Carlos Beltran can finally retire with a legacy that ends with a World Series ring that took him two blood-sweat-and-tears decades to acquire. In Beltrans final MLB season, he served as a veteran bat and clubhouse OG for a young Houston Astros squad oozing with confidence and ambition.
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Carlos Beltran is reportedly retiring after 20 seasons. Here’s what he’s done during that time: 2017 World Series champion 1999 AL Rookie of the Year 2,725 hits 435 home runs 1,587 RBIs 312 stolen bases 9x All-Star 3x Golden Glove winner Congrats on the career, Carlos!
The nine-time MLB All-star and one of the greatest outfielders of his generation announced on Monday that his mission on the diamond was complete, and he was bowing out of the pro baseball rat race with honors and his share of stripes.
He did it via a piece in The Players Tribune.
Beltran, a native of Puerto Rico, played for seven teams, belted 435 home runs, stole 312 bases and had a lifetime on base plus slugging % of .835, while earning three Gold Gloves and a 1999 AL Rookie of the Year for the Kansas City Royals.
He was always considered either a saviour or leader for every team he ever blessed with his professionalism and talent. The Astros World Series win was as important for Beltran, who hit 14 regular season homers, as it was for the franchise. It allowed him to finally shake the haunting stain on his career. Helped him end the nightmares of that Adam Wainwright curveball that froze him for strike three as the Mets fell one game short of winning the NL pennant in 2006.
2006 NLCS Gm7: Wainwright fans Beltran, Cards advance
10/19/06: Cardinals closer Adam Wainwright strikes out Carlos Beltran on three pitches for the final out as the Cardinals win the NLCS Check out http://m.mlb.com/video for our full archive of videos, and subscribe on YouTube for the best, exclusive MLB content: http://youtube.com/MLB About MLB.com: Commissioner Allan H.
Beltran signed a seven-year $119 million contract with the Mets in 2005 and had some monster seasons. He’s also a .307 lifetime playoff hitter with 16 clutch homers, but when he left New York without a ring, Beltran was unfairly considered a disappointment for not pulling the trigger on that Wainwright curveball. It seems to be all New York fans remember about his tenure as a Mets basher.
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I can’t believe that Carlos Beltran is retiring. In honor of his tenure with the Mets, here is a tribute video featuring some of his best moments in a Mets uniform. Can’t wait until he’s in the HOF in a Mets cap. https://t.co/9mhkLN3ndx
Now that hes a champion, the 149 home runs, .869 OPS, and five All-Star games he produced with the Mets will be looked at more favorably in the larger scope of things. Beltran thanked the Astros for the chance to go out with such a talented group of players who he helped mentor and mold into champions.
“This is and always will be my response when someone thanks me for what Ive done in this game,” he wrote. “Because I am so eternally grateful.”
Beltran retires as another addition to the supreme Latin Lords of baseball. He has repped Puerto Rico to the fullest and carried on the tradition of Puerto Rican excellence in baseball, mentorship and service to community that was made legendary by Roberto Clemente.
Baseball has truly lost one of its great players and hopefully Beltran will continue in baseball in some capacity because his wealth of knowledge is a valuable asset for any young player trying to make half the mark that he has made in the sport of baseball.
