Spring training has officially began. This prelude to the season is where teams work out the kinks and players battle for spots on the roster. Now is also when management figures out exactly the roles the big contract players will take for the year.
One issue that has finally been settled is who is going to play center field. For the past few years the position was held by five time All-star and 3 time golden glove winner Carlos Beltran. After some debate, Carlos decided that due to the uncertainty of how healthy his knee is, that he would shift over to right field. Youngster Angel Pagan will play center field this year.
"In my heart, i still feel I can play center field." said Beltran on Monday "But at the same time, this is not about Carlos. This is about the team."
Angel Pagan took over his role of center fielder Monday night against the Washington Nationals. He had a rocky start while losing an Ian Desmond fly ball in the first inning in the sun. Pagan misplayed it into a triple causing the first run of the game. In the bottom half of the first inning Angel redeemed himself by hitting a solo home-run off of Nationals starter Chad Gaudin.
So what does the future really hold for Carlos Beltran? He will make his Grapefruit League debut next week in the designated hitter position. Beltran will be using this month to strengthen his legs so he is ready to play on Opening Day. Due to the injuries of the past couple of years, people have their doubts about how well Beltran will perform. Last season, he missed the first half of the season and the last five games due to problems in his knee. With this being the last season of his contract, being traded seems inevitable. The most likely scenario is Beltran being picked up by an American League team to play DH. Carlos Beltran and his agent Scott Boras say this is not an option, but we shall see.
Personally I am rooting for Carlos. I hope he silences all the naysayers with the best performance of his career.
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