The National League Pennant could ride on the bat of Carlos Beltran. As the July 31 trade deadline approaches, rumors all across the internet are that the Met’s right fielder is being shopped around – and heavily in Philadelphia and Atlanta.
Both the Phillies and the Braves are in need of a big bat to bolster their struggling lineups, and Beltran would fit the bill in both cases. In 93 games so far this season, Beltran has hit a respectable .290 (.387 OBP) with 15 home runs and 61 RBI’s. He’s no longer the stolen base threat he once was, but the pop he brings to a lineup is enough to propel a team down the stretch run. And that’s why the NL might be riding on the switch hitting slugger.
Atlanta and Philadelphia are remarkably similar in makeup. Both teams are in the bottom third of baseball in team batting average. The Phillies have scored 415 runs while the Braves have scored 399. The Braves own a .387 slugging percentage, the Phils .381. Both teams are top 5 in baseball in team ERA (Phillies- 3.12/Braves – 3.25), and both hold opposing lineups to sub .250 batting averages. The Braves ace, Jair Jurrjen’s, leads the league in wins with 12. The Phillies’ ace, Roy Halladay, is second in the league with 11 wins. As far as the standings go, Atlanta and Philadelphia are the top two teams in the league—the Phils 4 games in front of the second place Braves.
The point is that the Braves and Phillies are the top two teams in the National League. Honestly, it would be surprising if the two teams do not square off in the NLCS. But if there is something, or someone, that can separate these two teams (even if it is only slightly), that’s a big bat in the middle of the lineup.
The Braves have been atrocious versus left handed pitching this season and a right handed bat that can hit for power and average would add a much needed dynamic to their struggling lineup. The Phillies don’t have much sympathy for their division rivals as they themselves only have two hitters above the .275 mark.
With both teams struggling so mightily in offensive production, one player has the ability to make an immediate and lasting difference. Pitching can only take teams so far, at some point runs must be put on the board, and these two squads have seen a few games get away because of lack of run production. It’s a strong possibility that Beltran could stay put, or be traded outside of the division, but if he’s swapped within the NL East, the team on the other end has gained a serious leg up. My bet: he’s not going to the Red Sox, or Giants, or Tigers (like some speculate); he’s packing his bags for Philadelphia or Atlanta. You have to like Atlanta’s chances of landing the All-Star—with such a deep farm system. ESPN reporter Adam Rubin suggests in his article on ESPN.com that the Phillies could be interested in highly touted prospects Randall Delgado or Arody’s Vizcaino. The Mets are going to be searching for good prospects in return, and Atlanta’s farm system is stock piled with talent, more so than any of the above mentioned teams.
If it’s an Eastern Division team Beltran is dealt to, a Division Title is likely to follow. And probably a National League Pennant. And who knows…maybe a World Series Title. I’m not saying Beltran is a savior, or even that he’s one of the top players in the league; I’m saying that these teams are both one piece away from being great. Beltran just happens to be that piece. It’s a wait and see game.
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