FEBRUARY 16: The Yankees have announced the signing of Bettis to a minor-league deal.
FEBRUARY 15: Former Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis is among those who have been invited to Yankees’ camp this spring, according to multiple reporters (including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Once finalized, it will be a minor-league deal for Bettis, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). He would stand to make $1.5MM if he makes the active roster, with an additional $2MM available in performance bonuses, Sherman adds.
Bettis carved out a few solid seasons as a back-of-the-rotation arm in Colorado, most notably from 2015-16. Over that stretch, he tossed 301 innings with a 4.57 ERA and 4.11 FIP, decent production for a pitcher calling Coors Field home. Unfortunately, a series of health scares knocked Bettis off course and he hasn’t managed to replicate that past production.
He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in December 2016, although he made an inspiring return to the mound that August. A blister on his pitching hand and a left hip impingement sent Bettis back to the injured list each of the past two seasons. When he did manage to take the mound, Bettis’ results had waned. In 2019, his first year in a full-time relief role, he mustered just a 6.08 ERA, causing Colorado to cut him loose after the season.
There was little word on interest in Bettis thereafter, although he says he’s feeling better physically than he has since beating cancer. He could be starting or relief depth for a Yankee club that bolsters quite a few talented arms in both the rotation and the bullpen.
Cannot help but root for this guy.
Ditto.
Omg he has really been through it, hasn’t he? I hope he rebounds n does well he deserves it! I
I agree. Im happy to see him pitch wherever. Everyone likes a good comeback = )
1st round talent
Wonder if hell complete God the 5, or aim for the pen
Russian spambot!
I like it
Why?
Because
I actually really wanted him in the Pirates rotation.
Guy was awesome before I’m assuming injuries derailed him
No he wasn’t. Lol
He’s so bad…. I’m pulling for him, but he’s never been good. I don’t care where you pitch, his whip is high even for Colorado standards
exactly my sentiment. he has had a rough shake, but he isnt really all that good
Great chance for him in NY. I’m sure he’ll have a ball there.
I see what you did there :p
I hope cancer never hits one of your loved ones. Really really do hope you can avoid that. If not, you will see just how stupid you too are for a comment like that and a response to that said comment
Come on I don’t think there was any real ill intent with the comment. Let’s not go castrating people over nothing
Testicles!
You guys came on the internet today to make jokes about cancer. How much of a disappointment are you?
Thank you. I thought I was in a different world that people were reinforcing theirs stupidity. So thank you wideworld.
So, exactly who did he hurt with his stupid joke? You probably hurt ten people a day worse than he did, just going about your life. Have some perspective. Point your righteous indignation at some real problems. BTW, I’m mourning one of my best friends who died of complications due to a long bout with cancer last week, and I’m more put off by your reaction than his actual joke.
Gasu1: You’re invalidating his point based on anecdotes. His opinion about the joke is just as valid as yours. Plus, your presuppositions that he hurts people 10 times a day is pretty outlandish. Just trying to stay objective, but for someone who admonishes others to have perspective, you lacked some with your post.
Then you are just a jackass and a terrible friend. Tell your friends family that you find cancer jokes comical. I didn’t know saying cancer jokes are a no joke zine was righteous either. You have very low standards if that’s being righteous.
Humour is a coping mechanism for many people. It’s how they deal with pain and stress. If you can’t emphasize or understand that you can just move along without trying to tear them down as not everything in this world is about pleasing you.
Really now. I never heard of cancer being a joke. You have? Interesting. Well aware humor is a coping mechanism. Joke all u want. But making cancer the joke? It’s only comical to these idiots because they lack maturity since this man had testicular cancer. If it was in his knee they wouldn’t joke. But since the word testicle is used it’s all of a sudden open to jokes? Breast cancer is funny now too since the word breast is in it. Again, please ask the majority of human what part of cancer is funny?
Plus I love how these people make jokes over someone who battled cancer yet me not liking the joke topic is what you take issue with. Now that is a joke.
It’s cool that you’re pretending cancer jokes don’t exist to further some weird fake agenda. There’s this thing called Google. Try it sometime. And you are not the majority of humans and do not speak for them. It’s weird that you think you do or somehow can.
Again, if you don’t find jokes funny it’s not up to other people to make it funny or true for you. You can just move along without being rude.
And it certainly has nothing to do with maturity as there are humorless dullards of all ages.
No the joke is someone who makes personal attacks over dumb jokes thinking they have the moral high ground.
Again funny u take that approach where I’m suddenly the worst person in the world because I don’t like cancer jokes. And what does google have to do with this? And why do I think cancer jokes don’t exists? I know they do. That’s what this whole thing was originally about. I’m saying it’s tasteless and shouldn’t be done. Enjoy life and when cancer hits you or your loved ones I hope you remember this ridiculous attempt at a conversation and I hope you can reflect on how intelligent you truly are and how I’m sure you make your family proud with being such a strong supporter of cancer jokes. You are one stand up person. And I only continue this because the joke and the thing that amuses me is the stupidity of your words. Just curious, is any topic in the world off limits in comedy to you? Is everything funny? Seriously. What topic is off limits in your eyes. What is the line? I’m not going to apologize for saying cancer jokes seem to be beyond that line for me. And once again….so interesting you try to shut me up for my defense on cancer jokes and you so strongly support them. Very very interesting.
knock knock
whos there
cancer
His WHIP is always pretty high, almost like he’s always pitching behind 1 ball
OK….NOW it’s time to print those World Series tickets!
Definitely an interesting buy low option. Could surprise some people getting away from Denver.
