The Mets put the extra money on the table to nail down Beltran, 7 years, $119 million. Yes, it’s too much money – as ESPN notes, this is the first deal to crack $100 million since Jason Giambi in December 2001, and we know how that went – and yes, as I’ve noted, the Mets will live to regret that seventh year.
One thing I like here is the idea of the superior outfield defense the Mets will have when Mike Cameron returns from injury and can play next to Beltran. Although Cameron is the better defender, I assume he’ll be the one to move to right field, given Beltran’s youth and larger contract. Of course, they’ll still have the largely stationary Cliff Floyd in left, although Floyd at least is fairly dependable on the balls he can get to.
4 thoughts on “Beltran Aboard”
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What do Jeff Kent, David Weathers and Shane Mack have in common?
Sorry, forgot to type the answer….
If you were playing six degrees of Carlos Beltran; they are the players who connect Beltran in one degree to respectively: Bobby Bonilla, Mo Vaughn and Roberto Alomar
Coming from a Sox fan who loves Manny but regrets the contract, I have to add my two cents in here:
I predict the Mets will not regret the contract they just gave to Carlos Beltran. He will be worth every dollar economically and competitively.
I’d be worried about Pedro’s contract. But even if those two contracts pay off for only two of the next four years you’ll have reason to be happy.
No one ever regrets a seven year contract if the first five years are good, as far as I’m concerned. Pedro’s four year deal is riskier because he could fairly easily wipe out right out of the box, if his shoulder goes, but Beltran ought to be a good investment in the first half of the deal, and if he is, it will not be a mistake.