*UPDATE* Beltran is going to the Mets

[ThePresence]

Mets, Beltran agree in principle on deal
TSN.ca Staff with ESPN, AP files
1/9/2005

ESPN and The Associated Press report that the New York Mets and free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran have agreed in principle on a seven-year contract worth $119 million US.

Beltran, the biggest name remaining on the free agent market, will also receive an $11 million US signing bonus.

Beltran chose not to re-sign with the Houston Astros before their midnight et deadline on Saturday night. He must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized, and New York Newsday reports that a news conference could be scheduled as early as Tuesday.

Agent Scott Boras was seeking an eight-figure deal for Beltran, and the Astros offered $105 million over seven years. The deal would have made Beltran the highest-paid player in franchise history, but could not corral the outfielder.

"We're disappointed, but we also realize that owner Drayton McLane did everything that could possibly have been done," Astros general manager Tim Purpura said.

Landing Beltran is the second major offseason coup for new Mets general manager Omar Minaya, who also signed star righthander Pedro Martinez last month.

Beltran, 27, is a star who may not yet have reached his potential. He batted .267 with a career-high 38 homers and 104 RBI in 2004, splitting the season between Kansas City and Houston.

Beltran also stole 42 bases in 45 attempts, becoming the first player in history to string together four seasons of 20 homers, 30 steals and 100 RBI.

The Astros acquired Beltran well before the trading deadline and he helped their charge to the National League wild card berth. In the postseason, he tied a major league record with eight homers as Houston won its first playoff series before coming up one win shy of the World Series.

In seven seasons, Beltran has a career .284 average with 146 homers, 569 RBI and 192 steals. He also is an outstanding defensive player, with double-digit assists in each of the last four years.

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[CrackRabbit]

Though the 'stros fans will be sad I dont think he was worth 100mil, they can use it elsewhere or find a decent replacement for him for less.

 

[Coquito]

I hope I bite my tongue next near, but I agree with CW in that he's not worth what is being asked.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
Though the 'stros fans will be sad I dont think he was worth 100mil, they can use it elsewhere or find a decent replacement for him for less.

The Astros offered him 98 million plus 14 million in incentives...
From here:

The Astros offered a reported seven-year deal worth $14 million a year with a $14 million option that included a $2 million buyout in 2012. It would have been the richest contract in franchise history, and it would have kept Beltran in Houston, on the team that he helped to within a game of the World Series in 2004.

 

[SchrodingersDog]

Career .284 hitter who has topped 30 homers just once and has a season high of 108 RBI, and he'll soon have a tenth of a billion dollars.

 

[SchrodingersDog]

Oh, and the worst numbers, if you're into these things are a career .353 OBP and .843 OPS, yuck.

 

[raystorm]

Will he be overpaid? yup.. Is he getting a ton of money strictly due to playoff performance just like how Beltre was overpaid for having just one good year?? yup.. Do the Mets need Carlos Beltran?? absolutely. The Mets need a new image with a fading Piazza having one year left on his contract. The losing image of the team especially after the past couple of years which were all embarrassing need to go away. Beltran along with a healthy Jose Reyes, a developing David Wright and Pedro Martinez will help give the team a brand new image of excitement at Shea... providing they all pan out and stay healthy.

 

[NakaNaka]

OPS over .900 for the past 2 years, stole 40+ bases the last two season, can hit for power from BOTH sides of the plate, excellent defence. He will be slightly overpaid but he'll also be worth it.

 

[PoPPeR]

yeah he's overpaid, but its pretty obvious the potential is there. Reminds me of Andruw Jones, with a lot more media coverage.

 

[raystorm]

Yea.. I do think he's worth it especially to the Mets who just went through a bunch of years with nothing but bad PR. Cameron could move to right field (or just be traded..but I like Cammy and think he should go to right) and Floyd could be shipped out in favor or young Victor Diaz who has some pop in his bat.

Of course this is assuming that Beltran WILL be in Mets uniform..anything could happen.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: raystorm
Yea.. I do think he's worth it especially to the Mets who just went through a bunch of years with nothing but bad PR. Cameron could move to right field (or just be traded..but I like Cammy and think he should go to right) and Floyd could be shipped out in favor or young Victor Diaz who has some pop in his bat.

Of course this is assuming that Beltran WILL be in Mets uniform..anything could happen.

Mets HAVE to get this done. i will say this for the mets tho, they are not the shrewdest negotiators in MLB.

that they will offer beltran more than they offered Vlad last year is inconcievable. if they had signed vlad last year and sign beltran this year, they might have actually been pretty competitive this upcoming season.

oh well. i guess it's like the NJ Nets owner, trading away KMart for draft choices and then trading to get Vince carter this year.

if he had kept KMart and then traded for Vince this year, the Nets might have been a shoe in to win the east this year.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
that they will offer beltran more than they offered Vlad last year is inconcievable. if they had signed vlad last year and sign beltran this year, they might have actually been pretty competitive this upcoming season.

