Beltran Loves The All-Star Game

Steve Popper at North Jersey, writes about Carlos Beltran and how he feels about the All-Star game:

"That's the way I look at it," Beltran said. "Some people probably go there to have fun. I want to have fun. I want to enjoy every moment of it. But I also will try to take advantage of the opportunity.

"Last year I went with [Albert] Pujols to the cage. We worked together. He was showing me the drills that he does, why it worked for him. Sometimes it works for you, sometimes it doesn't. It doesn't work for everybody. But at least I have an idea of what he does. Maybe you can add that to your game and it can make you better."

The Quad Is Fine

David Lennon at On The Mets Beat, writes about Carlos Beltran and that he says that his quad is OK:

After creating a media tempest this weekend by mentioning his leg problems as a possible cause of his slump, Beltran did an about face following batting practice.

"I don't want to talk about the quad anymore," Beltran said. "The quad is fine. I don't know what you guys are trying to do. You guys go write whatever you want. Let's talk about baseball. I'm tired of talking about it."

Beltran Remains Favorite For All-Star

Anthony Di Como at Mets.com, writes about Carlos Beltran and him leading the All-Star voting:

Carlos Beltran has seen some tough times recently, his effectiveness sapped first by a prolonged slump, and then by a frightening injury.Mets fans don't care. And why should they? He's still Carlos Beltran, the very same Carlos Beltran who's been an All-Star in each of the past three seasons, and who led the Mets last year with 41 home runs. This year is shaping up no differently, as Beltran -- despite his woes -- remains the National League's leading vote-getter with 758,457, joining David Wright, Jose Reyes and Paul Lo Duca as tops at their positions through two weeks of voting.

Beltran On His Way To A Repeat

At Rotoworld, they write about Carlos Beltran and how he's on his way to repeating his performance from last year:

Carlos Beltran drove in the only run of the game in a Mets' 1-0 win over the Nationals on Sunday with a solo homer off starter Jason Bergmann.

Beltran has started right where he left off in the 2006 campaign, batting .333 with five homers, four steals, and 22 RBI in 23 games played. He's well on his way to a full repeat of last year's stellar season.

Met Kleptos

At Rotoworld, they write about Carlos Beltran, jose Reyes and them stealing two bases each last night:

Carlos Beltran stole a pair of bases and added two of the Mets' 13 hits in an 8-1 defeat of the Phillies on Tuesday.

Jose Reyes also had two hits and a pair of stolen bases, giving him a major league-leading eight. Every Met starter reached base at least once, and all but Carlos Delgado and Paul Lo Duca scored or drove in a run. The club is out to a fast 8-4 start.

Beltran On Division Race

Johnette Howard at Newsday, writes about Carlos Beltran and what they think the division race is going to be like this year:

If it seems like a lot of gnashing over one detail in one game, get used to it, Mets centerfielder Carlos Beltran said. After getting a firsthand look at the other two contenders in the NL East, the Phillies and Braves, for the last six games and going 3-3, Beltran says the table is set for the rest of the season. Tense is the way it's going to stay. Every little thing will matter mightily. The Mets' determination not to give away a single thing will have to be the same, day after day, from this bone-chilling April through to October.

"I just think the division race is going to be that tight," Beltran said. "And we have to play with that in mind every single game, and not just when we're up hitting. Take the extra base. Make the catches. Make all the right plays. Because one game really could decide the race. We have to think that way. Every day."

Beltran's Hot Start

Pat Borzi at The Journal News, writes about Carlos Beltran and the great start to the 2007 season he's having:

In the three-game sweep, Beltrán went 4-for-12 (.333) with a team-best 6 R.B.I. His strong throw to catch David Eckstein at the plate was one of the defensivehighlights on opening night, and Wednesday he added a sliding catch to
rob Aaron Miles of a hit in the third. Beltrán drove in the first Mets runs on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

There's no doubt about it, Beltran owns the Cardinals. To say anything else is just nonsense.

Beltran's Comments

Marty Noble at Mets.com, writes about Carlos Beltran and what he had to say regarding Jimmy Rollins comments yeasterday:

"Our mind-set going into every year when the Braves won was, 'To be the best, you've got to beat the best.' We found a way to dethrone the Braves. The Phillies can talk as much as they want, but until they prove it on the field, it's just talk."

"Good for him," Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran said of Rollins. "What did they win last year?

"I don't take it personally. That's him making a comment. We're the ones who won last year, and we got better. We will show it in the field. I don't need to say anything. People say crazy things. I'm not surprised by anything."

Beltran Wants To Move On

Marty Noble at Mets.com, writes about Carlos Beltan and how he just wants to forget about game 7 of the NLCS:

The hangover persists. And now that the public eye again can focus on Carlos Beltran, it may get worse. No "hair of the dog" exists for this one. Only time or a big hit in another Game 7 will remove the stain that -- rightfully or not -- has been affixed to Beltran's reputation.

Seldom has a player been so put upon for something he didn't do. But New York loves to point the finger -- even at its own. As much as it would have embraced the Mets' involvement in the World Series, it doesn't forget -- or, apparently, forgive -- the final play of the game that denied them.

The bat remained on Beltran's shoulder as the final pitch of the NLCS, a masterful back-door curve from Cardinals reliever Adam Wainwright, passed over the outer half of the plate. Now it is that caught-looking that rests on his shoulders and prompts him to point out, "I struck out 100 times before that."