[Hou Chron] Beltran likes cash; Astros love victories (2 Articles)

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Beltran likes cash; Astros love victories

By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Let's give Carlos Beltran the longest and loudest ovation he has ever heard when he returns to Minute Maid Park tonight.

Seriously.

Just because you're inclined to boo him, just because fans in Philadelphia and Chicago would boo him, well, that doesn't mean you should.

Hey, things worked out for both sides. Everyone got what was important to them.

You've got a nice young team to cheer for. Beltran has a boatload of money.

So shower him with love. Leave the pettiness to me.

Give him what he's not expecting. Give him more love than he's getting at Shea Stadium these days.

So surprise him. Besides, booing proves nothing. If Beltran gets the business tonight, he'll shrug and say: "Figures."

That's why you should cheer.


Thank him for memories
Let him know you haven't forgotten that he contributed to the best six weeks of baseball this city has ever had. Let him know you appreciate every home run, stolen base and diving catch.

Thank him for a stretch when the Astros were one of the first things you thought about in the morning and one of the last things you thought about at night.

Let him know you understand his value stretched beyond mere numbers and that you don't begrudge him for squeezing every last cent from the system.

Did he lie? Sure, he did.

He said he was about more than money. He wasn't. He said he wanted a place where he could be comfortable, where he could grow and win. He said money was one consideration, but not the consideration.

In the end, it was about nothing except greenbacks.

He hired an agent, Scott Boras, who believes money is pretty much the only thing that matters.

Beltran might be realizing too late that he should have considered things other than money.


With Mets came spotlight
He apparently wanted to play for the New York Yankees. He wanted to be in a clubhouse with Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez because their star power would have allowed him to fly under the radar screen.

The Yankees weren't interested, and Beltran was forced to settle for the Mets. The Astros dropped out of the bidding at around $100 million. The Mets signed him for $119 million.

From the moment Beltran became The $119-Million Man, he was wrapped in expectations he couldn't deliver upon.

He could have done it differently.

When the Astros offered him $75 million over five years, a National League general manager said: "That's a fair offer. That's what we're willing to pay him."

Beltran treated that offer as if it were minimum wage. After all, Vladimir Guerrero had signed with the Angels for $75 million.

Boras let the Astros know that Beltran was a far better player than Guerrero. Except that he's not. He's not nearly as good.

The Astros bought in to the myth. They bumped their offer to to $84 million and then to $100 million.

They offered more than he's worth because Beltran had done spectacular things in October. He has a magnificent set of skills.

Drayton McLane and a lot of others believed Beltran was bound for glory. Except that even $100 million wasn't enough.

Boras wanted more. When negotiations collapsed with the Astros, he said McLane's refusal to include a no-trade clause in the contract had killed the deal.

"All economic issues had been resolved," Boras said.

McLane said otherwise. He said he could never pin Boras down on either the length or value of the contract.

Not that it matters now.

Beltran's departure forced the Astros to make their spring training an open tryout camp for young players. They've used eight rookies. They've been exciting, interesting, frustrating, and finally, competitive.

Despite all the changes, they're right back where they usually are — contending for the playoffs. They could be headed for a sixth playoff appearance in nine years.

The thing is, Beltran would have loved playing for this team. He would have enjoyed the closeness and the winning.

The Astros shouldn't be complaining. Their minimum-wage center fielder, Willy Taveras, is hitting .295. Morgan Ensberg is a better offensive player than Beltran. And with various pieces, a Mike Lamb here and a Chad Qualls there, they've constructed a contender.

Beltran got what he wanted, too. He got the cash.

Boras is the best agent on earth because he can always find one fool willing to pay any price.

The Mets were the fools. Beltran got an extraordinary amount of money for a player who has hit 30 home runs once and batted .300 twice.

He batted .258 during the final two months of last season. Until he made the playoffs his own personal stage, hitting .435 with eight home runs and 14 RBIs in 12 games, he was more potential than production.

At the moment, he's nothing special. He entered Wednesday's game at Colorado hitting .266 with 12 home runs, 53 RBIs and five stolen bases.

These numbers don't reflect what he'll probably become. Once he's comfortable, once he's allowed to simply play baseball instead of be Superman, he may be as good as the Mets believe he'll be.

