20
2012
Random Thoughts: Beltran Never Fully Appreciated, Desperate Moves, Dollars Trump Logic
An article by 
Just want to say thanks again to Joe D. for posting on my blog as I go through some things. Going in today for a procedure. Have been in a lot of discomfort lately and hoping this will help. I will keep trying to post whenever I can.
In the interim, some thoughts have been going through my mind I’d like to share with you.
1) I understand selling bricks on the walk ways surrounding to Citi Field. It’s the norm these days outside the new stadiums. It brings in some cash, but hardly dents the expenses of a team. You’re certainly not going to sign a front line pitcher selling bricks. You’re not going to do it either by selling parts of the outfield wall. I know the Mets won’t pass on an opportunity to bring in some money, but this really looks desperate, which, of course, the Mets are … it is embarrassing, really. What’s next, having players stand outside the gates this summer holding tin cups or tip jars?
2) Saw a nice write-up in the papers where Carlos Beltran was in town to honor a a long time Mets fan and friend who passed away. He presented the man’s children with Mets jerseys. I don’t know why Beltran was never fully appreciated when he was here, but he is arguably one of the best position players in franchise history and was always a gentleman. He represented the Mets with class, but wasn’t always treated well by the front office, media and fans. It will be a long time before the Mets see another one like him.
3) Prince Fielder talked to the Nationals and Rangers, and both could be ideal landing spots. If the money is comparable, you would have to think Texas would be ideal for him because the Rangers are already a good team; the Rangers have a band-box of a ball park; the weather is ideal for hitting year round; the Rangers offer more protection in the line-up; and the American League has the designated hitter. Yes, there are a lot of good reasons why he should lean toward Texas, just as Albert Pujols logically should have been thinking about staying in St. Louis. But, logic has nothing to do with it and it will come down to the largest check.
About the Author: John Delcos
I am an active member of the BBWAA and have covered Major League Baseball in several capacities for over 20 years, including ten in New York working the Mets' and Yankees' beat. I covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years and the Cleveland Indians before that. I currently serve as an editor and senior staff writer for Mets Merized Online. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos.
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I disagree, John. Logically, the Nats are the better option for Prince. They’re a team on the rise that could have several years on top, while the Rangers are in a win-now situation. Cruz and Hamilton will be free agents soon. Mike Young is 90, Darvish has yet to throw a major league pitch, and Beltre’s no spring chicken.
He might win SOONER with the Rangers, but potentially more with the Nats. I will agree that the larger check wins, though.
Be well after your procedure.
Funny, a lot of fans judge beltran on that one at bat and even though some others present numbers to back up that he was the best player in the middle of that lineup, people do not wanna hear it, and they’re stuck on that one at bat.. meanwhile, mr UNCLUTCH cannot be judge on that one at bat in 2008… go figure..
Can you tell me who is doing such a thing? Perhaps give us a quote or something?
Or is this like when you accused people of wishing reyes would get injurred?
You know why don’t you? Especialmente en este sitio.
The nastiest things I’ve ever heard said about Beltran came from a Puerto Rican guy at a Mets game last season.
and, by the way, that nasty accusation you don’t have the guts to make utright can easily be turned around.
Si, lo se. but we can’t bring that up here.. somehow they’ll look for an excuse for that as well… i leave it alone now..
Coward. All you have are lies.
The only people that judge Beltran on one AB are nut cases just like the ones who judge Wright. I defended Beltran’s stats the same way I do Wright’s. What sane person blamed Beltran for the loss? What sane person blames Wright for the collapse. If you can find one I would like to meet them, it would be like finding Peter Pan or a member that that fictitious group of one.
Unfortunately, there’s more of these type Met fans than you would think.
Beltran was certainly under appreciated by many when he was here. Perceptions are sometimes skewed. Take Phillip’s rant that Sunday night on ESPN. Clueless……
Here’s a little known tidbit some might not be aware of…….Beltran played during that 2006 post season with an oblique tear.
Soft? Not motivated? Not a leader? I think not….
But again, I said sane.
I definitely agree with you about Beltran.He was totally unappreciated by Met fans over one at bat.Those same fans who still get on him to this day don’t realize that there is no chance of being in a game 7 without Beltran.And they say NY fans are the most knowledgeable fans in all of sports.
For Beltran being under appreciated, it was 3 fold for me.
1. He got off to a slow start, so the fans booed him, and then he wouldn’t take a curtain call after a home run. NY fans are nutjobs, but he should have known that coming here. That rubbed the fans the wrong way.
2. He is and was so good and so fluid in all he did, it almost looked like he wasn’t trying. There was an ease in his movements and calmness to his approach, that there was a visible “lack of fire/grit” for lack of a better term. I guess people need to see that to think a person really cares. Dumb, I know, but truth is stranger than fiction.
