When the Cardinals’ mind have confidence in recalculated the route they would take after Albert Pujols finalized with the Angels, gm John Mozeliak and his personnel used their details of no cost providers who could load their rapid needs.Carlos Beltran’s name kept returning up as a fit.
"He was on top," Mozeliak said.
Now he could be No. 2 in their collection.
Beltran, a switch-hitting outfielder, decided to a two-year, $26-million agreement with the Cardinals on Friday evening. Mozeliak described how the team recognizes the six-time All-Star as a prospective No. 2 gamer, prior to thumpers He Holliday and Puncture Berkman.
The cope, according to resources well known with the dialogue, also has a no-trade condition. Beltran provides a preferred sock to the Cardinals’ collection and contributes required level to the outfield.
He is the first gamer who was not already with the Credit charge cards to get a multi-year cope during Mozeliak’s period, and his $13-million frequent income is the best in decades for a gamer who has not been with the company before.
"We did not want to go into the period without dealing with (the depth) in the outfield," Mozeliak said. "We saw this as an possibility because we considered him as another effect gamer we could carry to the collection."
The Cardinals strategy to previously say Beltran’s deciding upon in the future. Mozeliak said he does not anticipate another swap before the New Season.
The inclusion of Beltran at $26 thousand and Rafael Furcal at $14 thousand — each finalized through 2013 — gives the Community Sequence champs a list they are relaxed getting into 2012.
Beltran, who changes 35 in May, is a former fresh of 12 months and a three-time Precious metal Baseball glove Prize success in middle area. He hit .300 with a .525 slugging amount last period, which he used with the New You are able to Mets and San Francisco Leaders.
His .385 on-base amount positioned 7th in the Nationwide Group, and his introduction indicates the Cardinals game three of the top 10 OPS (on-base-plus slugging percentage) men in the NL from 2011.
Beltran, at .910, positioned 9th behind Berkman (.959) and Holliday (.912). Just behind the latest Primary was a former Primary, Pujols at .906.
With Pujols’ deciding upon a history 10-year, $254-million cope with the Angels, the Cardinals strategy to swap Berkman from right area to first platform. Allen Todd, formerly set to end up with enjoying period in right, could overlook as much as the first Calendar month of the frequent period as he gets back from joint surgical procedure.
The Cardinals preferred not only a batsman to take care of Craig’s don't have, but a righthanded gamer who could supplement Jon Jay in middle. Beltran meets both needs.
