Beltran Has To Go?

Steve Phillips was the GM of a team that went to the World Series. Steve Phillips acquired David Wright and Jose Reyes. Steve Phillips is an idiot.

During the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast on ESPN between the Mets and Giants tonight, the booth got to talking about Carlos Beltran. Steve Phillips said (and I'm paraphrasing) that Jose Reyes is a guy you build around and David Wright is a guy you build around. But when I look at Carlos Beltran and his $17m price tag you have to question if that's where you want to go in the future.

Wow, Wow Wow.

In 2005, Beltran's first year with the Mets he was a bust, no ifs ands or buts about that. Coming off likely the best performance in a playoff series ever, Beltran cashed in on the Mets. His first season with them had unrealistic expectations that noone could live up to, but regardless Beltran was still bad only putting up 1.9 WAR. However, since then Beltran's been one of the most productive players in all of baseball. From 2006-2008 Beltran was worth 7, 4.9. and 6.7 wins. And so far this year he's been worth 1.9, already. Even counting pitchers, Beltran is easily a top 20 player. Steve Phillips pointed to the strikeout against Wainwright in the 2006 NLCS, and a time Beltran didn't slide into home as evidence that Beltran isn't a "winning" ballplayer, and likely not worth his pricetag. Last year Beltran got paid $18.6m. What was he worth? Just a cool $30.1m.

It's incredible that a former General Manager can't appreciate the things Beltran does well, which is everything. Beltran hits for average, hits for power, and gets on base. He plays gold glove defense in center and is among the best baserunners in the entire game. However, Beltran doesn't bat .300 and he doesn't make diving plays in center, so it seems as though people overlook him (although you would still expect a GM to realize these things over an average fan, but I guess not) when talking about the games elite players. If Beltran had the same OBP but hit .300 instead of .280 and dove all over the field I bet everyone would take notice of what he does. Instead, people mistake the ease at which Beltran plays with him being indifferent to the outcome of the game.

If the Tigers, Indians, Rays, Pirates, or Dodgers play on Sunday Night Baseball this year I bet you will hear Phillips get a hard on for Granderson, Sizemore, Upton, McLouth, and Kemp. That won't necessarily be undeserved but Beltran is better than all of them yet he's the problem for the Mets? Idiot.