Beltran embracing likely last shot at championship

Once again, Carlos Beltran finds himself oh so close to the top of the high-school-gym-class rope climb that is baseball’s road to a parade.

Can he finally break through this time, which — let’s face it — will very likely be his last time?

“It’s a blessing to be in this position, to be at this point in my career where I am and have the opportunity to once again go to the World Series,” Beltran said late Saturday night, after his Astros defeated the Yankees, 4-0, in Game 7 of the ALCS at Minute Maid Park, to advance to the World Series against the Dodgers. “It means a lot, man. It’s what you dream as a kid. Every ballplayer, when you get to the major leagues, all you want to have is that opportunity to experience the World Series and hopefully win it.”

The 40-year-old designated hitter, who spent time with both the Mets and the Yankees, is in his 20th big-league season and his seventh postseason, and now his second Fall Classic. His Cardinals lost to the Red Sox in 2013.

With 2,586 regular-season games and 11,031 plate appearances, he can’t generate too much pity when the active leader in both categories, the Rangers’ Adrian Beltre, also is without a ring, his 2011 Rangers team falling just short to the Cardinals.

Nevertheless, we’re talking about a strong Hall of Fame candidate who would love to top off his career with this team achievement. And who, in the wake of his worst bigleague season (a .231/.283/ .383 slash line), might struggle to find work in 2018 if he doesn’t choose to retire. Beltran wound up starting in only four ALCS games and notched just one hit, a dou- ble, in 12 at-bats. He’ll be no more than a pinch hitter in World Series Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 in Los Angeles.

He enjoyed seeing his ALCS opponent, too, as he played with the Yankees from 2014 until last year’s trade deadline, when the Yankees dealt him to the Rangers.

“All I have to say about the Yankees is, they should feel proud of that ball club,” Beltran said. “I don’t know if they thought they were going to be at the position to get to this point. So the fact that they were able to get to this point, it’s a great thing for the organization, and they’re in a good position. They were very close to going to the World Series. So they’re thinking, next year, maybe with a few more pieces, ‘Hey, we could be over the hump and maybe play in the World Series [next year].’ ”