Originally posted on Midwestropolitan.
News about Carlos Beltran’s new knee brace just adds to the confusing injury saga that leaves Mets’ fans with dozens of questions.
I spent some time today scrawling through comment sections about Carlos Beltran and I can’t help wondering, what is it about Beltran that is so polarizing?
He is an immensely talented baseball player that the Mets have invested $119 million dollars in.
Is it the large contract that some people have an issue with?
I often think that even if he averaged 35 homers, over 110 RBI, with a .300 batting average, it still wouldn’t be good enough for some.
Maybe it is his quiet demeanor.
I have watched Beltran play for the last several years and he always carries himself with a calm and almost placid look as he goes about his business.
He rarely shows emotion, whether it be with fellow teammates or towards opposing players. I don’t think that many people can relate to that. It is almost the complete opposite from which many chest thumping, look at me now, athletes carry themselves today.
He must not care.
Is it the grace in which he plays the game?
As a former (and very average, mind you) center fielder, I am amazed at how easy he makes the position look. Even when he is tracking down a fly ball behind him at full speed it looks like he is almost jogging.
There are two common insults Beltran is saddled with by the public.
1. He is soft.
Injury prone, I give you. Soft? I don’t think so. Anyone that can come back and play at the level that Beltran has after the collision he had with Mike Cameron can not be labeled soft.
Beltran/Cameron Collision
2. He is selfish.
How soon we forget. There aren’t too many players that would take two young players under their wings like Carlos Beltran did with David Wright and Jose Reyes.
Don’t forget about the selfish Beltran Foundation that raises money for youth in Harlem and in his home of Puerto Rico.
One of the most ludicrous complaints about Beltran’s selfishness is that he doesn’t want to come back and play for the Mets. This point almost kills the selfish argument itself.
Why would a player coming up on a contract year not want to work to get back on the field? Every week Beltran misses this year hurts him at the negotiating table.
I am just as frustrated as the rest of my fellow Mets fans in terms of Beltran’s injury. It is fair to label Beltran as injury prone. But let’s not get out of control here. Let’s stop kicking him while he’s down.
I’m pretty sure that we are no where close to being as frustrated as Carlos Beltran.