Mar 06
This week saw Carlos Beltran declare that he would play Right Field this year for the Mets. Over the past couple of years, Carlos Beltran’s popularity has sway from one extreme to another- from Team Player to Selfish.
Today’s question regards the former Center Fielder. Has your opinion regarding Beltran changed since this move?
MLBTradeRumors
Link: Should It Be Called Moneyball Or... { The author's conclusion that Moneyball... } – May 24, 4:09 PMLink: Should It Be Called Moneyball Or... { TRS is correct (gulp: saying... } – May 24, 4:02 PM
Last Night on the Farm - 5/23/13 { I believe Brown is injured. } – May 24, 3:34 PMLast Night on the Farm - 5/23/13 { Be afraid. Be very afraid.... } – May 24, 3:32 PM
Link: The Second Half Push: Harvey, Montero,... { Dude, you don't need to... } – May 24, 3:12 PM
16 comments
kingman 26
3/6/2011-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
Not at all.
I think Beltran lies somewhere between both extremes.
Yes, he sometimes dives and hustles, and sometimes he walks into home right into the tag rather than sliding.
In the Phillie series last year after the slide into Tejada, one time he slid hard into second; the next time he peeled off towards the outfield avoiding contact.
In 2005 he played hurt; more recently he waited to have surgery and missed half the year.
Overall, an unfairly maligned Met, but Carlos is moving to RF because Carlos knows he is diminished and is most definitely thinking about his next contract; he needs to show he can at least be a viable RF, as a DH clearly will not command as much money or as long of a deal.
I like Carlos, and from 2006–2008 he was one of the all-time great Mets, but he was given a 7-year massive deal, and played three full all-star seasons for that deal.
Time to move on, and if he can be traded, do it yesterday.
njstuckintx
3/6/2011-12:23pm at 12:23 pm (UTC -4)
I’m with Kong on all points. Granted, a contract year should produce some good numbers, but with nothing to come back once he hits FA, I’d say maximize the return sooner than later. Let Stick enter Nirvana with ‘the Dude’ in the OF.
rustyjr
3/6/2011-9:25am at 9:25 am (UTC -4)
In a word – no because i have always been a staunch defender of his
hazmet
3/6/2011-9:39am at 9:39 am (UTC -4)
Carlos is a riddle wrapped in an enigma with bad knees. Anyway, I’ve never swayed on Carlos. When healthy he’s been the best CF in MLB but he Mets have never really handled his health correctly from day 1. Whether it was:
a) Running him out to play in Washington with 4″ of rain on the field with an already bad hammy in year 1 of his contract. This was Willie’s attempt to show an example of toughening up the team, to learn to play hurt. Major fail on that score as the hammy lingered for weeks then.
b) Even thinking of putting him back on the field after the horrific Camerron collision late in the year when there wasn’t anything left to play for in his first year. This came off to me as Carlos saying ” you want me to show you I’m tough Willie I’ll go out with my brain still scrambled and play out the year”.
c) The recent handling of his knee issues the past few years.
They really screwed up taking care of this investment which resulted in the major distrust and communication breakdown between player and management.
Yes, he’s had a some mental lapses like not sliding some times but to that I say on the plays at the plate where was the on deck guy telling him he had to slide coming into home. Again poor communication. Overall, I like Carlos alot and it’s a shame the way his time here has turned out for both sides. Hopefully he has one good year left in the tank and can bring his tenure to close on a positive.
metsfan4decades
3/6/2011-9:47am at 9:47 am (UTC -4)
I had a similar response I was going to post but you pretty much summed up my mindset in your response.
Beltran is not the selfish player some believe he is. I’m sure it took a lot of sole searching to come to the decision to move to RF now. He could have stuck to his guns and tried starting out in CF. I’m sure it took a lot of sole searching to make that decision. A little bit of realism that it was best for him, his next contract and it didn’t hurt that it was best for the team. All in all, I felt he made the best decision all the way around this early in ST. Why some fans still consider this ‘selfish’ is beyond me.
