Beltran to Be Introduced Friday Thanks to a No Thank Choo

Jessica Beltran tweeted this picture on Wednesday of herself, husband Carlos, and children Ivana (standing) and Kiara back in the Big Apple.

Carlos Beltran will be introduced to the media at 11 a.m. Friday morning after he and the Yankees officially put their signatures on the dotted line of a three-year deal worth $45MM.

The press conference comes on the heels of news that prior to agreeing to terms with Beltran two weeks ago, the Yankees had offered Shin-Soo Choo a seven-year, $140MM deal. Thankfully, Choo said no. It would have been a much worse deal than the seven-year overpayment that the Yankees gave to Jacoby Ellsbury.

Someone really needs to show the Yankees how to negotiate.  The style of "hmm, they offered five years and $75MM..tell you what -your name here - we'll give you seven years for $140MM", does not really work out in the long run.

Scott Boras has been peddling Choo as an on-base machine to try and substantiate a $20MM per year contract. Choo reached base at a career high 42.3% last year in addition to hitting 21 home runs and drew 112 walks. (His previous high in base on balls was 83). Not that it's a true marker of ability or performance, while Ellsbury has made just one All-Star team, Choo has never been voted or selected to the July classic. Choo is a very good player, but he's not a great player.

So rebuked by Choo, the Yankees powered full steam ahead to wrap up Beltran, who had spent 6 1/2 seasons in New York as a member of the Mets. Beltran took to Twitter back on December 10 to announce that he would wear #36 as a Yankee. It's the number he started his career with in 1998-1999 with the Kansas City Royals. Beltran wore 15 for much of his career and donned the #3 with St. Louis the last two seasons. With both numbers retired in the Bronx, he decided to go back to his numerical roots.

Despite playing on creeky knees last year, Beltran still hit .296/.339/.491 with 24 HR, 84 RBI, and 79 runs scored. The days of stolen bases are over for the player who averaged 37 swipes a year from 2001-2004, but he'll cut down on the Yankees strikeouts per game quite considerably. He fanned just 90 times last year in 600 plate appearances.