Note: Carlos Beltran, Best CF of the Decade
Carlos Beltran was named by Sports Illustrated as the starting centerfielder on their All-Decade team.
They name Johan Santana to their All-Decade five-man rotation.
In regards to Beltran, the magazine says:
“Six times this decade, Beltran scored 100 runs and drove in 100; only Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez did it more. He stole 256 bases in 286 attempts, a remarkable 90 percent. He won three Gold Gloves as a center fielder and was perhaps the best defensive center fielder of the decade. He hit 41 home runs for the Mets in 2006, tying the team record. He became only the second switch-hitter to hit 35 homers and steal 35 bases in a season. In 2004, he had perhaps the greatest playoff performance in baseball history, hitting .435 with 21 runs scored, eight home runs and six stolen bases in just 12 games. And yet, for much of the decade Beltran has been considered an underachievers. Sometimes, you can’t win.”
…i have said it before, and i’ll say it again, despite being named to lists like this, i still feel beltran is under-appreciated and totally misunderstood by so many Mets fans… to better understand what i mean, check out this post from a few weeks ago, here…
To read what SI has to say about Santana, and to see the rest of their All-Decade team, go here.
Speaking of Beltran, check out Dave Pinto’s recent profile of him on Baseball Musings.
