SS Rikimbilli Betancourt

[Cubano100%]

SS Yuniesky Betancourt seemed to be doing well in his second year after spending a few months in the majors last season.

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=435358

He is second in average, fourth in doubles and fifth in SLG. He is also providing a steady defense.

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?teamPosCode=sea&statType=1&noHighlight=true&timeFrame=1&c_id=sea&statSet1=1&section1=1&subScope=teamCode&timeSubFrame=2006&&sortByStat=2B

What do you guys think about the kid from Villa Clara, Cuba?

This are his stats in Cuba while playing for Villa Clara Orange Growers.

Series AB H AVE 2B 3B HR SLG RBI BB K IW Fielding AVE

4 1187 333 281 60 23 26 436 148 62 123 2 973



Rikimbilli was his nickname in Cuba.

[papa~smurf]

He started at Second Base, and watching him, I knew he had the stuff defensivly. Better than Boone by far. But coming in to this season, I personally didn't expect him to be that great offensivly. I was expecting some speed (10-20 SB) , little power (4-5 HR), and a not so amazing averege (around .250), with some doubles and triples. He has far exceeded my expectations for him this season offensivly, and in my opinion, he and Lopez (another great offensive surprise) are really the keys to this teams success. Not only offensivly providing runs, but defensivly I would say they are THE best defensive middle infield. Betancourt has the best glove at shortstop, and Lopez could definetly make a running at second too. The way these guys work together, you can tell they are friends, and when they turn the DP, they make it look like childs play.

[Cubano100%]

In order for him to win a gold glove, he has to make at least 3 fewer errors than Jeter. Last year, Orlando Cabrera had the highest fielding percentage among AL SS and did not win the gold glove.


Betancourt was a second baseman for Villa Clara because this team has SS Eduardo Paret. Paret is the regular SS for team Cuba.

[SABR Matt]

Anyone who is "surprised" by Jose Lopez clearly wasn't paying attention to his minor league statistics.

I am also not surprised about Betancourt.

BA is a simple function of your strikeouts, your HRs, and your speed. We know Betancourt is fast, we know he doesn't homer much (a negative that lowers BA) but we also know he rarely strikes out (a positive, because every time you put the ball in play you have roughly a 30% chance of it going for a hit if you're at all a decent major league hitter). It is also effected by things like Line-Drive percentage, groundball/flyball ratio and park, but I had no doubt in my mind that Betancourt would hit .270+ every year in his prime/

[Rennie Stennett]

Anyone who is "surprised" by Jose Lopez clearly wasn't paying attention to his minor league statistics.

I am also not surprised about Betancourt.

BA is a simple function of your strikeouts, your HRs, and your speed. We know Betancourt is fast, we know he doesn't homer much (a negative that lowers BA) but we also know he rarely strikes out (a positive, because every time you put the ball in play you have roughly a 30% chance of it going for a hit if you're at all a decent major league hitter). It is also effected by things like Line-Drive percentage, groundball/flyball ratio and park, but I had no doubt in my mind that Betancourt would hit .270+ every year in his prime/

There was this thread about top ten second baseman a few weeks ago, but not a sentence about Jose Lopez. I injected his numbers but not a reply. Nobody has ever heard of him.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=44683

What is BA ? is that Batting Average ?

[Cubano100%]

They both play in the West coast and in the far north.

[SABR Matt]

There was this thread about top ten second baseman a few weeks ago, but not a sentence about Jose Lopez. I injected his numbers but not a reply. Nobody has ever heard of him.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=44683

What is BA ? is that Batting Average ?

Everyone will know Yuni Betanourt and Jose Lopez very very soon.

[Cubano100%]

What a shot from Betancourt to tie the game in ninth!

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060716&content_id=1559524&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea

[leecemark]

--Yuni should be our starting SS and a good one for a long time. That would be true even he he only hit .250 (his glove is sooo sweet), but he looks like a much better hitter than that.
--Lopez is having a very nice season and also looks like a long term cog for the Mariners. He has struggled in the 3 hole though. Its way past time to slide him down in the order. He and Beltre combine for way too many outs at the top of the order (I'd be reluctant to move Adrian though since he seems comfortable for the first time since we signed him).

[Cubano100%]

Notes: Betancourt goes homer happy
Light-hitting shortstop finds homers coming in bunches

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060718&content_id=1562892&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea

[SABR Matt]

It's a misnomer to claim that Betancourt is a "light hitter"...his doubles and triples power will keep the SLG% up in his prime (which he has not reach yet) and he has the ability to hit 20 HRs one of these days as well. His power will improve just as Ozzie Smith's power did...he's that kind of hitter (albeit a little less patient)

[leecemark]

--He would have to regress to develop Ozzie Smith power. Ozzie's career high in HR was 3 (28 total) and he never slugged .400 for a season.

[Cubano100%]

This guy is 4th in ave among American League SS. This is very impressive for a second year player.

[SABR Matt]

he's proving how easy it is to hit .300 if you never strike out.

Nothing wrong with that when it comes attached to a glove like his.

[Cubano100%]

I saw Betancourt batting third yesterday.

What is going on in Seattle?