MLB Trade Rumors: Carlos Beltran Does Not Make Giants a Lock for World Series

If you're sick and tired of hearing MLB trade rumors about New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran, I have good news. Today could be the day they all go away once and for all.

In case you're just arriving on the scene, the baseball world is abuzz with reports of Beltran being traded to the defending champion San Francisco Giants. SI.com's Jon Heyman says that there are only "minor details" to iron out. ESPN's Buster Olney says the trade is at the "one-yard-line," and he also says that young hurler Zach Wheeler is the centerpiece of the deal for the Mets.

To clarify, the trade is not yet 100 percent complete. Because Beltran is a 10-5 guy, there is a 24-hour waiting period. We also don't yet know whether or not Beltran is going to waive his no-trade clause. He probably will, but such things should never be taken for granted.

All the same, it's pretty hard to ignore the sound of jubilation in and around San Francisco. Giants fans have been clamoring for Beltran for a while now, and for good reason. Ever since Buster Posey went down in that nasty collision in late May, it's been a struggle for the Giants to score runs. Such is life when you don't have a true threat in the middle of your lineup.

Beltran's numbers suggest he's the perfect guy for the job. He's hitting .289 on the season with 15 homers and 66 RBI. Better yet, he's been especially hot lately, posing a 1.071 OPS in July.

With Beltran in the fold, the Giants pretty much have a stranglehold on the NL West. And once they get into October, another trip to the World Series is very much in the cards.

In the cards, yes. But a lock? No way.

As thrilling as today's news about Beltran may be, the truth is that there is a reason to be concerned going forward. Several of them, in fact.

For starters, you have to consider the fact that Beltran is going to be transitioning into one of the toughest hitting parks in baseball, especially for power hitters. Per ESPN, we know that it is very hard to hit a ball out of AT&T Park, as it is only yielding .555 homers per game this season. As of right now, that's the lowest figure in the league.

Of course, you don't need to tell Beltran how hard it is to hit a ball out of AT&T Park. He has a career .310 average in the Giants' home digs, but he has yet to hit a home run there. That's pretty alarming for a guy who has hit nine of his 15 home runs at Citi Field, a ballpark that is just as cavernous as AT&T. Makes you wonder if Beltran’s swing just isn’t suited for San Francisco.

True enough, the Giants' great pitching probably has a lot to do with Beltran's struggles at AT&T. Now that he doesn't have to face Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and friends for the next two months, it stands to reason that Beltran will pop a few for the home crowd before the season is over.

When the season finally does come to an end, though, facing great pitching is something that Beltran is going to have to worry about once again. Just as they did last year, the Giants are probably going to come up against the Atlanta Braves and/or the Philadelphia Phillies in the postseason, and they don't mess around when it comes to pitching.

Having been a resident of the National League East until now, Beltran should know these staffs in and out. And he probably does. The only problem is that he just hasn't hit them very well this year. Braves pitchers have held Beltran to a .258 average with no home runs, and Phillies pitchers have held him to a .229 average with one home run.

To be sure, this doesn't exactly mean the Giants are wasting their time with Beltran. He's still the best hitter they could have possibly acquired, and they are certainly better with him than they are without him.

Just don't make the mistake of thinking the Giants will have a straight shot to the World Series as soon as Beltran puts on a Giants uniform. Shiny new hitter or no shiny new hitter, it never was going to be that easy.

-Zachary D. Rymer