Are the Astros going to visit Carlos Beltran at his home or are they going to just hope he picks Houston over NY Mets? I know we don't hear all the Astros do, but it sure would be nice to see how far or how little they have done to try their best in signing Beltran.
Uhh Do What? You want to come here and say that "Sources" tell you he'll be signed before the end of '04. Now you want to question the Astros tactics. You're fired.
Fox reported that the original offer of 5 years 70 million dollars with the 6th year at 14 million dollars, with a possible 5 million dollar buyout (therefore making the deal a guaranted 75 million dollars) has been changed. It is reported that the Astros have now guarenteed the 6th year, making the offer 6 years, 84 million dollars. The Astros hope to hear back by mid-week, meanwhile the Mets will meet with him in PR tomorrow. Nothing really all that new to report --------- just sharing it.
As soon as I saw this new thread I thought there was new "fresh" news on Beltran. I got excited for a min.
When is the Astros deadline to sign Beltran? [I read somewhere that is was the secong week of January]
Bad news. According to NY newspapers, the Mets just might cave into Boras' ridiculous demands and give Beltran an 8 year deal in the $120+ mil level. I don't know what the Mets are thinking. Are they really hoping to be a competitor just by horrendously overpaying for FA? I mean, isn't that why they've been such a screwed up franchise til now? The Yankees, despite shelling out big big bucks, at least do so intelligently and put up perenial contenders year to year. The Mets seems to sign marqee FA just for the sake of doing so.
if he goes to anyone but the astros.....i hope he goes to the mets and never does anything but lose!!!!.....if he goes to the mets its all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$......but i still believe he will be an astro in 205 along with roger......that would be beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's some news that I heard on the radio that the Yankees are taking themselves out of the race. They said that they got it from the NY Times. Here's an article I found - ON BASEBALL Yanks Don't Want Beltran? Now That's Big By MURRAY CHASS Published: January 4, 2005 LET'S select the five most intriguing stories of the off-season. In this opinion, they would be the Mets' signing of Pedro MartÃ_nez, Boston's signing of David Wells, the Yankees' acquisition of Randy Johnson, Oakland's trades of Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, and Washington's attempt to lose the Expos before it had them. Advertisement Free IQ Test But if a weekend signal is accurate, the most intriguing story has yet to happen. If it does happen, it will be a nonmove, as opposed to the MartÃ_nez, Wells, Johnson, Hudson and Mulder moves. The nonmove? The Yankees will not sign Carlos Beltran, the most attractive, and expensive, position player on the free-agent market. But it's not just that the Yankees will not be signing Beltran. The story would be that the Yankees will not even try to sign him. That was the surprising signal from a baseball official over the weekend. The official, who is in a position to hear such things, heard last week that the Yankees did not plan to pursue Beltran. "Someone told me the other day, if they get Johnson they wouldn't go after Beltran," the official, who refused to be named, said. "Even the Yankees have to have a limit." No one has ever accused George Steinbrenner of having a payroll limit. What an awful thing to say about the freest-spending owner in the Western world. Sure, once in a while Brian Cashman, the Yankees' general manager, mutters something about a budget, and he tries to sound sincere. The Yankees, like all teams, are also required to submit a budget to the commissioner's office, which they have done for this year. But just like records, budgets are meant to be broken. Beltran's becoming a victim of a Yankees budget wouldn't simply be the most intriguing story of this off-season; it would be the most stunning development in years. It would also crush Scott Boras, Beltran's agent, who is counting not only on the Yankees' interest but also on what would be a rare instance of the Yankees and the Mets directly competing for a player. To have the Yankees yank their interest, just when the Mets are heating up theirs, would be a cruel trick to play on Boras. But then some clubs say Boras has been a cruel trick that has been played on them for years. Mets officials, including the team's principal owner, Fred Wilpon, met with Beltran in Puerto Rico yesterday. They made no offer but are expected to make one this week. The Yankees, including Steinbrenner, the principal owner, have met with Beltran, too; they have made no offer. In fact, when Cashman was asked about Beltran last week, he said, "We have to decide if we're going to be a player in this." The reporters on the conference call who heard Cashman's comment had a hearty chuckle in private; of course the Yankees were going to be a player in the bidding for Beltran, a major player. But Cashman may have been speaking the truth. The Yankees had not decided what they would do about Beltran, who batted .435, slugged 8 home runs and drove in 14 runs in Houston's 12 playoff games in October. Some Yankees officials know what they would like to do. Giving Beltran $17 million or more a year for seven or more years would be too much money over too long a period. That thinking is presumably what led to what the baseball official heard about the Yankees' not pursuing Beltran if they acquired Johnson. The Yankees should have Johnson by the end of the week. With Commissioner Bud Selig's reluctant approval yesterday of the trade with Arizona, the Yankees can begin negotiating a contract extension with Johnson today, under a 72-hour window. When they complete that negotiation, no later than Friday morning, Johnson will waive his no-trade protection. But a wild card remains in the Beltran business. And the wild card's name is Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner has said that he likes Beltran, but that he has not said if he wants him. Every other Yankees executive can be opposed to giving Beltran $17 million or more a year for seven or more years, but if the owner says do it, they will ask Boras, "Where do we send the money?" If the Mets are prepared to offer Beltran a hefty contract, Boras would have no problem putting Beltran into a Mets uniform. Boras's history demonstrates that he is more interested in contract terms than geographical location, and the Mets are serious about wanting to sign Beltran. This is not a Vladimir Guerrero escapade of last off-season, when the Mets made a ridiculously low offer. The Mets' offer will be competitive. But Boras would still prefer to have the Yankees join the competition. Steinbrenner could be lured into competing for Beltran because of his hitting, fielding and base-running talents - or because the Mets want him. Historically, when the Mets have done something major, Steinbrenner has tried to counter with a major move. When the Mets signed MartÃ_nez last month, the Yankees intensified their efforts to acquire Johnson. If the Mets were to sign Beltran, the Yankees would probably be left without a major move as retaliation. So the more spirited an effort the Mets make for Beltran, the more tempted Steinbrenner may be to ignore his advisers and go after Beltran himself. Should Steinbrenner choose to sit out the chase, though, his decision would become the No. 1 story of the winter. LinkLink
