With all the denial surrounding the Mets right now (money issues won't affect the team, the Mets are a contender), it's refreshing to see someone associated with the team acknowledge a situation and take positive steps to rectify it. Carlos Beltran has decided to move from center to right field.
Apparently, Beltran was the one who approached Terry Collins about making the switch. So Beltran comes off well for initiating the move, while the new manager deserves credit for a smooth transition.
Compare this situation to last summer, when Beltran returned to the lineup. Jerry Manuel not only put Beltran back in center field, but batted him cleanup. Manuel's moves coincided with the Mets, eight games over .500 at the All-Star break, collapsing right after that. Beltran hit .204 in July and .227 in August with two homers - not exactly cleanup material. And he was clearly not his old self in center field.
At this point, it doesn't matter if Manuel or Beltran or both deserve blame for the poor decisions of last summer. In 2011, both Beltran and Collins deserve credit for helping this Met team make a fresh start and create some positive feelings around the team for a change.
***
Happy Birthday, Squawker Lisa!
1 comment:
If you really wanted to wish Lisa a Happy Birthday, you could have pointed out that Beltran was willing to switch positions for the good of the team (or, at least, with the hope for that)... and Derek Jeter wouldn't and still won't.
Of course, this switch won't mean anything if Beltran can't stay healthy and doesn't leave the bat on his shoulder. A man's talent (and his has occasionally been immense) means nothing unless he can, and does, use it. And with what he's getting paid, Beltran should have Bobby Richardson character and Mickey Mantle stats. The former seems to still be in the place; can a good chunk of the latter be recovered?
Post a Comment