Which has nothing to do with tonight. Tonight is about thanking him for the memories. And for the way things have worked out.

Check out SportsJustice, Richard Justice's blog at www.chron.com/blogs. richard.justice@chron.com

 

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Beltran's back, but Taveras holding own

Rookie CF providing lots of speed in leadoff spot

By NEIL HOHLFELD
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Carlos Beltran returns to a place tonight that's certain to bring back memories. It won't be like coming home — since Houston was hardly home, merely a temporary stop on the road to New York. But the ride from June 24 to Oct. 21 was one to remember.

The last time Beltran played in Minute Maid Park was Oct. 18, the night of what might be the most exciting game in Astros playoff history. After the 3-0 victory over St. Louis on Jeff Kent's ninth-inning homer, everything seemed so bright.

Then came two losses at Busch Stadium and the negotiations that eventually ended with Beltran signing with the Mets. The Astros were left with a shell of last year's team, and they stumbled to a 15-30 record by May 24.

Funny thing. That 36-10 rumble late last season turned out not to be a fluke. The Astros are 39-17 since May 24 and again are threatening to get into the playoffs.

The Mets are holding their own at 52-49, but bigger things were expected with free agents Beltran and Pedro Martinez and the team's $100 million-plus payroll.

Center field for the Astros?

Well, the saying about one door opening as another one shuts applies. Had Beltran stayed, Willy Taveras would be in the minors. Taveras may not yet be in Beltran's class, but he adds some zest that the Astros have been lacking recently.

"I know I'm not the player he is, but I know what I can do," Taveras said. "I hit the ball on the ground, and I run and try to make things happen."

And he bunts. Taveras had another bunt hit in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over Philadelphia, his 21st this season. Taveras said Beltran talked to him about using his strengths last September after Taveras was called up from the minors.

"We talked a lot, and he helped me," Taveras said. "I asked him a lot of questions. He told me that if you get a chance to play, just play. Don't worry about it. Don't put pressure on yourself. Let it happen. (Beltran) leaving opened a spot for me. I feel blessed and lucky to be in the right place at the right time."

Here is a look at the center fielders for this weekend's series:


Comparing their stats
After Wednesday's game, Beltran is hitting .267 with 12 homers, 54 RBIs and five stolen bases. He has a .315 on-base percentage and .436 slugging percentage. Point of reference: Brad Ausmus (.335) has a better OBP, Jason Lane (.479) a better slugging percentage.

Taveras is hitting .295 with three homers, 19 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. He has a .328 on-base average and .363 slugging percentage. A leadoff man who walks only 15 times in 383 at-bats has yet to learn patience at the plate.

Last year, Beltran stole 28 bases without being caught while with the Astros. Before this season, he had 192 career steals and an 88.7 percent success ratio. He has five stolen bases in seven attempts. What gives? He had some leg problems earlier this year, but it's time to show a few more of those five tools.

Take a deep breath. Here are the categories in which Taveras leads major-league rookies: hits (113), runs (53), singles (96), stolen bases (24) and total bases (139). He hit .343 in June and is hitting .329 in July.


No defense for this
Though he let a routine fly ball fall that led to two runs last week, Beltran can still glide after a ball and make it look like he's going to catch it in his hip pocket. He is an instinctive outfielder, a joy to watch.

Taveras? There are times this season when he has looked like Willie Mays. Now. And Mays is 74 years old. He has problems getting a read on balls hit right at him, which is sort of important for a center fielder.


Small ball
Beltran knew that New York wouldn't be like Kansas City or Houston, but he probably didn't figure he'd get booed for laying down a bunt. That's what happened last week at Shea Stadium when he bunted with two on and no one out in the third inning. Seems some of the Mets fans didn't think "bunting" was one of the five tools that earned Beltran the seven-year, $119 million contract.

Taveras, meanwhile, leads the majors with 21 bunt hits. When they come at home — where Taveras is hitting .359 — Minute Maid Park comes to life. For years, the Astros have looked for a speedy leadoff man who can bunt and steal bases. They've got one.

neil.hohlfeld@chron.com

 

You know, somehow, for some reason, I don't mind the bashing!!! Can't figure out why though? OH well.