¡Viva Carlos Beltran Por Siempre!

Carlos Beltran has received plenty of unnecessary criticism over the years. It is only now, on the verge of a trade to the San Francisco Giants, where the Mets fans who have attacked are now finding forgiveness in their hearts. Well, it is a little too late. Just sayin’.

Some have called him an overrated player. This is what some people feel is an “overrated player”:

1. Stolen bases: 100
2. Doubles: 208
3. Triples: 17
4. Home runs: 149
5. RBI’s: 559

Those are numbers that could have been dramatically different had he managed to stay healthy during his tenure here. You can think about what could have been. Beltran is also a 5-time All-Star with the Mets (as voted by the fans), 3-time gold glove, 3-time silver slugger and has been in the MVP voting three times.

It is not that he is overrated. Rather he was very much underappreciated. Many were quick to attack him for that final at-bat in the 2006 NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, but fail to remember the three home runs he hit during that same series.

Beltran is the most humble and passionate, upfront and honest, always holding himself accountable for his own mistakes. Watching him playing in the outfield, he is as graceful as they come making every play look so easy. Carlos Beltran was indeed our angel in the outfield and an angel off the field in Puerto Rico with his baseball academy, giving kids a chance to enhance their skills on the field while striving for academic excellence.

Now that his trade to the San Francisco Giants appears to be imminent, we will greatly miss him. I truly feel that with him goes any chance we had at going to the playoffs. I hope and pray I am wrong.

Carlos Beltran,

You have been so much more than a mere baseball player. To all of our countrymen in Puerto Rico, you have shown what hard work, determination and a strong faith can get you. You truly are a role model for so many men, and even women, to emulate. You have never been quiet about who you are and where you stand. I truly hope that you felt the love of every Mets fan throughout your final at-bats as a New York Met. I pray, should the trade to the Giants go through, the fans appreciate you more there than you were while in Citi Field.

All the best to you and your family.

El no esta con nuestro equipo, pero siempre estara en nuestros corazones. Siempre es un New York Met. (He is not with our team, but he will always be in our hearts. Always a New York Met.)

¡VIVA CARLOS BELTRAN!

¡Nosotros somos Boricuas, pa’que tu lo sepas!

Reyes Stays Put…For Now

His heart is with New York.

As you all have read, GM Sandy Alderson has stated the Mets will be keeping their shortstop, Jose Reyes, for the rest of the 2011 season. Here is where everybody breathed a sigh of relief.

Now we can talk about the offseason. Well, it isn’t like anybody has not already been talking about. Everybody is obsessed with knowing the fate of their beloved shortstop.

Alderson has given hints to Mets fans what could be his fate. After the trade of Francisco Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers, the GM said the trade gives “the organization extra money to invest in Reyes”.

Sounds promising.

With that said, remember the Mets only have so much money to work with despite the contracts that will be coming off the books. Reyes has stated he would like to remain a Met, but, according to a report, had made mention to a friend he would not mind signing with the Anaheim Angels.

Take it with a grain of salt. He loves New York and wants to stay. The spark plug of the franchise just needs to realize he might have to give us a discounted rate.

So what do you think will happen to Reyes during the offseason? Will he be a part of the 2012 team or another memory?

Beltran Being Given His Options

The Mets have already handed Carlos Beltran a list of teams he could possibly go to before the trade deadline, this according to Jeff Passan over at Yahoo! Sports.

Among the teams are the Philadelphia Phillies who do have prospects GM Sandy Alderson could find interesting. Others are the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees.

I would hate to see him in a Phillies or Yankees uniform. Personally, I would rather see him go to the Red Sox. If he were smart, he would take the trade there because he would be extending his career and they are in first place. They also have Carl Crawford. Can you imagine those two together in a line-up?

The article made mention of the Milwaukee Brewers, but we have yet to know what players we are getting from them for Francisco Rodriguez. So I say, to hell with them. I want players now.

So the days of Beltran remaining a Met uniform are numbered. I need to get to some games before he does leave.

