LESSONS TO LEARN FROM A LEGEND
Springer intends to be all ears while picking brain of veteran Beltran
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Sixty-six wooden lockers line the perimeter of the spacious clubhouse in the Astros’ new spring training complex.
For the most part, the players’ locker placements are determined by position. Dallas Keuchel is next to Lance McCullers. Will Harris is next to Luke Gregerson. Brian McCann is next to Evan Gattis.
But one pairing of locker mates in particular stands out. In a camp with 13 outfielders, it’s no coincidence the Astros placed George Springer, 27 and entering the prime of his career, next to Carlos Beltran, almost 40 and nearing the end of what might be a Hall of Fame career.
“That’s pretty crazy, to be completely honest with you,” Springer said as he glanced at the nameplate atop Beltran’s locker on Thursday morning. “That guy’s a Hall of Famer in my book, and that’s a pretty cool guy to be next to.”
Springer then considered the nameplate atop the locker flanking his on the opposite side.
“I mean, I’ve got Jake,” Springer said, referring to his close friend, outfielder Jake Marisnick. “But I’m sorry, (Beltran) trumps Jake for sure.”
Much has been made of the influence Beltran will have on the Astros from a leadership standpoint, in particular as a mentor to 22-year-old shortstop Carlos Correa, a fellow Puerto Rican.
But the Astros clearly feel Beltran has a lot to impart on Springer, too.
“I think the sky’s the limit for that kind of interaction,” said manager A.J. Hinch, a teammate of Beltran’s with Kansas City in 2001-02 and a key voice in the Astros’ offseason recruitment of the nine-time All Star. “You have one of the best players over the last couple decades that’s sitting right next to you every day.”
Baserunning tutor
Hinch noted baserunning, pitch selection, pitch recognition — “some of the smaller, subtler parts of the game,” he said — as areas where Beltran could help Springer. In his heyday, Beltran stole 25 bases or more in six seasons, twice swiping more than 40. The uber-athletic Springer is coming off a year in which he was successful on only nine of his 19 attempts. No AL player was caught stealing more.
Though a designated hitter and corner outfielder at this stage of his 20-year career, Beltran in his prime won three Gold Gloves as a center fielder. Springer, a Gold Glove finalist in right field last year, will be playing more center this season.
Springer, who played his first full healthy season as a major leaguer last year, plans to soak up “everything” from being around Beltran. Beltran is expected to report to spring training Friday, like Correa and the rest of the position players who have yet to check in.
Springer, Jose Altuve and Josh Reddick participated Thursday in their first spring training workouts. The first official fullsquad workout will be Saturday.
“There really isn’t a thing that I say that I’m not going to try to learn from somebody like (Beltran),” Springer said. “I mean, he’s been around forever and has played in some crazy games and has a lot of experience. So hopefully, I can just be a sponge around him and all of the other guys who are here and learn.”
One smart player
Beltran is often heralded for his veteran wisdom — “He’s one of the smartest baseball guys around,” said McCann, the new Astros catcher who was a teammate of Beltran’s while with the New York Yankees — but will double as a middle-of-the-order threat in arguably the AL’s deepest lineup.
Even at his age, the .850 OPS Beltran had last season would have ranked second on the Astros, worse than only Altuve (.928), the third-place finisher in AL MVP voting.
“I don’t really think he’s ever had a bad year,” Springer said of Beltran. “He’s always been very, very consistent. He’s a guy that you watch and you see him and you can tell that his swing hasn’t changed in 15, 20 years. He’s been the same guy throughout his whole career, and I think that’s probably the most impressive part.”