ST. LOUIS • All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran finalized a two-year deal with the Cardinals on Thursday evening, a source familiar with the negotiations confirmed to the Post-Dispatch.
The switch-hitting outfielder brings some desired depth to the Cardinals outfield while also restoring some sock to the middle of the lineup that will be without three-time MVP Albert Pujols.
The total deal, which does not include an option, is worth $26 million. The contract includes a no-trade clause.
Beltran, who will turn 35 in April, was one of the leading hitters in the National League in 2011 with a top-10 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .525, which ranked eighth among NL outfielders.
The Cardinals and Beltran’s agent, Dan Lozano, were able to finalize a deal Thursday evening. Beltran missed significant playing time in 2009 and 2010 as he recovered from knee surgeries, and the Cardinals wanted to understand more about his health before completing the deal. The Cardinals intensified their pursuit of the switch-hitter this week.
People are also reading…
Beltran has been the most prominent player pursued by the Cardinals since Albert Pujols signed a record 10-year, $254-million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. The outfielder wanted to make a decision on his next team before Christmas, and it's possible that his final decision could come as soon as today.
Beltran selected the Cardinals’ offer over persistent interest from Cleveland and Toronto. The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays were also identified as teams with interest in the switch-hitting outfielder. A source familiar with the negotiations said those offers that have been presented Beltran are varied and that his decisions could come down to where he wants to play as much as how much he wants to play for. It has been reported that Beltran, who will turn 35 in April, is weighing both two- and three-year offers.
The Cardinals see Beltran as an addition that would add depth to the middle of the lineup as well as be the leading player in a rotation in center field and right field. As a switch-hitter, he would be the righthanded complement to Jon Jay, and Beltran could start in right field while Allen Craig recovers from knee surgery. In November, Craig had two screws inserted in his knee cap to repair a fracture he sustained in the middle of last season.
Beltran played in 142 games in 2011 and had 598 plate appearances. In the two previous years he was limited by knee surgeries. Beltran hit .300 in 2011 with a season split between the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. Beltran's .910 on-base-plus-slugging-percentage (OPS) in 2011 ranked ninth in the National League, and that OPS would have ranked third on the Cardinals behind Lance Berkman's .959 and Matt Holliday's .912.
Beltran won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1999 with the Kansas City Royals. He is a six-time All-Star, including his appearance in the 2011 midsummer classic. Back in 2004, Beltran was a one-man juggernaut for the Houston Astros. He had 50 RBIs with KC that year and 50 RBIs for Houston after a trade to the Astros. In the National League championship series against the Cardinals, Beltran hit .417 with a .563 slugging percentage, four homers, 12 runs scored and five RBIs.
In the following offseason Beltran signed a seven-year, $119-million deal with the New York Mets. He is coming off the final year of that deal, during which he earned an $18.5-million salary.
There will be more coverage here at STLtoday.com and in Friday’s Post-Dispatch as the story develops.
Â