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2976744 Mets meet with Beltran Owner, GM fly to Puerto Rico to court outfielder By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle With a contingent led by owner Fred Wilpon and general manager Omar Minaya, the New York Mets visited All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran and agent Scott Boras in Puerto Rico on Monday. According to a person close to the situation, the Mets did not make an offer during their meeting, which was attended by Wilpon, Minaya, assistant GM Jim Duquette and special assistant Tony Bernazard. Wilpon is the third baseball owner to meet with Beltran and Boras since the Yankees' George Steinbrenner started the get-acquainted meetings in Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 21. Astros owner Drayton McLane met with Boras and Beltran on Dec. 22 in Kissimmee, Fla., making what McLane called a substantial offer. The Astros must re-sign Beltran by Jan. 8 or lose all negotiating rights with the Puerto Rican star until May 1. The price at this time is reportedly at seven years and around $112 million or $119 million. Minaya, who already pulled a recruiting coup this winter by getting ace righthander Pedro Martinez to leave the World Series champion Boston Red Sox to pitch in Queens, has known Beltran since Beltran was 18. Bernazard, a former Puerto Rican ballplayer who was the top-ranking Latino in the Players' Association until he took a job with the Mets this winter, also has a relationship with Beltran because of his work with the union. The Mets hope to lure Beltran with the chance to be their star of the future. The Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs also are trying to land Beltran. McLane and Boras had negotiating sessions last Wednesday and Thursday, but McLane still was unsure where the Astros stood. "I haven't heard from Scott Boras since Thursday," McLane said Monday evening as he boarded a plane from Houston to Dallas, where he will be on business the next two days. Boras has made it clear that Beltran is no longer considering teams that aren't willing to give him a seven-year deal. Beltran, 27, had 38 home runs with 104 RBIs and 42 stolen bases with the Astros and Kansas City Royals in 2004. The five-tool switch-hitter raised his stock in the playoffs, hitting .435 with eight homers, 14 RBIs and six stolen bases over 12 games while leading the Astros in the National League Championship Series. Beltran, who has had 100 RBIs and 100 runs in five of his past six seasons, is the only player in baseball history to compile four consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs, 100 runs, 100 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He also is only one of seven center fielders in baseball history to compile four consecutive seasons with 20 home runs and 100 RBIs, joining Joe DiMaggio, Ken Griffey Jr., Willie Mays, Dale Murphy, Duke Snider and Hack Wilson. Of that group, only Beltran and DiMaggio accomplished the feat by the age of 27. Since 1900, Beltran is the only player to collect four consecutive seasons with 100 runs, 100 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. Hall of Famer George Sisler and Barry Bonds are the only players to accomplish those feats in three consecutive seasons. DiMaggio, Griffey (five seasons), Mays (seven seasons) and Snider (five) are the only five center fielders to collect 100 runs, 20 home runs and 100 RBIs for four straight seasons.
If it takes 120 mil I'd like to wave good bye to Carlos. It was nice while it lasted. Sign Delgado and Lowe. I think that would be roughly the same amount of money for Carlos. Switch Delgado from 1st to 3rd and have Lowe Become our 3rd starter behind Oswalt and Pettite (assuming Clemens retire since Beltran ain't returning). And give Lance the extension he deserves dammit.
I agree about waving goodbye if the salary demands gets past 120 million. Vlad Guerrero signed a decent sized deal (5 years, $75 million) last year when he was considered the gem FA. Boras is an ass, plain and simple and I say that only because he is good at what he does. He spindoctors and manipulates stats and compares modern players to legends. The problem is the game isn't the same anymore. The difference between $84 million and $120 million is vast, but its millions of dollars, exactly how much money do you want and need? If the Astros bow out of the auction, my initial reaction will be anger, but if it means being able to keep Oswalt and Berkman, then I will be relieved.
beltran is an amazing young player but why should he get more money money then say vladmir guerrero? i'm perfectly happy with the offer the astros made but if someone else wants to outbid us and imo grossly overpay then we have to let him walk. there's other free agents we can fill holes with.
32 yr old 1st baseman who have never played 3rd base simply do not get switched to 3rd. The two positions are totally different. Going from 3rd to 1st can be done because you are going from a more demanding postion to a lesser one. But the result of going from 1st to 3rd would be astronomically bad. The Astros simply do not have a need for Delgado, there are plenty of players on the roster that can man 1st for us.
I caught a little of Mike and Mike this morning in the 5 o'clock hour. Bustner Olney was on and was asked about the Beltran sweepstakes. Keep in mind he covered the Yankees for quite some time so his opinion obviously will have some bias. He said it's between the Yankees and Mets. If George wants to outdue the Mets then Beltran will wind up a Yankee. If the Yankees decide their payroll can't take the hit (been brought up internally) then he would sign with the Mets. He also said the Astros have no shot.
This is one of the better posts in this thread. I can't believe no one else has responded to it. I think a lot of people forget about these figures when they look at offers for Carlos. When you put bids side by side the 'Stros look like they are low-balling him but in actuality they are competitive. I bet if he signs a contract in Houston for a significantly lower amount than was offered in NY, the media and Mets and Yankees still spin it like he took a huge paycut, when really the offers are comparable due to the tax issues.