Trades: K-Rod, Beltran, and Isringhausen

Very few Mets fans are upset over the trading of Francisco Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers. Granted the Mets did not get much out of it with just two players to be named later, but at least his hefty $17.5 million vesting option goes with him. As a matter of fact, he had become a very much hated player after the incident with his girlfriend’s father.

This is old news already anyway. Here we go onto some trade talks with the deadline approaching and Alderson showing he is ready to make some moves.

Carlos Beltran and Jason Isringhausen cannot be traded under any circumstances if the Mets seriously want a chance at winning games. Well, at least Beltran cannot. Isringhausen has another value to this team.

We’ll start with Isringhausen since you have probably heard all of the Beltran talk already.

With Rodriguez out of Flushing, the Mets have Bobby Parnell who has been rumored to be their future closer. I think the ideal situation would be for Isringhausen to close some games, since he is only seven saves shy of 300 career saves and it would be great to see him get it as a New York Met since he started here, and let Parnell shadow him. Parnell can learn a lot from him considering he has been around the majors and clearly knows a thing or two about saving games.

I think Isringhausen would be a great teacher for Parnell in that bullpen. So I say he stays. All of our bullpen guys can really use a veteran like him. You can put a price on leadership.

Now with Beltran, if you trade him, you give up on the season. David Wright is not back yet. When he does come back, we do not know how he will be hitting. Beltran has been carrying this team during the season along with Jose Reyes. So trading him would be telling the fans that you are not going for it this year, but would rather focus on next year.

With that said, I understand you would like to get something in return for Beltran. I would like to see that too. However, I would rather see that if the Mets have less than a 5o percent chance of making it to the playoffs. He gives the fans hope with his bat. I would hold on to Beltran to see what happens.

At first glance at the Rodriguez trade, the Mets are sellers. Yet, Alderson has clearly stated he still expects the Mets to play baseball on a competitive level. He feels they can still compete for a spot. So I am hoping to see some moves that will increase the team’s chances for a playoff run rather than just the unloading of payroll. I do think this will help to save money to increase their chances at bringing back Reyes.

So right now Mets fans will be playing the waiting game. Hope you have your TUMS with you.

Alderson to Choose Between the Present and the Future

We are nearly halfway through the month of June and serious moves to help this 2011 New York Mets team have yet to be made. Here are the questions going through my mind: What is Alderson waiting for? Why is he waiting? When will he make a move?

Maybe his lack of moves already give us a hint to what he has decided: skip 2011 and go for 2012. After all, that is another viable option. I would like to believe he really believes in the team that he has, but even I’m not that naive.

So Alderson could be set to make moves involving the two players who have actually been doing their job: Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran. After all, between them and Francisco Rodriguez, he has some good trade bait for teams already in a race for the pennant. I would not mind seeing Rodriguez go. No tears will be shed on my part. I would hate to see Beltran go, but even I have said that he is a DH at this point in his career. While his knees have held up thus far, who is to say he will not have problems next year. At least as a DH, he will have a longer career.

I will not get into Reyes because that is for another blog.

Here is the situation for Alderson. He needs to decide whether the present is more important than the future. Say what you will about former GM Omar Minaya, but he pretty much stocked up the farm system after nearly trading everyone away for Johan Santana. Minaya did good with the farm even though the big club failed. Players like Ike Davis and Jonathon Niese are still here because he believed in these guys. Same with Josh Thole and others. So it isn’t as if Alderson needs to make an insane amount of moves.

The Mets are only 4.5 games out of the Wildcard and seven games out of first in the division. There is still hope in this team, but Alderson needs to decide if it is worth making any moves this year. Does he believe in this team enough to let it ride and make additions? Or does he see this team choking yet again and failing in the games that matter most?

The talent is there. The performances have not been. Performances need to be considered. Bay is struggling. R.A. Dickey is proving to be a somewhat one-hit wonder. He is a shadow of what he was last year. Johan Santana is supposed to come back sometime next month or August. Those are just some of the problems. We will not mention David Wright and Davis. If they were here and you combine their bats with Beltran, Reyes and Pagan, this team makes it and moves can be placed on hold.

