Sports
�������������������������� Sherbee Antiques TOP DOLLAR PAID
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Beltran looks to ‘rewrite’ Mets story as manager
BY ALEX MITCHELL
The return of Carlos Beltran
to the New York Mets as
the team’s new skipper has
given many depressed local
sports fans a hopeful glimmer
towards a spring awakening.
The former outfielder inherits
a team that’s more recent
memory has been ached
with blunders, injuries, and
many disappointing Octobers
spent on golf courses rather
than at Citi Field.
“I just can’t wait to rewrite
our story,” Beltran said after
being introduced by Mets
general manager Brodie Van
Wagenen on Monday, Nov. 4, at
Citi Field.
Beltran, who won a World
Series with the Houston Astros
in 2017, signed a threeyear
Mets contract with no
prior managerial experience
— but that doesn’t seem to
bother the GM.
“We can trust Carlos,”
Van Wagenen said, mentioning
that Beltran’s “growth
mindset” put the ex-outfielder
over the edge as a managerial
candidate to replace Mickey
Callaway, who yielded two
less-than-amazin’ seasons in
Queens.
“The decision wasn’t easy,”
the general manager conceded
in response to criticism that
the Mets should have went after
a more seasoned candidate,
such as the rival Phillies’ new
manager Joe Girardi.
“(Beltran) has life experience,”
Van Wagenen said.
“Carlos Beltran will be a players
manager.”
Beltran also acknowledged
that his rookie managerial
The Mets introduced Carlos Beltran as their new manager. Photo courtesy of the New York Mets
season will come with a learning
curve, too.
“There’s no doubt there’s
things that I need to grow,” he
said.
Regardless, Beltran now
assumes a unique role of the
new kid who’s back on his
old block — where he was a
standout player from 2005-
11, although many Mets fans
only remember him taking
the called third strike as
the final out in the 2006 National
League Championship
Series.
The new manager also expressed
optimism towards
the 2020 season and even the
team’s returning bullpen.
“I think we have a good
ball club,” Beltran said, noting
that he’ll be using the
spring to focus on the team’s
many weaknesses from the
2019 season.
Beltran had been working
as a special advisor to the
Yankees, where he had played
between 2014 and 2016 before
taking the Mets job.
Wearing his old number
15 for the Mets, Beltran now
joins the ranks of Casey Stengel,
Yogi Berra, Dallas Green
and Willie Randolph as former
Yankees to become a manager
of the Mets.
HELP YOU FIND YOUR POT OF GOLD S h Aernbtiequees Est. 1940
TOP DOLLAR PAID
Instant Cash
LET SHERBEE ANTIQUES’ OVER 60 YEARS EXPERIENCE
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������
TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM NOV. 8-14, 2019 37
/TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM
