Carlos Beltran: This Is About The Team

Adam Rubin of ESPN New York posted a full transcript of Carlos Beltran who met with reporters and fielded many questions on a variety of topics including his knee, playing centerfield, and the Mets in general. Here is part of the transcript.

How did the meeting go and what was communicated?

Well, I told them in order for me to decide if I’m going to play center field or right field, I would love to finish my running program, and then I will give them an answer — and honest answer — of where I stand.

I dedicated myself this offseason to strengthen my quad, my hamstring, everything around the knee. Personally, I’m positive because I was doing exercises I wasn’t capable of doing last year or the year before — squats and leg press, heavy. I did some running. I was doing an agility program in Puerto Rico pain-free. So I’m happy. I’m happy with that.

I understand there’s been a lot of things about center field, right field. Like I told Sandy, I told Terry: ‘I will give you a better answer of where I think I should play based on how I feel, but at the same time understand this is not about Carlos. This is about the team.’ And whatever is best for the team, at the end of the day, it’s not my decision. That’s where I stand.

When you look back to last year, how did you feel you did in center field?

“Well, at the beginning, not good, because I felt like the game was so far ahead of me. I didn’t train, because I couldn’t do it. This year I feel better because I put a lot of work in. I hit. I played catch. I did everything that I couldn’t do last year. So I feel this year is going to be much better. At the end of the year I was feeling comfortable, but the season was almost over.”

Will you wear the brace?

“I have to wear the brace, but what happened is the brace I was wearing last year, I have to readjust it because my quad got bigger and it doesn’t fit properly.”

Can you reflect on this already being Year 7 of a seven-year deal with the Mets?

“It’s been great, man. It’s been great. It’s been a lot of ups and downs. It’s been a learning experience for me dealing with you [media] guys. But it’s been great. It’s been the experience of a lifetime. I told my wife about a month ago, ‘I can’t believe it’s been seven years.’ And she’s like, ‘Man, time really has flied.’ That’s the way I feel. But, at the same time, it’s been a great experience of my life. I really enjoy being here. I really enjoy being here with the players I’ve had the opportunity to play with as a New York Met. And I’m looking forward to go this year and do well. A lot of people don’t expect us to do anything basically. They feel that we’re out of it. And that’s great they’re thinking that way. We’re going to take it as a motivation to take the field every day with a lot of intensity, a lot of fire, and try to mak something happen positive for the city.”

For the full transcript please go to ESPN New York.

Photo credit: New York Mets