COUNT ON BELTRAN [Article]

[blueNorange]

Article

April 3, 2007 -- ST. LOUIS - In the first game of the season, Carlos Beltran nailed a runner at home, his throw gunning down the Cardinals' David Eckstein on the fly. Beltran added an RBI single, and he reached base two times.

Beltran's Opening Night was an additional argument why he may be a better all-around player than every major leaguer in the game, other than Albert Pujols. Looking at all the facets that a player can possess, Beltran has no minuses.

"He's one of the best ones in terms of everything that he brings to the game. Offense, defense, power, speed," Tom Glavine said regarding where Beltran ranks among players Glavine has played with in his career.

"That's why he gets paid what he gets paid. He's a pretty special player. You always hear the term 'five-tool guys' thrown around a lot and there's not many of them in the game, but he's definitely one of them."

Beltran is being paid $119 million over seven years - he's in the third year of his contract and is set to earn $12 million this season - and on Sunday night in the Mets' 6-1 season-debuting victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, he had a key hit at the plate and a key play in the field.

In the fourth with the Mets up 4-0 on ace righty Chris Carpenter, Beltran drove in Jose Reyes with an RBI single to center. Two innings later, Eckstein was on second base with one out when Preston Wilson singled to center.

"I think maybe they thought [Beltran] was going to throw it into second base because we had a [four]-run lead," Paul Lo Duca said, "and Carlos came up firing and he threw a bullet to home."

Added Lo Duca, "Right on the money. There's not many people who can do that, especially from center field."


Beltran, however, excels at so many things besides that. When looking at the best players in the league, it's difficult to name someone other than Pujols who is finer.

He is a switch-hitting Gold Glover who hits 40 homers, gets on base with great frequency (his .388 on-base percentage last year was best on the Mets) and has the number-one stolen base percentage in MLB history (.876) for players who have stolen a minimum of 200 bags.

Beltran's also had a terrific playoff career, owning a .366 average, which is third-best ever for players with at least 80 at-bats, behind Lou Brock and Paul Molitor.

Beltran, who turns 30 three weeks from today, has homered every 7.45 playoff at-bats, which is better than any person who has ever tallied 50 career playoff at-bats. He's gone deep 11 times in 82 turns.

He is also the third-place hitter in the Mets' lineup and is the top player on the team.

Other than Pujols, it's hard to find another player as exceptional - and as broadly skilled - as Beltran. Even only one game into the season, it's possible he may be the second-best player in the league.

[Luv those Knicks]

Cool article.

I knew about the fielding - that throw was great.

and everybody knows about his hitting



but I didn't know this:

He is a switch-hitting Gold Glover who hits 40 homers, gets on base with great frequency (his .388 on-base percentage last year was best on the Mets) and has the number-one stolen base percentage in MLB history (.876) for players who have stolen a minimum of 200 bags.

Beltran's also had a terrific playoff career, owning a .366 average, which is third-best ever for players with at least 80 at-bats, behind Lou Brock and Paul Molitor.

Beltran, who turns 30 three weeks from today, has homered every 7.45 playoff at-bats, which is better than any person

He's worth every penny we paid him.

[Jose7]

Yep... I feel so about his first year because I was a tough critic of his. I booed at Shea, I guess the expectations for year one was tough but he is a great player and arguably the best 2 way outfielder in the game.

[Remember the Past]

Cool article.

I knew about the fielding - that throw was great.

and everybody knows about his hitting



but I didn't know this:

He is a switch-hitting Gold Glover who hits 40 homers, gets on base with great frequency (his .388 on-base percentage last year was best on the Mets) and has the number-one stolen base percentage in MLB history (.876) for players who have stolen a minimum of 200 bags.

Beltran's also had a terrific playoff career, owning a .366 average, which is third-best ever for players with at least 80 at-bats, behind Lou Brock and Paul Molitor.

Beltran, who turns 30 three weeks from today, has homered every 7.45 playoff at-bats, which is better than any person

He's worth every penny we paid him.

yea I didn't know that either, He would prolly get alot more money if he was in this last fa clas.

[Manhattan Project]

Make no mistake about it having Delgado to protect him and to speak to has helped him a lot. I think we can all agree we where harsh on him the first year, but man did he shut up everyone last year.

[ElMatatan]

Count on Beltran to never let go of the bat.