He could perform. Remember DJ LeMahieu was supposed to be the 5th Infielder and then he came within 5 hits of a batting title?
That would be a SECOND batting title. DJ has been among the more underrated players for the past 5+ years. In Colorado, people either said he was a product of Coors or he was overshadowed by Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story. In New York, he came with little fanfare and is overshadowed by their big salaried, big name guys as well. The guy is a multiple time All Star and should have been the AL MVP last year because he carried the Yanks for the first half of the season.
He is definitely one of the more underrated players in the game, but in no way did he deserve the mvp last year.
Over Trout, Bregman, and Semien? Not really.
I have my opinion, you have yours. You can interpret “valuable” by WAR or whatever, I can interpret it by carrying a team when it is down.
+hiflew
i get what youre saying, but Trout is still a more valuable than DJLM. Not even about WAR, but MVP shouldnt be given to a guy because of how the team around him was
II have been a Rockies fan since they began and I have hated the Yankees since even before that. Of course now, like half the Yankees roster is made up of former Rockies players. It really makes it hard to hate them anymore.
But it shows coors field didn’t have an impact on their numbers when they left it.
Oh I knew that long before now. It’s always been true going back to guys like Andres Galarraga and Dante Bichette. They were just as good once they left Coors than when they were there. At least they were as good as they were at the time of leaving.
Sure you are going to have some guys that are just done like CarGo or Tulo,but those guys started declining before they left. People just like to make assumptions in order to justify their own beliefs. I do it too. Everyone does. But the Rockies seems to be done by a much larger group than just about any other ones.
People forget Larry Walker played less than a third of his games at Coors and it still nearly cost him a HoF induction. Ridiculous, man. It ruins conversations on both sides of the ball.
Maybe try to change the mindset of not hating any team. Be a baseball fan first and the Rockies second. I grew up as a Yankees fan in NYC but always rooted for guys on the Red Sox, Mets, Tigers, and Braves. Still do.
But I am not a baseball fan ahead of being a Rockies fan. And I have no desire to change that.
I still enjoy watching baseball that doesn’t involve the Rockies. But as far as having a rooting interest, nope. Except for rooting against the villains, as I see them.
How about you let folks fan how they want to fan? You don’t see me telling you that you’re not really a Yankees fan if you’re pulling for the Red Sox do you?
Oh wait…
@iamhector24 You’re certainly entitled to express that. Whatever floats your boat.
eh i’ll opt to still hate the red sox lol, though its not always personal. for example, Damon was a fun guy to root for but i definitely did not root for him when he was on the Red Sox
lowereastsider I love it !! I’m the biggest Red Sox fan in the history of mankind, yet I’ve always respected Joe Girardi, and even Alex Rodriguez. I see the struggles a man can go through with so many expectations and a huge salary. Not so much into ARod as an announcer, but I can feel for the guy as a man.
On top of that… I’ve always respected the Yankees because they win. Red Sox are always looking up at them. Every year that I can remember since I was a kid in the 70s. Damn Yankees !! We’ve snuck through a few times, and it’s been good lately, but just not enough to be on the mountain with the king Yankees. Much respect always. But let’s kick their ass next year, (It’s not going to happen this year, LOL.)
No self respecting Sox fan respects Arod.
I do because I can relate to him.
I know it’s different and weird but I like being different and weird.
The issue with ARod was he was somewhat socially awkward and naive in his younger playing days. An immensely talented, insulated, and wealthy man-child who struggled and failed mostly to fit in. He (along with Mo) flew privately and not on the team plane (friend worked for a private charter company). That rubbed people the wrong way. Jeter being one of them. It’s evident that during the course of his PED suspension that he’s matured quite a lot. I don’t relate but I understand.
@gary 80s myself. Had great admiration for Boggs, Clemens, Rice, Evans, Greenwell, etc. Yankees dark age period. Although devastating as Yankees lost in the ’04 ALCS, that amazing series will always stay with me and I rooted for them to win the WS.
Yanks also hope that signing Chad Bettis may lead to a contract with Jerome Bettis.
?
Jerome Bettis, the actor from The Office
Jerome Bettis, famous astronaut/gynecologist/sausage salesman
It would pleasantly surprise me if he makes the roster. His career away splits are terrible too.
I know it’s a minor league deal so there’s no risk, but Bettis has always been a bad pitcher. I’m sure this deal could’ve been given to ten other guys
If you do the smallest amount of research, you’ll find he was good for 4 WAR, 4.50 ERA, ERA+ of over 100 over 300 innings the two full seasons before his diagnosis. He hasn’t always been bad. He’s not great, but to say always bad is not close to being accurate.
A four-paragraph article about a pitcher signing that doesn’t even mention what hand he throws with…is no one editing these things?
You need information like that you click on his name. Everything comes up. All his stats, where he’s from, his salary, left hand right hand. It’s all there.
Some of these people just can’t be pleased. It was a long time ago when I stopped worrying about upvotes downvotes being called names and getting thrown through the fire. You can’t please everyone all the time.
Meh. He has a 2% chance to make the team.
Go Chad Bettis! Hope he has a great year.
Yankees bargain shopping after signing Cole.
As they should. No other glaring holes aside from an ace starter.
Better question: How long until we see the Phenom Dominguez? I know he’s only 17 this year, but it would be great to see him scale the minors like Gleyber.
I like this one for the NYY. Cheap gamble for a place they figure to need help with.
I would much rather Yankees taking a chance on someone like Matt Harvey
Haha could you imagine-the dark knight joins the evil empire