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Carlos Beltran, one of the most feared hitters of his generation, now finds his name on the National Baseball Hall of Fame's 2023 nominations list. This marks the first time that he and former teammate Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez will be eligible for enshrinement in Cooperstown.
"The 2023 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot Is Out And Carlos Beltran Is The Only New Player Worth Considering" - Barstool Sports
Nicknamed the "New Mr. October" and "Señor Octubre", Beltran is one of the greatest postseason hitters in MLB history. During the 2004 playoffs, he scored 21 runs to set a record for the most runs scored in one postseason. The record still stands but has been tied by Jose Altuve.
By the time he retired in 2017, Beltran hit 435 home runs, 1,587 RBIs, and 2,725 hits, while maintaining a career .279 batting average. Carlos would be selected to nine All-Star teams, win three Gold Glove awards, two Silver Sluggers, and be named the 1999 American League Rookie of the Year.
"Does Carlos Beltrán belong in the Hall of Fame? Career statistics: 2,586 G, 11,031 PA, .279/.350/.486 (118 wRC+), 435 HR, 1,587 RBI, 207 ISO, 9.8% BB, 16.3% SO, 358 wOBA #Royals #Astros #Mets #SFGiants #Cardinals #Yankees #Rangers" - MLB Daily Stats
Drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the second round of the 1995 MLB Draft, Carlos Beltran did not make his debut in the Majors until 1998. While most prospects spend time in Triple-A, Beltran jumped straight into the MLB.
After only playing 15 games in 1998, Beltran became a starter for the Royals. He started 156 games. Beltran went on to win the American League Rookie of the Year award, batting .293 with 22 home runs, 108 runs batted in, and 27 stolen bases.
Carlos Beltran stayed with the Royals from 1998 to 2004 when he was traded to the Houston Astros. After one season, he signed a seven-year, $119 million deal with the New York Mets, which was the franchise record at the time. He would bounce around several teams, including the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, and St. Louis Cardinals, before returning to the Houston Astros in 2017.
The Astros would go on to win the World Series, the first of Beltran's career. However, the title would be tainted due to the controversial sign-stealing scandal that proved that the Astros cheated, using a series of video surveillance to steal opponents' pitch calls and relay the information to the Houston batters.
Beltran was the only player named in the commissioner’s report on the scandal, for which he later apologized.
Will Carlos Beltran's role in the scandal affect the Hall of Fame vote?
While his role in the 2017 scandal will undoubtedly affect voting, Beltran remains the most worthy nominee on the 2023 ballot. If he is not elected to the Hall of Fame this year, he will surely make it before his time on the ballot expires.
"97 players have had 200 postseason plate appearances. 1 of them has a postseason OPS over 1.000. That person is Carlos Beltran. He’s the only one." - Cooperstown Dave
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Poll : Is Carlos Beltran worthy of the Hall of Fame?
Heck yes!
No chance!
18 votes