3. Wainwright curve.
When I say 3 fold for me, I’m meaning, these are the 3 reasons I think fans under appreciate Beltran.
2 is so true, especially with his outfield play. He didn’t make a bunch of showy diving catches because he didn’t have to. He read the ball off the bat so well, took good routes to the ball and was such a great athlete, he made the hard stuff look easy, rather than the other way around, which is what gets attention.
Folks just never forgave him for look at that strike 3 Wainwright curve. He had the ability to put up some monster numbers, just had health issues. He was a good player and deserves recognition from the fanbase.
Beltran was a great player and if not for injury would have been able to make a strong case for the HOF. Now that he can’t play CF that will be much less likely. I never cared about the comments that he wasn’t gritty or he was soft or he cost us this or that… Guy was a stud and the best CF in the NL for many years.
Beltran was treated like crap from day one.
I don’t see why any quality player would want to play for us unless the money is measurably greater. I’m not talking $1-2 million more, I’m saying 1-2 year longer contracts than their best offer and $15-20 milllion more dollars.
Come play for the Mets where the owners will insult you, the front office will throw you under the bus every chance they get, the media will roast you, and where the fans will bash you unmercifully day in and day out.
I agree completely with you. And it is worse now with SA at the helm with no sense of any Mets heritage, full of his own pompous air, and insulting to the players with no thought of respect to others ever entering his mind. The man is the worst of the modern day executive willing to chuck employees over the wall to save 2 bucks. It is the small picture view of managment in which they clutch at small savings and throw away the legacy and the future. All for a pat on the back today and a huge bonus for moi. He is simply in love with himself and thoughtless about anything or anyone else. The bottom line is that no player with other options would ever come here. Try and develop a franchise around that kind of reputation. Screw him and all his ilk.
I have been a fan since 1962, bleeding orange and blue clear cross country from Queens to Arizona when I moved here in 2006. While I purchased a brick at Citi Field to honor my father, I have still not been to the ballpark since it opened. From day one there (according to what I have heard and then seen through photos) it is my contention that many fans feel that there is not enough glorification of our history. Far too much about the Brooklyn Dodgers! With all due respect to the Wilpon’s current financial problems, why didn’t they do more to honor “our past”.
I think that the Wilpon’s understood those fans who had great sentiment about the Dodger days BUT they forgot that the bulk of Met fans are actually the offsping of those aging fans. Now, as I approach my 60th birthday having “bled’ for 50 years I ask why is there no statue of “The Franchise” out in front of the main gates? Why are there no signs like “Agee Alley” or “Keith’s Korner” ? Finally, as the Mets organization gets ready for what is going to be a very rough season, wouldn’t you think that a good way to fill some of those soon to be empty seats would be to bring back more of those event days. I know that Banner Day is being resurrected, how about days where the fans walk away with more than a bobblehead doll?
AND WHAT ABOUT RETIRING NUMBER 17 FOR KEITH……AND OF COURSE NUMBER 8 FOR GARY AND YOGI ?
You can’t blame Sandy Alderson. He was brought in to save a sinking ship. He is doing what he was hired to do whether we like it or not. After assessing the reality of our talent or lack of talent Sandy knows that the Mets were not going to be in the hunt so why further bury the team in debt by risking big bucks on Jose Reyes who is A MAJOR RISK? Sandy ends up getting blamed instead of being an astute baseball man who is unfortunately not able to spend big bucks on free agents. Instead he will continue to slash the payroll as he did with trading Carlos Beltran and rebuild this team with acquisitions that make sense.
Sandy will not “dump” David Wright unless David’s back trouble last year ends up being a problem. The team has brought in the fences at Citi Field and if David rebounds strongly his value increases tremendously. Bottom line…..David reverts back to form of years ago and stays in NY or he becomes trade bait for some serious young talent.
Alan, Thanks for your reply to my post as it was both civil and well thought out. I agree with much of what you say. Like you, I have been a Mets fan since 1962 and I am about 10 years senior to you in age. I came to the Mets as a Dodger fan who had lost his team. The original Mets fans were predominantly NY National League fans who had been disowned either by the Dodgers or the Giants. In my case, I liked the linkage to those teams because that is our heritage, although the Mets should keep that secondary and foster their own heritage. The Wilpons homage to the Dodgers became too much because they shirked the Mets own heritage. The Mets should be built upon the heritage, but not to the extent of negating their own. Because of that, I came to resent the Wilpons heritage to the Dodgers over time and that is unfortunate. As you point out, there are so many ways to build upon the Mets own history and heritage. Retiring #8 and #17 would a fine move in that direction. Unfortunately, this FO seems to be bereft of any inkling what actions like that will do to revive the interest and support of the fans. How silly and short-sighted on their part. Even sillier is the comments of Mets fans on this blog who oppose those actions in some blind frenzy of purism over minor issues instead of viewing the big picture.