Your last sentence says it all. I’ll be surprised if Carlos plays here more than 1/2 year but here’s hoping that 1/2 year is more the old Carlos we’ve enjoyed in his hey-day.
njstuckintx
3/6/2011-12:25pm at 12:25 pm (UTC -4)
is sole searching like using a fish finder?
metsfan4decades
3/6/2011-9:49am at 9:49 am (UTC -4)
Oh, and let me add that I wish Carlos well wherever he winds up in the twilight of his career – as long as it’s not in Philly. I can certainly imagine a scenario where Philly is struggling mid season to stay afloat and needs a power hitting right fielder…..
darknova306
3/6/2011-11:02am at 11:02 am (UTC -4)
My opinion of Beltran hasn’t changed. I’ve loved him from day 1, always defending him from the folks that booed him all year in ’05. Is he selfish? Of course. All professional athletes are selfish to some extent, and many are despicable people to begin with. Carlos has shown some toughness, and some softness. He’s been selfish and he’s been selfless. Nothing is ever black and white, so people really need to calm down with the vitriol against him that I’ve heard for most of the year.
The mental lapses and the mismanagement of his injuries have already been stated in comments above, so I won’t go through those again. I’m just hoping he’s got a few good months left so he can net at least something in a trade.
oleosmirf
3/6/2011-11:31am at 11:31 am (UTC -4)
Carlos Beltran is the best CF baseball has seen in the past decade. When healthy, (as we saw in 2009) he is still the best player at his position and arguably still the best hitter on the team. Despite obviously playing on a bad knee, Carlos put up these numbers averaged over a full season:
.255/.341/.427/.768 17 HR 68 RBI 7 SB 7 3B 75 BB 98 K
With an additional 6 months off, I see no reason why he shouldn’t improve at least a little.
stickguy
3/6/2011-12:01pm at 12:01 pm (UTC -4)
other than the SBs, those numbers are as good all around as pagan. Not bad for a guy that spent the first 2 months trying to get back into shap (he really needed another month in Fla.).
also, what’s with the mental lapse nonsense? !st, every player on occasion has a brain fart. But not sliding? That was likely due to the on deck guy not doing his job. But don’t forget, he was playing then on bad wheels, so he has to be careful most liely about when he goes in hard. Like barrelling into 2nd base when a play is over. When you have limited ammo, sometimes you gotta pick your battles!
oleosmirf
3/6/2011-12:06pm at 12:06 pm (UTC -4)
the stolen bases are not going to comeback. He’s got a permanently damaged knee and even if we pretend Beltran doesn’t care about his SB% record, him stealing bases and possibly re-injuring his knee is something we cant afford.
I think 5-10 SB is a pretty accurate projection.
stickguy
3/6/2011-11:54am at 11:54 am (UTC -4)
No. It was expected, and normal for a guy his age and physical condition. Pretty much knew it was going to happen.
Theb again, I always thought he was a very good player, and a consumate professional.
njstuckintx
3/6/2011-2:37pm at 2:37 pm (UTC -4)
Joel Sherman believes in 2012. A la, doomsday, at least for the Mets. Talk about some sunny pictures he’s painting.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/jose_situation_with_mets_mirrors_PdJsd28hPO6xjb3OXA5psI?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/wilpons_may_need_all_out_NEfhfOZZddNJBXybA4obtM?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=
hazmet
3/6/2011-3:06pm at 3:06 pm (UTC -4)
Finally feels like Spring Training hearing Gary’s fist “BelTRON” of the year. Only 11 more days till they break out the green uni’s and then we be cookin’.
Mr North Jersey
3/6/2011-5:06pm at 5:06 pm (UTC -4)
No.
Fred
3/7/2011-6:53pm at 6:53 pm (UTC -4)
I think Beltran has always tried and is a very talented player. But I think he has suffered in the fans’ eyes not for anything he has
or hasn’t done. Rather, the expectations were always raised because of the huge contract he received. Also, he was
supposed to be a franchise player, which he is not.
Gold Glove centerfielder? Yes.
Solid power? Yes.
Very good OBP? Yes.
Speed? Yes, above average.
Man to carry a team? No.
His first season was subpar because I think he had no protection in the lineup and he also put too much pressure on himself.
In ’06, with Delgado in the lineup and carrying the load with Wright, Beltran had a breakout season. He is a good man to have
on the team, but you just can’t expect him to be the MAN in the lineup.