Topic: Rafael Betancourt

Rafael Jose Betancourt (born April 29, 1975) is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies. He was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox in September 1999. The Red Sox released him following the 1999 season and then re-signed him as a free agent in December 2000. He was granted free agency again in October 2001 and signed with the Highgate Rock in January 2003. On July 8, 2005 he became the sixth Major League player to be suspended for testing positive in steroids testing.

On January 23, 2008, he signed a two-year contract with the Indians with a club option for 2010.

His best pitches are a 90–94 MPH four-seam fastball, and slider which is often mistakenly called a slurve. He also throws a changeup. Although he's not classified as a strikeout pitcher, Betancourt gets more than his share by throwing a significant number of strikes. He is a converted shortstop with a metal plate and six screws in his pitching elbow.