(Adrain Beltre’s signature swing. Picture from google images)
To all of the Major League Baseball teams who are trying to take Adrian Beltre from the Texas Rangers; back off! He can’t leave the Rangers. He! Can’t! Leave!
I’d be heartbroken to lose AB in another trade deadline. Last year at the trade deadline, literally at the last seconds, the Dodgers took Yu Darvish from us and it ended up costing the Dodgers the World Series. Yu has never been the same since he left Texas. I’m talking to you Boston and Atlanta (and anyone else who it trying to pull off a hail mary trade); learn from the Los Angeles Dodgers and leave my favorites in Texas alone.
AB and Elvis Andrus have been the most fun duo to watch in baseball since 2011. I’ve wrote about their bff (mom, that means best friends forever) relationship before. There was even an article in the 2018 MLB All-Star game program about how much fun they have playing together. Well, it was mostly about Andrus playing pranks on Beltre, but it’s really what keeps Beltre young.
Injuries have been rare for Andrus in his nine-year playing career. Since his 2009 MLB debut, he has never played fewer than 145 games in a season. He has played in at least 156 games in five of the past six seasons. In mid-April, Andrus fractured his elbow and he played in less than 50 games this year. Beltre has played 20 years in the league. (Beltre and teammate Bartolo Colón are the only active players to have played in the 1990’s!) Beltre has missed over 30 games this season. Andrus and Beltre have been on the field together less than 35 games this year! Together they give the Rangers over a 50% chance to win when they are both playing. (Thank you, Fisher from CBS Sports for texting me the stats!) Basically, the Rangers need them together. I need them together. This season doesn’t feel like they really got to play together. I need another years of AB and E!
“It’s a difficult situation for me. I’m caught between the organization that gave me the chance to win for many years, the organization that trusted me enough to sign me to multi-year contracts multiple times, the fans — I could ask nothing better than the way the Texas fans have received me in this state. But ultimately, I do want to win. And obviously, if I get traded to a team that ‘has a chance to win,’ we might not end up getting there. It’s going to come along if the right situation works for both parties.” Said Beltre to SportsDay reporter Even Grant.
It’s no secret that the Rangers have no shot at even a wildcard spot in the postseason. But I don’t see the Braves getting past the Dodgers or the Red Sox getting past the Astros. So, unless there is 100% chance that Adrian Beltre will be traded to the team that will win the World Series this year, he can’t leave the Rangers. He! Can’t! Leave!