Right-hander Chad Bettis was once a top 100 prospect and then a quality member of Colorado’s rotation, but health issues have played a role in stalling his progress over the past few seasons. Bettis underwent surgery for testicular cancer entering 2017, eventually making a courageous return to a major league mound later that year. He went on to log a sizable number of innings with the Rockies from 2018-19, though he missed time last season with a hip impingement and couldn’t match his prior production when he did pitch. Bettis wound up amassing 63 2/3 innings, most of which came as a reliever, and opposing offenses tattooed him for a 6.08 ERA/5.16 FIP.
In the wake of Bettis’ struggles, the Rockies moved on from the 30-year-old a couple months back in lieu of paying him a projected $3.8MM via arbitration. Now a member of an uninspiring free-agent market for starters, Bettis told Jon Morosi of MLB Network Radio on Tuesday that he has taken steps forward as he seeks a return to health. Bettis, who underwent bilateral hip surgery, revealed that he feels the best he has physically since before he beat cancer. At that point, Bettis was coming off a pair of 2.0-fWAR seasons in which he combined for a 4.57 ERA/4.11 FIP with 7.06 K/9, 3.02 BB/9 and a 50.5 percent groundball rate across 301 innings.
As mentioned, Bettis endured a noticeable dip in on-field production more recently, but there were some positive signs during a trying 2019. For instance, he averaged 93 mph on his fastball – his highest mean since 2014 – and induced ground balls at a whopping 60.8 percent clip. Of all pitchers who threw at least 60 frames last season, just four forced grounders at a superior rate.
Even though Bettis did offer reasons for hope last year, odds are that the overall disappointing results he posted from 2018-19 will force him to settle for a minor league contract this winter. Regardless of whether he lands a guaranteed deal, Bettis and his next team will hope he can revisit the form he showed during the respectable couple seasons he enjoyed as a member of the Rockies.
A team like Pittsburgh or KC should take a chance and let him compete for a rotation spot
Agreed. I was just thinking as I read this that he’d be the perfect candidate for KC to sign in hopes of flipping him if he bounces back.
One of my favorite players. He followed me on Instagram a few years back and have closely followed him ever since! If he joins the Royals I would be over the moon.
What does it take to change the essence of a man?
A junkie cheating exwife?
sexy
Ok, Taft.
Nicely done Yak!
I got one!
Now you can trade in your Chevy for a CadillacYakYakYakYakYak
Billy Joel
I’m very proud of you, mo.
And Halos might want to stash him in minors with major league invite.
High ground ball rate and an infield with Rendon, Simba, and Fletcher is a good combo. And it’s not like our rotation is the 90s Braves.
It makes sense from his perspective.
Definetly. Oakland or Arizona would be good landing spots for this guy as well with all the grounders he induces. Two very strong infield defenses
Texas Rangers opener
may not have noticed the Rangers have a better rotation than most now
I hope he has a big year for someone.
I’d say come to Detroit, but he’s suffered enough.
He suggested being in CO
. One yr deal maxxed showed he real or not.
He’d be a great signing for the Giants. Pitcher’s park to build value and maybe get a trade to a contender and boom! His career is right back on track.
Farhan needs to get busy with the dumpster diving. I’m all for not signing anyone of note, but one Kevin Gaussman and a Zack Cosart doesn’t cut it if you are trying to find a few diamonds in the rough to trade at the deadline.
I have a feeling there is a trade coming. It seems like they are waiting to pull the trigger till something else happens. But Farhan will be active this month.
I hope he succeeds in his next stop, I’m just glad he won’t be counted on in Colorado anymore. He’s been brutal the past few years.
Would love the Athletics to sign him
Athletic supporters?
His career stats aren’t good, but he’d be a good depth signing for someone.
Marlins should give him a shot
Great closer in college. But somehow he never worked out as a reliever in the majors. Still has some good stuff, including a nasty breaking ball. Feel like some pitcher-whisperer team like the Pirates or Astros should pick him up and figure him out.
KC should be all over this
The kinda pitcher the Brewers have capitalized on. I’m obviously a Brewer fan but to be honest go to Reds and work with their pitching coach one of the best.
Idk why a higher pitch speed is ever used as a positive. It truly means nothing if his FB is moving less. Now, if he is gaining speed ALONG with movement, then that would be a definite positive..
Then again, from the writer’s perspective, I know Bettis has been through alot, so you want to root for the guy, and find the light at the end of the tunnel. Even so, that’s a pretty dim light..lol
I guess, after all the health issues, it is important that he is still throwing at or above his typical speeds, but movement, control, command, and accompanying spin rates will ALWAYS be what matters the most. Look no further than former Brave, Mauricio Cabrera. He could throw up to 104mph, but it was straight as an arrow, and he would get rocked when he couldn’t locate it!!
Now, moving forward, the high GB rate is something a team can work with. If I’m a team, I sign Bettis to a minors deal, I use him as a starter/opener, and I get to work. Bettis has a “heavy” fastball and he has a sharp curve, those are two excellent pitches for a setup man/closer. Have him work solely out of the stretch, simplify his mechanics, and work on his command and control of those two pitches…
Then, just see what happens, and Bettis might turn out to be one of the next failed starters turned excellent bullpen weapons..You never know, but it is definitely worth a shot, Bettis has talent. I can see him thriving in a bullpen role out in KC with the Royals
Pitch speed is important because the fastball sets up all the other pitches. Slider and change are both dependent on the fastball to be effective. Kershaw lost 3mph on his fastball and went from being among the top 10 pitchers in history to being just one of the top 10 pitchers in the league.
There’s also the track of the ball, whether it is nonincreasing concave down or not, which is velocity related. Location, movement, velocity, in that order. Command and deception as well. You are right about the pitch velocity relationships.
Connor: Chad’s surgery for TC was in 2016, not 2017.
Very ominous similarity scores if you’re into that kind of thing.