Yuniesky Betancourt, baseball player, 2005-2013

Yuniesky Betancourt

Born: 1/31/1982 in Santa Clara, Santa Clara, Cuba

MLB Debut: 2005-07-28 | Final Game: 2013-09-29

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 205 lbs

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Biography

Yuniesky Betancourt was a professional baseball player born in 1982, whose career spanned from 2005 to 2013. An infielder known for his solid defensive skills and versatility, Betancourt played in a total of 1,156 games across his Major League Baseball tenure. He made his mark primarily as a shortstop, showcasing a combination of agility and arm strength that contributed to his teams' defensive efforts. Betancourt's offensive contributions included 1,057 hits, 80 home runs, and 457 runs batted in, culminating in a career batting average of .261. He also demonstrated speed on the bases, finishing his career with 30 stolen bases. Betancourt first emerged in the MLB with the Seattle Mariners, where he quickly gained recognition for his athleticism and ability to perform in high-pressure situations. Over the years, he played for several teams, including the Kansas City Royals and the Milwaukee Brewers, adapting his playing style to meet the demands of each franchise. Throughout his career, Betancourt was part of a generation of players that bridged the gap between traditional baseball values and the evolving strategies of the modern game, making him a notable figure in the context of early 21st-century baseball. After retiring in 2013, Betancourt left behind a legacy as a reliable player who contributed both offensively and defensively to his teams.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1156 4052 437 1057 218 29 80 457 30 143 435 0.261 0.285 0.388 0.673 -8808.3

Career AVG .261 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .285 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 13.1% below league average.

Career SLG .388 vs. league average .412 across their career seasons — 5.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.673 vs. league average 0.740 across their career seasons — 9.1% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
2005 SEA AL 60 211 24 54 11 5 1 15 1 11 24 0.256 .264 (-3%) .330 (-10%) .418 (-12%) .749 (-11%) -483.8
2006 SEA AL 157 558 68 161 28 6 8 47 11 17 54 0.289 .269 (+7%) .336 (-8%) .431 (-7%) .768 (-7%) -966.6
2007 SEA AL 155 536 72 155 38 2 9 67 5 15 48 0.289 .268 (+8%) .335 (-8%) .422 (-1%) .758 (-4%) -674.7
2008 SEA AL 153 559 66 156 36 3 7 51 4 17 42 0.279 .263 (+6%) .333 (-10%) .416 (-6%) .749 (-8%) -1102.8
2009 SEA AL 63 224 15 56 10 1 2 22 3 10 18 0.250 .262 (-5%) .332 (-16%) .417 (-21%) .750 (-19%) -826.0
2009 KCR AL 71 246 25 59 10 5 4 27 0 11 26 0.240 .262 (-9%) .332 (-19%) .417 (-11%) .750 (-15%) -826.0
2010 KCR AL 151 556 60 144 29 2 16 78 2 23 64 0.259 .257 (+1%) .325 (-12%) .402 (avg) .728 (-5%) -754.5
2011 MIL NL 152 556 51 140 27 3 13 68 4 16 63 0.252 .255 (-1%) .320 (-16%) .399 (-4%) .719 (-9%) -1331.1
2012 KCR AL 57 215 21 49 14 1 7 36 0 9 25 0.228 .254 (-10%) .318 (-20%) .405 (-1%) .724 (-9%) -460.5
2013 MIL NL 137 391 35 83 15 1 13 46 0 14 71 0.212 .253 (-16%) .317 (-25%) .396 (-10%) .714 (-17%) -1423.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
11 42 7 13 3 1 1 6 1 4 0.310

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2011 NLCS MIL 6 24 2 8 2 0 1 5 0 3 0.333
2011 NLDS2 MIL 5 18 5 5 1 1 0 1 1 1 0.278

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 68 46 389 25 3 38
2B 60 52 117 135 5 45
3B 67 49 32 95 8 4
OF 2 0 0 0 0 0
SS 952 934 1449 2584 127 585

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
2005 SEA 2B 9 6 23 21 0 5
2005 SEA SS 53 52 83 138 5 34
2006 SEA SS 157 156 251 430 20 95
2007 SEA SS 152 147 239 435 23 110
2008 SEA SS 153 150 237 401 21 98
2009 SEA SS 62 61 101 159 9 38
2009 KCA SS 71 70 111 181 9 40
2010 KCA SS 151 151 256 418 18 84
2011 MIL SS 149 146 167 418 21 85
2012 KCA 2B 46 43 89 107 5 40
2012 KCA 3B 8 6 3 11 0 1
2012 KCA SS 1 1 1 3 1 1
2013 MIL 1B 68 46 389 25 3 38
2013 MIL 2B 5 3 5 7 0 0
2013 MIL 3B 59 43 29 84 8 3
2013 MIL OF 2 0 0 0 0 0
2013 MIL SS 3 0 3 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 68
Second Base 60
Third Base 67
Shortstop 952
Left Field 2
Designated Hitter 1

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
2013 MIL NL $900,000
2012 KCA AL $2,000,000
2011 MIL NL $4,300,000
2010 KCA AL $3,300,000
2009 SEA AL $2,300,000
2008 SEA AL $1,550,000
2007 SEA AL $727,500
2006 SEA AL $677,500
Total Career Earnings $15,755,000