HAT IN THE RING
An early pitch for Beltran going into Hall with cap of homeland — not Mets
ORLANDO, Fla. — Now that Carlos Beltran has officially retired, a most interesting conundrum is unofficially on the clock:
What team’s logo should be on the cap in Beltran’s Hall of Fame plaque?
Allow The Post to cast the first vote by going off the board: How about Team Puerto Rico?
Beltran, a highly likely Hall of Famer by virtue of his longevity, production and f ive tools, didn’t respond to a text with this proposition. It’s admittedly out there. Yet the unique journey of Beltran’s career, particularly the mixed feelings that linger from the longest stop of that journey — Flushing — calls for a unique solution.
Beltran played for seven major league teams over his 20 years, including two stints with the Astros. He totaled 2,586 games, including the postseason. His 849 games with the Mets edge his 795 games with the Royals for his most prolific stretch, and he put up arguably his best numbers with the Mets.
When Beltran played in the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field, as a member of the Cardinals, he discussed the possibility of wearing a Mets logo on his Cooperstown plaque, saying, “It could be,” and he added, “[If ] you look at my numbers, I think I had better numbers with the Mets than the Royals.”
John Ricco, the Mets’ senior vice president and assistant general manager, said Tuesday, at the GM meetings, “From my perspective, he was the best center f ielder in franchise history. He had a good run with us. [A Mets logo on his plaque] would be pretty cool.”
Ah, but two components that make this solution more hairy than easy. The f irst is internal. Beltran experienced an extraordinary amount of turbulence in his 6 ¹/₂ years with the Mets. His battles with management over medical treatment and an absence from a team visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the Washington, D.C. area left Beltran embittered even later in 2013, when he signed with the Yankees and trashed the Mets in his introductory news conference.
A source indicated the hostility has melted with the progression of time, so much so that Beltran called the Mets to recommend Astros bench coach Alex Cora for their opening at manager following the departure of Terry Collins. Cora wound up becoming the Red Sox’s manager.
That brings in the other component: the external. Do Mets fans even want this to happen? After all, Beltran’s most memorable play in a Mets uniform occurred when he struck out looking at an Adam Wainwright curveball to end the 2006 Nation- al League Championship Series. His years with the Mets were defined by heartbreak … that the team wouldn’t have experienced if not for Beltran’s excellence bringing it so close to glory, yet that nuance can get lost.
On Tuesday, The Post conducted a Twitter poll: “Mets fans, how would you feel about Carlos Beltran wearing a Mets hat into the Hall of Fame?” As of 11 p.m., 1,280 votes had been cast, with 54 percent voting for “Thrilled, was a great Met;” 31 percent voting for “Don’t care either way;” and 15 percent going with “Not after the NLCS at-bat.”
On one hand, the majority supported it. On the other hand, can you imagine any such other situation in which 46 percent would have not enthusiastically supported it?
Beltran could go the “blank cap” route chosen by 11 Hall of Famers, most recently Tony La Russa and Greg Maddux. Or he could honor his heritage, his birthplace and his World Baseball Classic team for which he played
four times. He has done enough for Puerto Rico to win the honor named after his late countryman, the Roberto Clemente Award, for community service.
Jon Shestakofsky, the Hall of Fame’s vice president of communications and education, said, “I don’t think there’s precedent” for choosing the cap of a non- MLB team, and that the Hall gets the final say on this matter. I say Beltran’s career begs for such a precedent.
We’ve got at least f ive years to discuss this, so consider this an opening volley. For openers, though, a Mets logo on Beltran’s plaque just doesn’t feel right.