MLB Trade Rumors: 5 Pros and 5 Problems of Phillies Trading for Carlos Beltran

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The Philadelphia Phillies are considering possible trades before the deadline at the end of July. According to Sports Illustrated, the Phillies are at the top of the list of teams desiring a trade for Carlos Beltran.

Is this newest development in the Phillies' trade status a good one?

I think it could be. It depends how the game plays out, really. Here I'll tell you five reasons it would be good to have Beltran on the club and five problems with trading for him. 

Pro No.1: Consistent Hitting

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One of Beltran's main appealing qualities is something that makes him stand out from the crowd. While other trade options have been hitting great this year, the Mets star is one of the few that has always been great.

Beltran's .293 batting average is great; his .282 career BA backs up his case.

Consistent hitting would be a relief for the Phillies, who have multiple inconsistent players at the plate.

Problem No. 1: Who Would the Phillies Give Up?

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If the Phillies do want Carlos Beltran, who would they give up?

According to Sports Illustrated, Domonic Brown is who the Mets want.

Are the Phillies willing to give up someone like that?

Matt Gelb says no.

The Phillies may want Beltran, but who will the Mets demand in return? What seems like a good deal for both teams may end up as only a good deal for one of them.

And I don't think the Phillies will be the one with the good deal.

Pro No. 2: Clutch Hitting

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Not only is Beltran a consistent hitter, but he's a clutch one as well. A .333 batting average with runners in scoring position and a .310 with runners on base only starts to show the skill of Beltran in the clutch.

I'm sure the Phillies recognize how beneficial that would be in the playoffs.

Problem No. 2: Injury

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One setback of Beltran is his proneness to injuries—something the Phillies already have enough of. He spent games and games of the 2009 and 2010 seasons on the disabled list.

Pro No. 3: Switch Hitting

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The Phillies have talked a lot about needing more right-handed bats in their lineup. Beltran is a switch hitter, which would work great with the Phils' offensive game.

Problem No. 3: Right-Handed Lack of Success

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Carlos Beltran's switch-hitting is a plus on offense. The Phils want right-handed bats. But look at his stats batting right-handed vs. batting left:

As a right-handed batter, which the Phillies need a lot, Beltran hits .227.

As a left-handed hitter, which the Phillies already have a lot of, Beltran hits .321.

Carlos Beltran has hit the majority of his at-bats as a left-handed hitter. When he goes to right, he isn't nearly as good.

Is right-handed hitting as much of a plus if it isn't very good?

Pro No. 4: Postseason Experience/Success

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The Phillies are expected to make a fifth straight playoff appearance. Carlos Beltran has been in the postseason in 2004 and 2006, posting a .435 BA in 2004 and a .278 in 2006.

His experience can be very helpful if the Phillies make the 2011 postseason.  

Problem No. 4: Age

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One small reason to question Beltran's reliability is his age. He is 34, and his success may be shorter-term than we expected because of this.

Pro No. 5: Great Fielding

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Carlos Beltran is not only one of the best players behind the plate out there, but he's also one of the best out in the field.

His .993 fielding percentage is second in the MLB only to percentages of 1.000.

His zone rating, a ratio measuring the amount of balls fielded out of his range, is third highest in baseball at 13.762.

Beltran's fielding may be some of the best on the market right now. 

Problem No. 5: Contract

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Having Carlos Beltran on the team is an appealing prospect. But would they keep him for very long?

Beltran's contract ends in 2011. This brings up more questioning of whether a deal is worth it. Do they want to give up some great young players to have a star for a year?

Is a Trade for Carlos Beltran a Good Idea?

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We've seen the pros of trading for Beltran. We've seen the cons of making a deal.
Beltran comes with pluses and minuses—that's one thing we're sure about.

But are the pros more important than the cons? Are the advantages strong enough to cancel the disadvantages?

I asked this on the last slide: Do they want to give up some great young players to have a star for a year?

If Beltran can execute in the playoffs, I would say yes. And history has shown that he can.

I think that trading for Beltran would be a beneficial development.

What about you?