Guys, I have one question about Beltran and I would like to hear your responses and see if you agree with my assesment. Is Carlos playing his way out of Houston? Before you misunderstand what I'm asking, here's what I mean. Could this guy be playing so good that he's playing his way right out of the Astros hands? The money that he and Scott Boras will be asking for will probably be out of the Astros reach. What do you guys think?
uhh.... you want him to stop playing well, so he'll become affordable to the Astros??? That's opening up a can of worms that I'm not touching. The guy is an amazing talent... and if he gets to 40/40, I expect Boras' asking price will be in the range of the top 3 contracts in baseball. Of course, you could also look at the situation in reverse... since the Astros are now winning, it only gets him more "attached" to the clubhouse, and the atmosphere. He obviously would like it better here if we are winning, rather than him putting up the big numbers and the team still falling flat. Even though it probably won't end up mattering much in the end, the fact that the Astros are winning right now only served to increase the slim chances that he would sign here.
I didn't say that I didn't want him to play well. You didn't read the question correctly. All I'm basically asking is if he commands that type of money in the offseason, will the Astros even be in the running to re-sign him?
Ah...my bad... well in that case, probably not. He's a really really really tremendous talent, in fact he may be the only 5-tool outfielder playing at this high of a level right now. And if the Yankees sign him, it wouldn't just be because they want to buy all the best players at whatever cost... it would be because they actually NEED a viable replacement in CF, now that Bernie Williams is getting up there in age and is looking to DH everyday.
I think Beltran's value in FA this offseason wasn't going to be affected much by his play as an Astro. The guy is quite simply way too rare a player in baseball. He's a CF with great range, has speed on the basepaths, hits for power, and has great plate discipline. Both the Red Sox and the Yankees are not going to be detered by a mediocre 1/2 season from spending the big bucks on him. The Astros either have to hope that Beltran REALLY likes it here and sign for less, or just simply be glad that in baseball, you can get 2 1st round picks for losing someone like Beltran.
i think he's awesome.... he plays hard, so i will cheer for him where ever he goes after this season.... btw, it's kinda sad, that he has more HR's w/ the astros then any other player on the team and he's only been w/ us right before the all-star break.....tells you how much are power numbers are down this season....
In actuality, he and Bagwell both have 21 HRs with the Astros and Berkman is ahead of them both with 25.
I expect the Astros to make a competitive offer. It will not be the top, but I expect it to be within 10%. The question comes down to whether the organization, the city, and the lack of a state income tax will be enough to tip the scales.
He is going to be expensive regardless as long as he has Mr. Boras on his side. He is going to be payed as a superstar 5-tool player not for what he did or did not do as an Astro. We are at his mercy. QED.
ya, i went backed and looked...and i overlooked berkman... =) ....but still, he's smashing the hell out of the ball.....on the road that is, now only if he can do it at Minute Maid...
He's been plagued by bad MMP #'s... but his BA for the year is still around .270 (combine AL and NL), and his lifetime BA is .285... which is high enough for a player with the 4 other tools.
One thing the Astros clubhouse has going for it in the Beltran derby is the 2 former Yankees who took less to play in Houston. They could drop a line or 2 in the Astros favor even though Beltran wouldn' be playing at home like they are.
That is true, but I was responding to the poster who said that Beltran had more HRs while with Houston than any of the Astros.
