• BYE BYE, BELTRAN •

Sadly, Mets Blob knows Carlos Beltran's days are numbered as a Met. At the start of the season, even the most optimistic of Met fans would never have imagined that Carlos could be  this healthy, this productive, and this much of a leader for our young team. Most of us figured he would have only played half the number of games he has at his point. Instead, he has been our Iron Man.

We thought he'd pout about playing right field, even if it is better for his now fragile knee. He didn't. Instead he took it in a graceful stride-even with a brace on his leg. We wondered who would even take him off our hands at the trade deadline? Now half a dozen contending teams want him. In this new era of performance enhancement-free, offensively starved baseball, a Gold Gloved, switch hitting Vet who leads the NL with 30 doubles is obviously a hot commodity. 

Playing the Cards tonight reminds us all of 2006. Many Met fans and Freddy "Fed Pen" Wilpon have never forgiven Carlos for taking Adam Wainwright's vicious curve for strike 3 to end the 2006 NLCS. It's a sad legacy for a guy who, with 41 home runs and 116 RBI, was a huge reason the Mets even got that far in 2006.

When the incompetent Mets medical staff told Carlos he didn't need surgery for his knee, he played on, made it much worse, and no doubt shortened his career. Mets Blob understands he has to be dealt but can't help but fear what this team will be like without him. Carlos could be gone before the weekend and no doubt will be gone before August.

We would love to see Wright back in time for Jose, David, and Carlos to play a few more games together as NY Mets before Sandy gives Carlos an express ticket to the playoffs. We will miss you, Carlos, and thank you for proving us skeptics wrong. Unless you go to the Phillies, Braves, or Yankees, we wish you well. Just do us Met fans one last favor...wherever you go...jam Pelfrey in your duffle bag and take him the fuck with you.

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