Carlos Beltran made one more great play in his final stance as the center fielder of the Mets. A series of injuries and father time have led the former all-star to realize that it is better for the team if he swapped spots with the younger, fleet footed, Angel Pagan. Even though most insiders believed that this was the best option for the Mets and Beltran, it is never easy for a player to publicly admit that he can no longer offer the same production that he did in his prime. (The Yankees may eventually face this scenario if Derek Jeter turns a blind eye in his continuing decline.) Being that this is a mess of a franchise, it was also expected that Mets management would mishandle the situation, marking yet another blemish to its record.
But the once proud ball club may finally be turning a corner. While this offseason has certainly been viewed as unproductive in the acquisition of player personnel, the front office has taken shape and is aligning itself to achieve championship caliber status. Ownership ultimately decided a change in guard was vital and the new philosophical stance has brought in Sandy Alderson as General Manager. Upon his arrival, Alderson made quick work establishing a regime which he deemed suitable in undertaking the difficult task of giving the franchise a “Joan Rivers’ type” facelift. With a clean slate to stamp his mark on the team, the General Manager sought out Terry Collins to manage the club. With a mix of injured and underachieving players filling out his every day lineup, the Mets are not expected to contend. Instead, it is the hope of a tired and disgruntled fan base that the team will position itself to stop the bleeding and to put a screeching halt to its ugly fall from grace. With Alderson making the personnel decisions, Collins is being asked to alter the mood of a waning roster. While the team lacks the talent needed to contend, it does however include some solid veteran leadership in left over stars, David Wright, Jose Reyes (some would argue), and Beltran.
Despite his veteran status, Carlos Beltran could have made things very difficult for his new bench boss and prove to be stubborn in refusing to see that mother nature was catching up to him. The elephant was in the room, but everyone was trying not to avoid it. An ugly situation lingered on the horizon: Who would tell the fading star that it might be best for him to man right field and let Angel Pagan take his place in the defensive line up? How would the topic come up and how would it be handled? It turns out the Mets were fortunate that the topic was answered by Carlos Beltran himself. As Spring Training swings into full gear, Beltran continues the rehabilitation process in strengthening his knee. However, Beltran had no desire to pull the wool over the team’s eyes and ultimately knew that to possibly prolong his career, he would need to change positions. In doing so, he would also open the door for Angel Pagan to carry the torch from the man he views as his mentor.
The matter through which Beltran carried out this notion should be commended. As he started his running program, the star player was seriously contemplating what his future held. Beltran first sought the opinion of the people closest to him: his wife and father, former teammate, Carlos Delgado, and of course, his agent, Scott Boras. By taking his time in analyzing those discussions, Beltran was able to easily decipher and accept the right solution for all those involved. On Monday, he sat Angel Pagan and Terry Collins down in the Mets dugout and quietly handled the matter. In doing so, Beltran gracefully diffused the situation before it was allowed to evolve and prove to be awkward and uninviting. After the unassuming meeting concluded, all three members came away with a positive outlook and admiration for one another. The Mets could not have asked for more.
While the team on the field is deemed to be lackluster and in dire need of a makeover, fans are once again asked to be patient. The rebuilding process can often seem long and drawn out, especially in an environment such as New York City. Over the past decade or so, this team as hit rock bottom as fans disgust escalated. Yet, the Mets of 2011 are already showing some signs of life. For the franchise to come full circle, it needs its leaders to take control and show it the way. While the club has brought in a new front office staff, it is now imperative for the players to buy what the check payers are selling. For the franchise to once again be successful, it needs everyone to be on the same page. In the manner through which he handled his own situation, Carlos Beltran single-handedly gave Mets fans something to cheer about. But do not get too excited Mets fans, as AC/DC famously quipped, “It’s a long way to the top, if you wanna rock and roll.”
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