Omar Minaya was not there last year, and was not involved in the Vlad fiasco. It's a new regime in Shea.

 

[rh71]

So is Delgado out of the picture if Beltran is picked up ?

 

[raystorm]

Maybe.. there is talk that the Mets are interested in Travis Lee. He is off an injury and could be had for cheap. They could also trade for Doug Mientkiewicz. I think the Mets need a defensive first basemen for the young infield.

 

[madogvt]

Good for the Mets. I think Minaya is doing a great job.

 

[baoytl]

I think it's less Minaya and more due to the fact that the Mets are starting their own sports channel (like the Yankees' YES Network). They need a need to have a marketable team by then and are overpaying for star players.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: baoytl
I think it's less Minaya and more due to the fact that the Mets are starting their own sports channel (like the Yankees' YES Network). They need a need to have a marketable team by then and are overpaying for star players.

What channel is this ?

I commend Minaya for shaking things up regardless... new blood is good for new interest.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: raystorm
Maybe.. there is talk that the Mets are interested in Travis Lee. He is off an injury and could be had for cheap. They could also trade for Doug Mientkiewicz. I think the Mets need a defensive first basemen for the young infield.

In other news, the Mets picked up Miguel Cairo too...

While I agree they need a veteran 1B, why can't they also play Diaz at 1B to watch his development ? He is listed as one but they played him out in right as an experiment...

 

[raystorm]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: baoytl
I think it's less Minaya and more due to the fact that the Mets are starting their own sports channel (like the Yankees' YES Network). They need a need to have a marketable team by then and are overpaying for star players.

What channel is this ?

I commend Minaya for shaking things up regardless... new blood is good for new interest.

The new Mets network coming in 2006. They are working with Comcast and Time Warner. Yes..they do need the star power and the network has something to do with it, but do not underestimate the influence Omar has had. He made Wilpon open the checkbook and Omar visiting the players by himself helps as he can more easily relate to his fellow latinos. Also kinda helps that Wilpon himself went to PR and spoke to Beltran. Wonder if any other owner did that?

In regards to the new Mets channel..i hope cablevision subscribers like myself are not left out in the dark.

 

[baoytl]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: baoytl
I think it's less Minaya and more due to the fact that the Mets are starting their own sports channel (like the Yankees' YES Network). They need a need to have a marketable team by then and are overpaying for star players.

What channel is this ?

I commend Minaya for shaking things up regardless... new blood is good for new interest.

nydailynews

It is also the kind of failure they want to avoid in 2005, when the goal is to build a season's worth of momentum leading to a successful debut of the Mets Nework in 2006.

 

[madogvt]

Originally posted by: baoytl
I think it's less Minaya and more due to the fact that the Mets are starting their own sports channel (like the Yankees' YES Network). They need a need to have a marketable team by then and are overpaying for star players.

Perhaps. Minaya seems to be making better decisions on who to overpay (Martinez, Beltran) than the Mets made in the past . I don't know - I'm a Yankees fan.

 

[baoytl]

Originally posted by: madogvt

Originally posted by: baoytl
I think it's less Minaya and more due to the fact that the Mets are starting their own sports channel (like the Yankees' YES Network). They need a need to have a marketable team by then and are overpaying for star players.

Perhaps. Minaya seems to be making better decisions on who to overpay (Martinez, Beltran) than the Mets made in the past . I don't know - I'm a Yankees fan.

Too soon to tell. Pedro's arm might fall off a month into the season, and Beltran might turn into another Alomar.

 

[madogvt]

Originally posted by: baoytl

Originally posted by: madogvt

Originally posted by: baoytl
I think it's less Minaya and more due to the fact that the Mets are starting their own sports channel (like the Yankees' YES Network). They need a need to have a marketable team by then and are overpaying for star players.

Perhaps. Minaya seems to be making better decisions on who to overpay (Martinez, Beltran) than the Mets made in the past . I don't know - I'm a Yankees fan.

Too soon to tell. Pedro's arm might fall off a month into the season, and Beltran might turn into another Alomar.

Come on. Pedro's a baby compared to Randy Johnson.....

 

[MrDingleDangle]

im really interested in seeing what they do about 1B now...Delgado is interesting
delgado seems to have been offered deals by the mets, rangers, marlins, orioles

i think the only reason he would come to NY is he likes that there is such a strong hispanic team

and lets hope the mets get this beltran deal done soon! dont delay it so the yanks could change their minds

 

[PlatinumGold]

to those that think Minaya isn't a big reason, just look at delgado last year. delgado was a must pickup for the mets last year and they didn't close the deal. the reyes for soriano would have been a done deal if minaya was with the mets last year.

they would have gotten more for kazmir than just bensen if minaya had been with the mets last year.

no give credit where it is due, minay has been good for the mets.