When the Cardinals' brain trust recalculated the direction they'd take after Albert Pujols signed with the Angels, general manager John Mozeliak and his staff consulted their lists of free agents who could fill their sudden needs.
Carlos Beltran's name kept coming up as a fit.
"He was on top," Mozeliak said.
Now he could be No. 2 in their lineup.
Beltran, a switch-hitting outfielder, agreed to a two-year, $26-million contract with the Cardinals on Thursday night. Mozeliak described how the club sees the six-time All-Star as a potential No. 2 hitter, ahead of thumpers Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman.
The deal, according to sources familiar with the negotiations, also includes a no-trade clause. Beltran brings a desired sock to the Cardinals' lineup and adds needed depth to the outfield.
He is the first player who wasn't already with the Cards to get a multi-year deal during Mozeliak's tenure, and his $13-million average salary is the highest in years for a player who has not been with the organization before.
"We did not want to go into the season without addressing (the depth) in the outfield," Mozeliak said. "We saw this as an opportunity because we viewed him as another impact hitter we could bring to the lineup."
The Cardinals plan to formally announce Beltran's signing in the coming days. Mozeliak said he does not expect another move before the New Year.
The addition of Beltran at $26 million and Rafael Furcal at $14 million — each signed through 2013 — gives the World Series champs a roster they're comfortable taking into 2012.
Beltran, who turns 35 in April, is a former rookie of the year and a three-time Gold Glove Award winner in center field. He hit .300 with a .525 slugging percentage last season, which he spent with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. The Giants did not offer him arbitration so signing Beltran will not cost the Cardinals a draft pick.
His .385 on-base percentage ranked seventh in the National League, and his arrival means the Cardinals sport three of the top 10 OPS (on-base-plus slugging percentage) men in the NL from 2011.
Beltran, at .910, ranked ninth behind Berkman (.959) and Holliday (.912). Just behind the newest Cardinal was a former Cardinal, Pujols at .906.
With Pujols' signing a record 10-year, $254-million deal with the Angels, the Cardinals plan to move Berkman from right field to first base. Allen Craig, originally set to inherit playing time in right, could miss as much as the first month of the regular season as he recovers from knee surgery.
The Cardinals sought not only a batsman to cover Craig's absence, but a righthanded hitter who could complement Jon Jay in center. Beltran satisfies both needs.
More than a full season removed from prolonged knee troubles and microfracture surgery on his right knee in January 2010, Beltran embraced the opportunity to appear in center, an associate said. He was moved exclusively to right field in 2011 to alleviate strain on the knee.
After checking his current health situation and gaining confidence in Beltran's knee, the Cardinals feel he'll be able to handle center partially because of how he played through 142 games with 598 plate appearances last season. Mozeliak said his scouts believed Beltran moved well enough to handle center.
"We relied heavily on that as we looked at him," Mozeliak said. "I also do think that when you look at how our club is constituted getting each guy a day or two off a week will be beneficial. Berkman, the young players Craig and Jay — that will help everyone through the season, including Beltran."
Discussions with Beltran's agent, Dan Lozano — who also represents Pujols — began shortly after Pujols' decision to leave. Talks intensified over the past two days as Beltran weighed offers from at least five teams. Toronto, Tampa Bay and Boston each pursued the switch-hitter. Toronto remained interested until the Cardinals' deal was agreed upon. Cleveland, a source confirmed, made a late push for Beltran.
Beltran had at least one three-year offer on the table, and it's believed at least one offer had a higher average salary.
Beltran was said to be looking for a place that would contend as well as a place willing to offer him some stability. Berkman, a teammate of Beltran's in Houston, left him a message about playing in St. Louis.
"I think it was important to him that we were willing to show him a commitment here," Mozeliak said.
Beltran's luminous career famously intersected with the Cardinals twice in October.
In 2006, Beltran took a called third strike curveball from Adam Wainwright with the bases loaded to end Game 7 of the National League championship series. That pitch clinched the pennant for the Cardinals, who would go on to win the World Series. In 2004, Beltran had 51 RBIs in 69 games for Kansas City and, after a trade, 53 more in 90 games with Houston. That postseason, Beltran bludgeoned records with a .435 average, a 1.022 slugging percentage and 21 runs scored in 12 playoff games.
He hit .417 with four homers in seven NLCS games but couldn't keep the Cardinals from winning that pennant and advancing to the 2004 World Series.
Beltran used that postseason as a launch pad into free agency that netted him a seven-year, $119-million deal from the Mets. He made $18.5 million last season, the final year of that deal.
The Cardinals do not plan to hold a news conference to introduce the All-Star, which means his first local public appearance could come during January's Winter Warmup.
In the two weeks since leaving the winter meetings without Pujols, the Cardinals have signed a starting shortstop in Furcal, found a lefty reliever in J.C. Romero, re-upped with utility fielder Skip Schumaker and landed the best remaining hitter available outside of Prince Fielder. Those four acquisitions total slightly more than $22 million in salary for 2012.
Mozeliak expects only fine-tuning additions — perhaps a utility infielder for the bench — before spring training starts.
"There are some things that we still could do, but right now I think we can take a step back and enjoy the holidays," Mozeliak said before referencing the World Series win, Pujols' departure, Tony La Russa's retirement and new manager Mike Matheny's hiring. "With all that's happened, it would be nice to reflect on all the team did do this year and now look forward."
