Huge difference. The humidor has radically changed the pitching experience at Coors and gives pitchers a fighting chance now. The team agreed to raise payroll to acquire Betancourt and Beimel at a time when a lot of teams were looking to cut costs due to the economy.

The team and the Monforts might have resources to spend more than they are, but it’s hard to argue with the results. 2007-2009 have been the most successful years of the franchise. Maybe the fiscal discipline is also forcing the team to make better decisions.

$5.4M is a lot to spend on a setup man who has averaged 66 innings in his 6 full years in MLB, esp. when you’re planning to re-sign your closer at $7-8M/yr.

Not many non-closer relievers with similar experience go to arb so it’s a little hard to find comps. However, few non-closers make more than $4M*, so I’m going guess $3.5 to 4M if he goes. (It also of course depends at what he and the Rockies file at.) He made $3.35M in 2009 and it’s reasonable to assume he could ask for and win at least a small raise.

If they offer him arb, I suspect he’ll accept it, as I think his FA value would plummet if a team stood to lose picks to sign him. It’s more than a team like the Rockies would want to pay for a non-closer, but it’s not bad for a year. That would allow a year to see whether Buchholz and Weathers can return from injuries, what Morales will do, and how the Tulsa gang shakes out (which of those guys will indeed become starters and who will move to the pen).

(*the list of those I’ve found who’ve never been closers before signing for more than $4M [but typically not higher than $5M] is pretty unimpressive: JC Romero, Ryan Madson, David Riske, Scott Linebrink, Justin Speier, Scott Shields, Rafael Soriano. )

The Rockies are still, in all likelihood, the team that will land him. The option was heavy, and the Rockies don’t want to pay him that much for one year. They do want to offer him more money in a multi-year contract.

Betancourt being type A helps this case in him remaining with the team.

If we knew that Buccholz was coming back at full strength and be as successful as he was for most of 08, that would be a different story. But he is a big question mark.

Here is my question…if Betancourt accepts arbitration, what are the odds that he will be awarded more than the $5.6 million option?

I understand he was good, but relievers being as volitale as they are, I wonder if a two year deal is worth it? I have gone back and forth on that justification, but almost think mid season trades are better than early stability to signing before a start of the season to a higher quality and priced free agent.