In a little over a  month, Alderson will be making the decisions that can make or break this season. He will be sending a message to this team and their fans of believing in the team for 2011 or jumping ship to compete in 2012. With everything this team has gone through and the farm being what it is, there is still plenty to believe in. With bats like Wright, Davis and Bay out, the team has still been able to be within striking distance of the playoffs.

As fans, you cannot think about how many teams are ahead of the Mets. Think about the talent they have right now on the field, soon to come off the injury list and those in the minors. Yes moves need to be made, but they can be made through within.

So do you bet the farm or do you give up, lick your wounds to another failed year and plan for another one while dealing with the critics, the fans, and even the owners?

Personally, I choose the present. The future is already secured.

Riddle Me This

So here’s a riddle for you:

There are only two people who seem to lack intelligence. They sit all of the time, yet claim to know theirsport. Two have rings. One lacks depth. One lacks smack numbers. These people hurt more than help. Who are they?

Have you figured it out? I’ll tell you.

Jerry Manuel, Howard Johnson and we’ll add the rest of the coaching staff for good measure.

I want you to do me a favor and think about this really hard. Look at the lineup. Who is on the lineup of the New York Mets?

Jose Reyes

Angel Pagan

David Wright

Carlos Beltran

Jason Bay

Ike Davis

Jeff Francoeur

Luis Castillo

Rod Barajas

Then there is the pitching staff consisting of Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Jonathon Niese, R.A. Dickey, and a troubled number five spot.

Outside of the number five spot and Castillo, the Mets should be able to make it to the playoffs. They did make it to first place when Santana, John Maine and Oliver Perez were anything but stellar. The offense carried them. Now that the offense is slightly wavering, the pitching is carrying them.

The point is, what really needs to get done? Does a trade really need to happen in order for the Mets to make it to the playoffs?

The answer? A loud and fervent NO!

Trading is not the answer to the woes of the Mets. Santana has stepped up his game. Niese is just flat out crazy as is Dickey. Pelfrey is wavering, but is fixable. Besides, there really were not any players who could help and that would have stayed because some are going to be free agents at the end of the year.

Look at the Mets track record. Look at all of the stellar players Omar Minaya has brought to the organization, all players YOU GUYS WANTED. The minute they under perform, you blame Minaya for it. Why? You say he’s stupid. Are you stupid? You wanted them.

Minaya can bring in all of the greats. It does not mean they will do well here. Bay is one example of that. Beltran is another. He was on the verge of a record breaking career with a .325 average when is knees gave out on him last year. Francisco Rodriguez is nothing but trouble for the elderly. I wonder how many heart attacks he’s caused. We can include Castillo and Pedro Martinez.

Now here’s the next one.

All of you want Minaya to make a trade. Okay. Who are you willing to part with? If you say Ike Davis, Jonathon Niese, Bobby Parnell, Josh Thole or Jenrry Mejia, I will pick up a Louisville Slugger baseball bat and hit you with the force Mike Piazza used to hit home runs out of Shea Stadium. Do not test me on this.

If Minaya was to trade the farm, you would get on him about that too. Maybe the problem is not Minaya, but with your lack of patience. The Mets finally have a farm system to be proud of and get the fans excited about. There is a bright future on the horizon.

Look at the recent trade proposal by the Houston Astros. They wanted Thole and Parnell for Brett Myers. Would you have made that trade? If you say yes, I’m calling the cops because clearly you are smoking some serious illegal crap.

There was no answer for the Mets when it comes to this trade deadline that has passed.

Did you think about this as well? After the 2006 season, nobody likes the Mets for some inexplicable reason. So other MLB GMs are going to make the Mets bleed. They know the Mets can make a run and just need a player here and there for the final push. They will not help without decimating the farm.

However, if the Mets really wanted to do something that will help get this team on track, they will fire Manuel and company. This team is better than they have performed in the second half. The players cannot be faulted. It lands on the staff.

So a trade did not get done. So what? There is still something that can be done to get this team going.

Oh and there is still another shot the Mets have. There is the August 31st waiver deadline.