PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -Carlos Beltran wants to win a championship with the New York Mets and he’s beginning to run out of time.
The smooth-as-silk center fielder arrived at spring training Tuesday entering the fifth season of a $119 million, seven-year contract. Frustrated by consecutive September collapses, he’s already thinking about what the Mets must do to finally fulfill their playoff expectations.
“To go through that for two years in a row is very difficult. There’s no team in baseball that has done what we have done,” Beltran said. “It’s hard to let it go, but you have to. You have to do the best you can to let it go and be able to learn, of course. Learn to maybe not take anything for granted.”
With all the talent on this roster the past few years, is he surprised he hasn’t reached a World Series with the Mets?
hat is going to be able to help us, and they have done an unbelievable job.
“Now, with the bullpen that we have and the rotation that we have and the lineup that we have, I believe we have another great team. It will depend on us how far we go,” he added.
Beltran has done his part, especially the past three seasons after a rough introduction to New York in 2005. The switch-hitter batted .284 with 27 homers and 112 RBIs last year, winning his third straight Gold Glove. He had 40 doubles, 25 stolen bases, 92 walks and 116 runs scored, which ranked second in the NL.
Beltran twice reached Game 7 of the NL championship series. He made it that far with Houston in 2004, and looked at strike three with the bases loaded to end the Mets’ 3-1 loss to St. Louis in 2006.
A four-time All-Star, Beltran also played in every game but one in 2008 following offseason surgery on both knees. He said he feels “200 percent” better heading into this spring.
“He looks like he’s in great shape,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. “Last year was his fourth year here? Really? He’s got to win one now, don’t he? He’s got to win one. So I think he’s ready to win one. … I really feel very good about him going into the season. If he remains healthy, just really look for big things from him.”
Beltran and Pedro Martinez arrived in New York the same season Manuel joined the coaching staff.
that deal!” Manuel said, laughing.
Beltran, who turns 32 in April, took batting practice Tuesday with other outfielders and lashed several line drives to the gaps from the left side of the plate. He will join Mets teammates Carlos Delgado and Pedro Feliciano on Puerto Rico’s squad in the World Baseball Classic.
“I think the WBC is big for him and I think it prepares him well for the season,” Manuel said.
Manuel plans to tinker with the lineup this year, perhaps dropping Jose Reyes from the leadoff spot to third in the order and moving Beltran from cleanup to No. 2 – a spot he excelled in with Houston.
“I don’t think about 2-hole, 3-hole, 4-hole,” Beltran said. “I don’t care. When you’re good, you can be in any hole.”
When he arrived at camp, new closer Francisco Rodriguez called the Mets the “team to beat.” That was the same surprising boast the normally quiet Beltran made last February, taking a playful shot at Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
Asked what he thought of K-Rod’s proclamation this year, Beltran said with a smile: “I agree with him.”
But he was less amused by Phillies ace Cole Hamels, who called the Mets “choke artists” this offseason.
“He made a comment. The only thing that I know is that he will be watched every time he faces us and hopefully we kill him,” Beltran said, then smiled. “Then he has to deal with the situation.”
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