http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/22/cardinals-reach-two-year-agreement-with-carlos-beltran/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter I wish him all the best as he is a favorite of mine, but I really wish he would have signed with Toronto instead of a team I despise. Once Pujols signed with the Angels the Cardinals made all the sense in the world as a landing spot for Carlos. He being on the same team as Wainwright is gonna be weird. Beltran has the highest OPS in the playoffs at over .1000 yet he took all kinds of crap from Mets fans because of one at bat as Wainwright threw him a curve ball that nobody hits.
As a Mets fan, let me say that it is unfortunate that Beltran gets remembered for that at bat but with the playoffs on the line, how do you stand there with two strikes and the bat on your shoulder? In addtion, he made it publicly known that he would have given the Yankees a discount if they would have offered him a contract. So to mets fans, we felt like we were his fall back - and not at a discount.
A good guy, I wish him well. But like most players who have success on other teams and then come to the Mets, his time here was a disappointment (see Brett Saberhagen, Vince Coleman, Bobby Bonilla, Frank Viola, Johann Santana, Carlos Baerga, Francisco Rodriguez, etc. etc. etc.)
Originally posted by WpobAs a Mets fan, let me say that it is unfortunate that Beltran gets remembered for that at bat but with the playoffs on the line, how do you stand there with two strikes and the bat on your shoulder? In addtion, he made it publicly known that he would have given the Yankees a discount if they would have offered him a contract. So to mets fans, we felt like we were his fall back - and not at a discount.
A good guy, I wish him well. But like most players who have success on other teams and then come to the Mets, his time here was a disappointment (see Brett Saberhagen, Vince Coleman, Bobby Bonilla, Frank Viola, Johann Santana, Carlos Baerga, Francisco Rodriguez, etc. etc. etc.)
He was one of the best players in Mets team history and it's wrong to blame him. I can't tell you how silly it is to compare him to Baerga among others. As I said it was a unhittable curveball. If he swings and misses that's okay? If not for him they don't make the playoffs that year and he was having a monster series as he won a few games in that series on his own. He was the best CFer this team has ever had. Not his fault that Omar surrounded him, Wright and Reyes with dreck in '07-08. Those teams had historically bad bullpens and pretty terrible rotations too and terrible support players.
Originally posted by Wpobwith the playoffs on the line, how do you stand there with two strikes and the bat on your shoulder?
I know I'm biased, but it's probably because it was a nasty curve and even his disciplined eyes thought it was out of the zone - and with runners on patience can be a virtue. Credit where credit is due (read: Waino.)
It's hard to fault Beltran for being disappointing too. Other than his first season most of his disappointment was injuries and the medical staff seemed to do a horrible job of handling injuries with anybody. I know it's a short window but from 2006-2008 he was as good as anybody in baseball. He didn't come up big in that one clutch situation, but he's shown he's far better in those situations than Reyes or Wright ever were.
Look, I like Beltran and I was glad he got traded last year because he deserved to be a a decent team. he was always professional and played hard. That being said, after the playoff season he had with the Astros, the expectations were pretty high and he never did fully live up to them. he was still very solid - just not the super star we all expected him to be when we signed him.
As nasty as that curve was, I still say you can't leave the bat on your shoulder in that situation. He should have swung. A swinging strike - to most fans - at least shows you tried. Called out on strikes with the game on the line looks like you were too timid to swing. Right or wrong, that is the way a lot of mets fans see it.
And yes, the Mets SHOULD have built a better team around him. Lord knows they HAD the money. But regardless, Beltran is better suited for the Robin to someone elses Batman. he can help a team to the playodds, he just can't carry them.
And Graves, I am not comparing him to Baerga. Beltran was/is/always will be the better player. I am just saying that both played better for their previous teams than with the Mets. A lot was expected from both (and the others I mentioned) and none FULLY delivered. That is where the comparison between the two ends.
I wish him well in St. Louis and hope he stays healthy for two years and is productive.
(edited by Wpob on 22.12.11 2352)
(edited by Wpob on 22.12.11 2357) Life is hilariously cruel.
Originally posted by WpobLook, I like Beltran and I was glad he got traded last year because he deserved to be a a decent team. he was always professional and played hard. That being said, after the playoff season he had with the Astros, the expectations were pretty high and he never did fully live up to them. he was still very solid - just not the super star we all expected him to be when we signed him.
As nasty as that curve was, I still say you can't leave the bat on your shoulder in that situation. He should have swung. A swinging strike - to most fans - at least shows you tried. Called out on strikes with the game on the line looks like you were too timid to swing. Right or wrong, that is the way a lot of mets fans see it.
And yes, the Mets SHOULD have built a better team around him. Lord knows they HAD the money. But regardless, Beltran is better suited for the Robin to someone elses Batman. he can help a team to the playodds, he just can't carry them.
And Graves, I am not comparing him to Baerga. Beltran was/is/always will be the better player. I am just saying that both played better for their previous teams than with the Mets. A lot was expected from both (and the others I mentioned) and none FULLY delivered. That is where the comparison between the two ends.
I wish him well in St. Louis and hope he stays healthy for two years and is productive.
(edited by Wpob on 22.12.11 2352)
(edited by Wpob on 22.12.11 2357)
He of course tried in that at bat he just had his knees buckled by a unhittable pitch. i disagree that he wasn't a superstar he was one of the top ten 15 players in the game from '06-08 and the first half of '09. He was hurt th next year a haf mostly and then came back this past year and was a elite player again and that got them a elite prospect for him in a trade. If you go over to fangraphs you'll see he was worth every dolla he was paid. As far as a signing that didn't work out look no furthe than Pedro who gave the Mets nothing his last two and a half years here.
as much as i love the yankees....i thoguht they were going to become some like super team once they lost the world series. their main focus should have been getting excellent pitchign and getting rid of their bad guys.