Carlos Beltran Belongs in the Hall of Fame

Carlos Beltran (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

With one out in the eighth inning on Tuesday night with the score tied at two, New York Yankees’ Carlos Beltran hit a towering drive over the right field wall to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

The home run was a big one as the Yankees remained in a tight race for the American League East, but it was nothing anyone hasn’t seen before.

Before signing with the Yankees in 2014, Beltran played with the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.

Beltran was no stranger to the pressure playing in New York brings as he played on the National League Championship series runner up Mets in 2006. Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright snapped off the curveball of a lifetime and Beltran stood at home plate as the pitch floated into catcher Yadier Molina’s glove and sucked the life out of Shea Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals went on to win a World Series, and Beltran was exalted in New York Mets history as a not so innocent outfielder.

Lost in that at-bat in October was a Rookie of the Year award with the Royals. Beltran was sent to Houston for a year in 2004. He then signed a contract worth $119 million and made five all-star teams, slugged 178 home runs, and drove in 643 runs including 116 in 2006.

Beltran, who has been named to eight All-star games in his 18 year career, has also compiled three golden glove awards, two silver slugger awards, is a member of the 30-30 club with 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in one season, and is one of the best postseason hitters of all-time.

In 51 postseason games with Houston, the New York Mets and St. Louis, Beltran is batting .333 with 16 homers and 40 RBI. His OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) is 1.128.

Beltran’s OPS currently ranks first all-time in the postseason over Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth with at-least 100 at-bats. Beltran has more extra-base hits in his career than Mickey Mantle, Willie Stargell, Robin Yount and Eddie Mathews.

Since the 2015 All-Star break, Beltran is hitting .295 with nine homers and 28 runs batted in. He has been crucial for the Yankees down the stretch and has shown everyone how good he really is.

In his career he has scored more runs than Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, Roberto Clemente and Andre Dawson.

He has a higher OPS than Clemente, Carl Yastrzemski, Kirby Puckett and Eddie Murray.

Beltran’s all-around skills and numbers are enough to get him on the Hall of Fame doorstep. What he’s accomplished in the postseason puts him through the door.