Regarding SA, I understand the mission he was given when he came here and what that means for the actions he takes or more significantly doesn’t take. Nevertheless, that does not excuse his pompous and supeerciloious attitude. He is a self-centered exec with all the worst characteristics that brings to his position. At his level and years of experience he should bring much more polish and public relations skills to his position. Instead he has less skill at building rapport with the fan base than Omar had. I believe he is an affliction and a curse upon the fan base. There are many opinions regarding Jose’ and I can accept your view while disagreeing with it. I would have liked to have seen Jose’ finish his career with the Mets, but that is done. Nevertheless, I would have like to have seen SA treat Jose’ with more respect and appreciation of his skills rather than demeaning him as he did with his snotty and nasty comments. It’s apparent that SA did everything he could to discourage Jose’ from staying on here.
Regarding David Wright, I think you have it reversed. I believe that if David’s back is truly healed and he is reinvogorated, he will be dealt because of the size of his contract and his renewed market value. On the other hand, should David’s back become cranky again and his performance continue to slide, David will stay on with the Mets because his market value will be impaired.
Aside form those different views, I essentially agree with your views as fellow fans of the Mets. LGM or at least we can hope.
People confuse soft spoken with just plain soft. Beltran just wasn’t the vocal type. He let his production do the talking. when he didn’t get angry or curse or yell or get emotion on the field, people decided that meant he was soft or didn’t care or couldn’t handle the pressure.
But, when you look at how he actually performed, without all the stupid rhetoric, he was a legit star.
From terry collins: “This is the big leagues — it’s about execution. This game is played on the field, not in the papers.”
Agree, now put down the pipe if he’s thinking this team will be any good..
“of the non-roster invites to camp, he’s most looking forward to seeing RHP Matt Harvey.”
So am i.. to bad wheeler and familia weren’t invited.. ST will be the best period with this team ,why no let us see what the kids got
“Our job is to put a product on the field that fans can be proud of. Often times negativity is our motivation.”
true, thing is, what negativity? the owners are broke and the GM suck, is called reality terry.. put down the pipe
“David Wright is a true professional — he understands that rumors are part of the business.”
Translation… good bye david wright..
Looks like Terry is at least saying all the right things. Of course he knows things would have to go perfect but he is a competitor and he will not let them half-ass things regardless of the situation.
Coaches are as good as the players they have around… i can give you many examples of them in all sports… while they’re good, a good supporting cast of players makes their job easier..
Joe Torre in baseball
Bill Belichick in football
Phil Jackson in Basketball
There is a huge difference in the role of a football or basektball coach and a baseball manager.
Familia is on the 40 man roster. He’s doesn’t need the invite since he’s already going.
Agree completely about Beltran never being fully appreciated. Probably the most talented all-around everyday player (along with Reyes) the Mets have ever had. 2006-2008 were probably the 3 best offensive seasons any Met (not named Piazza) ever had. .278/101/340, .909 OPS, 66 SBs, 111 2Bs, and 336 runs scored, his 2009 and 2011 seasons were pretty great also considering he only played in 179 games for the Mets…he had 26 HRs, 114 RBIs, 52 RBIs. Not to mention he was the greatest defensive CFer the Mets ever had. Also, if you take away his infamous AB in the 2006 NLCS…in the rest of his ABs, he batted .308 with a .692 SLG…not to mention in game 1, his 2-run HR accounted for all the runs scored in that game.
He wasn’t better than Agee defensively.
Considering that Beltran had a .986 fielding percentage in 4291 total chances as a CFer and Agee had a .974 in 2259 total chances…also, Agee had 59 errors to Beltran’s 60 in 2032 less chances…I would have to respectfully disagree with you. Also, 108 to 48 in the assists count as a CFer in favor of Beltran.
My eyes, my eyes, they are burning.
With all respect to Agee, I agree that Beltran was clearly a better fielder than Agee. Whereas Agee had to rely on effort to get it done, Beltran did it with ability and grace. Both made spectacular catches, but Beltran’s were the more aesthetically pleasing as they were graceful. Clearly he is an underappreciated player because his skills were so elegant. Unfortunately his career became plagued with his knee injuries and he got caught not sliding at key times because of that. And of course the Wainwright curve will always hang over him and Carlos carries that with a heavy heart fully realizing the weight of lost opportunity. But he is a big part of Mets heritage and that heritage is shaking very badly these days. Let’s respect the few players in our history who are worthy of respect by fans. Carlos is clearly one of those.