Beltran Calls It A Career

One of the last players to begin his career in the 1990's has hung up the spikes. Starting his career in 1998 and spanning twenty years, Carlos Beltran has left quite a mark on the baseball world. His last official act as a Major League Baseball player was hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy over his head as a World Champion. He did so much more then that during a fine career.

Carlos spent a career that spanned twenty seasons and seven different teams, the Royals, Astros, Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees Rangers and Astros again. During that time, Carlos hit .279 with 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, 1,587 RBIs and 1,582 runs scored. His mops productive years where his years with the Royals and Mets where he averaged 25 home runs and 100 RBI's a season. After leaving the Mets, he bounced around a bit, becoming a solid role player, but not really being the lead force in the lineup that he once was. What really brought Beltran to the forefront for most baseball fans was the trade from Kansas City to Houston, and thus going off in the 2004 playoffs with the Astros.

Whenever you needed a big hit (game seven of the 2006 NLCS against the Cardinals not withstanding) Beltran was there to provide it. His eight home runs and fourtenn RBI in the 2004 playoffs are what got him really on the map as a slugger and what landed him a nice contract here in New York with the Mets. Once in the Big Apple, he really had his full skillset on display. He could crush a baseball like it was nobody's business and he made it look so easy at times too. Carlos was a good ballplayer who could do a little bit of everything well. He could field, run, throw and boy could he hit.

"I'm satisfied with my career," Beltran said. "I can see myself back in my hometown of Manati [Puerto Rico], walking to the ballpark when I was a kid, trying to become a professional ballplayer. Seeing the things that I have accomplished in the game, not a lot of guys have accomplished that. That God chose me to be one of those guys, I'm extremely blessed."

One play sticks out to me that I will never forget about Beltran in his time here in New York. It was during the 2006 season and it was a bit of an early birthday present to me. It was August 22nd in a game at Shea Stadium against the Cardinals. Albert Pujols dominated that day driving in all seven of the Cardinal runs that night, but the Mets never gave up and hung in it till the very end. Beltran came up in the 9th with a runner on and nobody out. First pitch Carlos saw he cracked into the Mets bullpen and gave them a walk off 8-7 victory and gave me an early birthday present, so I forever thank Carlos for that early birthday gift.

So thanks for the memories Carlos. You'ree talent will surely land you into Cooperstown and you were really a joy to watch patroling center field!