around replacement level for the past few years. He probably projects to be around replacement level in 2011. So he's not good, and he will likely be overpaid, but he is a better option than what the Brewers had available to them.

 

And if I look at Betancourt, I can find reasons to be optimistic about him. His worst years have been when he is on bad teams and when he has a guaranteed contract. He has a financial incentive to return to the player that was closer to being major league average, and his job is going to be more fun to come to now that he will be on a better team. I have no expectations of him being good, but if he can be more like a -5 fielder and the 700 OPS player he was with the Mariners, he could be a useful player.

[liveforoctober]

Apparently Betancourt will be the starting SS, from TH:

 

 

Melvin said Yuniesky Betancourt, who came with Greinke in the trade,

will be the starting shortstop and likes his offense and says his

defense is underrated.

"I think he's an exciting player who is still young," said

Melvin. "He led their club in RBI. I think he will do OK in the field."

 

I was wanting to believe that Melvin was forced to take Betancourt in this trade, but now i'm starting to wonder if Doug asked for Betancourt to be included.

I don't put much stock in this at all. If TH asked Doug about YB ... Melvin wasn't going to come out and say "We are obviously looking to upgrade at shortstop now" ... I would bet a lot of money that a move will be made beyond Counsell at SS.

[endaround]

If Betancourt was actually young or showed any hope, maybe. But neither is true.

[kramnoj]

It's just silly to say that there is no hope. Betancourt has had one bad year. Otherwise he has been above replacement or near the caliber of a league average starter.

 

How many people here were sure that Bill Hall was finished as a major league player? He came back and had a decent 2010. Players aren't random number generators. Sometimes their play is affected by their environment. Sometimes a change in conditions can lead to a change in performance.