Baseball: Beltran goes to Houston

the first big trade of the season...oakland gets the closer they have been looking for, kc get some prospects and houston gets Beltran

Beltran traded to Houston

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
June 24, 2004
Star center fielder Carlos Beltran was traded from Kansas City to the Houston Astros on Thursday night as part of a three-way deal that also sent reliever Octavio Dotel to Oakland.

The Royals wound up with three prospects: highly touted third baseman Mark Teahen and right-hander Mike Wood from Oakland, and catcher Joe Buck from the Astros.

``This is obviously huge for our organization,'' Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker said. ``Carlos Beltran is one of the most exciting, complete players in our game today.''

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``He's the prototype we've been looking for for a long time. He's going to be a very exciting force for us in the middle of our lineup,'' he said.

The A's also got cash from Kansas City, an amount under $1 million.

The 27-year-old Beltran, the biggest prize on the trade market, can become a free agent after the season. He is represented by Scott Boras, who usually does not have his players re-sign before testing the free-agent market.

The multitalented Beltran is hitting .278 with 15 homers, 51 RBIs and 14 steals.

Dotel, 30, is 0-4 with a 3.12 ERA and 14 saves in 17 chances in his first year as a closer following the trade of Billy Wagner to Philadelphia in the offseason

who loses in this trade?

I dont think anyone loses.

Oakland needed a closer, Arthur Rhodes wasn't getting it done. Houston has Brad Lidge to step in as the closer and replace Dotel who struggled a bit for the Astros so far this season. And Beltran wasn't going to re-sign with KC being in the last year of his contract so instead of just losing Beltran, the Royals get three young prospects, one of them potentially a future all-star third baseman. The loser could be the Astros if they dont go far in the playoffs and Beltran doesn't re-sign with them. Then they lost a good relief pitcher and a great prospect in exchange for a rent-a-centerfielder for a half of a season with nothing to show for it. Beltran could struggle for awhile changing to the National League and facing pitchers for the first time but he's a great hitter so I dont expect him to miss a beat.


This move really beefs up an already good Astros lineup.

It'll probably looks something like this:

CF Craig Biggio
2B Jeff Kent
RF Carlos Beltran
1B Jeff Bagwell
LF Lance Berkman
3B Morgan Ensberg
SS Adam Everett
C Brad Ausmus

Pretty nice lineup there and to boot your rotation is Clemens, Oswalt, Petitte, Wade Miller, and Tim Redding.

Vote here: Breaking down the Beltran deal


Hey, who's got Beltran in the fantasy baseball? Who do you want for him?
Being in the middle of that lineup should do wonders for his numbers.