Carlos Beltran's loaded legacy ends with esteem as Mets retire No. 15
· Yahoo Sports
When Carlos Beltran joined the Mets ahead of the 2025 season, he believed in the vision of then-general manager Omar Minaya.
With Pedro Martinez coming onboard and Carlos Delgado joining the team a year later, Beltran saw a fit and opportunity to compete at the highest level.
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After seven seasons in Flushing, Beltran would build his reputation as one of the best offensive talents in Mets franchise history. He earned five of his nine All-Star selections and each of his three Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger awards with the Mets.
All of that led to Beltran seeing his No. 15 raised to the rafters at Citi Field on Saturday afternoon, as he became the ninth Mets player to receive the honor and the 35th member of the Mets Hall of Fame.
"The beauty when I look back is that none of this that is happening in my life today was in my head when I was playing the game of baseball," Beltran said before the ceremony. "What was in my head was how can I be the best teammate possible? How I can impact the people around me, how I can continue to find a way to be consistent, how I continue to prove myself year in and year out, because that's the game. How I can strengthen my mind so I can deal with the ups and downs of the game of baseball.
"In that aspect, I felt like I invested a lot and because of that, I think that by staying in the game, you accumulate numbers and accomplish certain things here and there and maybe you could be in this position."
Earlier this season, Beltran, who is currently serving as a special assistant to David Stearns, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, electing to wear a Mets cap on his plaque. Saturday's ceremony put a bow on Beltran's decorated career as he received the ultimate honor in the setting where he realized his most individual success.
Carlos Beltran receives closure after complicated NY legacy
When Beltran looks back at his Hall of Fame career, which spanned 20 years, it was his seven seasons with the Mets that packed on thicker skin and an ability to deal with the highs and lows that consistently come over the course of a 162-game season.
There was pressure that came with a seven-year, $119 million contract. There were the early failures that saw him sputter to a .744 OPS in his debut season and the shadow that followed him after he struck out looking against the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright to end the 2006 National League Championship Series.
Those failures gave him a complicated relationship with the fans, despite his 149 home runs, 559 RBI and .869 OPS with the team. On Saturday, Beltran was welcomed with a standing ovation and repaid that response with a metaphorical handshake with Mets fans.
"Today, I understand that your expectation came from passion, for your love for the Mets and for believing that I could become an even better player," Beltran said during his speech. "For that, I thank you. When you look and see No. 15 in this ballpark, I hope you remember more than a player. I hope you remember someone who cared deeply about wearing this uniform and who always wanted to give you his best and make you proud."
Now, in his new role with the Mets, his own experience with failure has brought a kinship with the next generation of Mets players. Francisco Lindor counts him among his closest mentors. And Beltran is helping to mold the organization's upcoming class of talent.
"We have to walk the process with them, because at times I felt alone. I'm not going to hide that," Beltran said. "Sometimes we need to forget how much we are paying the players. We need to understand that playing in New York is a transition. It's going to take time to adapt, time to adjust because you come into a new place, you don't know anyone, so you got to be able to understand there's going to take time to connect to people and I advocate on that big time."
What does No. 15 mean to Carlos Beltran?
Beltran said that he chose to wear No. 15 because his wife, Jessica, was born on Dec. 15.
Now, the former outfielder said that he will be reminded of his baseball journey alongside his wife and also the legacy they have created with their family.
"Every time I visit this ballpark and look up and see it, I will think about our family," Beltran said to his wife during his speech. "I will think about the memories. I will think about everything we have built together."
Beltran closed his speech by saying, "I will always be proud to say that I was and I will always be a New York Met."
Is the manager job Carlos Beltran's next act with Mets?
With the Mets set to "cast a wide net" in their manager search this offseason, according to Stearns, the logical question is whether Beltran would consider that role.
Beltran was hired as the Mets manager in 2019 but did not manage a single game after his entanglement in the Astros sign-stealing scandal.
When asked about the possibility of interviewing for that position again, Beltran was non-committal on Saturday, discussing his affinity for his current position to help guide the franchise, being around his family and the chance to have a regular presence at the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico.
"I will let the Mets go through the process," Beltran said. "I think David understands that there's going to be a search. I hope with that being said that whatever step forward we do, I know it's going to be for the benefit of the organization."
Beltran commended Andy Green for the job he has done since taking over as Mets interim manager on June 26.
The Mets interim manager was equally complimentary toward Beltran and any potential managerial aspirations he might have.
"I don't think there's a thing in the world he couldn't do if he decided that's what he wanted to do," Green said. "I think he's proven time and time again he's going to be successful. I would say that with the understanding of it's really his character that would make him successful, it's not just the baseball acumen."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Carlos Beltran's loaded legacy ends with esteem as Mets retire No. 15