MLB Trade Rumors: New York Mets Must Lower Their Asking Price for Carlos Beltran

This season, the New York Mets have been mired in drama. Team owner Fred Wilpon has been linked as a possible benefactor from the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. As a result, the team has been financially hamstrung. It was so bad that Wilpon had to sell a minority share of the team to hedge fund manager David Einhorn.

With the financial future of the team full of uncertainty and rumors swirling of a possible fire sale, it's no surprise that the team is looking to make a big trade come the deadline this season.  The team's most expensive active player is outfielder Carlos Beltran, due about $19 million this season.

Last season, with Omar Minaya as the general manager and in charge of baseball operations, Beltran probably could have been traded for a low-level prospect, a bag of chips and a couple of flatscreen TVs. That asking price would have been realistic considering how the All-Star outfielder only played in 145 games from 2009-2010, and seemed to be on the decline.

Yet, in 2011, Beltran has undergone a serious resurgence. He is currently batting .291 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI and appears to be back in top form, minus his speed and range being a wee bit off.

As a result, at least five teams have contacted new GM Sandy Alderson regarding Beltran. Even at age 34, he has proved that he can be a valuable member of a team and those looking for an extra bat to lead them to the playoffs want him badly.

Yet, not surprisingly, Alderson is playing hardball in negotiations. Given how the Mets would cover the remainder of Beltran's salary regardless of which team acquired him, Alderson is asking for at least two top prospects in return.

The one team that has shown an undying interest in Beltran is the Atlanta Braves, who have a boatload of prospects who could be MLB-ready in the next couple of years. However, considering how both teams play in the NL East, Braves GM Frank Wren could be resistant to give up some of his young guns to a team that could use them to beat Atlanta in the future.

On top of that, despite Beltran's great season, Alderson needs to realize that the outfielder is still 34 years old and not getting any younger. In all honesty, how many more good years does he have left in him? Three? Four?

That all being said, it's time for Sandy Alderson to have a reality check. He should demand one top prospect for Beltran instead of two, and maybe an effective role player from the other team's major league roster. The Mets are already out of the playoff race, so he isn't exactly in position to make demands.

Simply put, he needs to put his want to make a blockbuster trade on the back burner. The Mets are enough of a mess already, and they don't need to move forward with their GM gaining a reputation for being a hard negotiator.

Otherwise, the team will be forced to promote from within way too early and will forever underachieve. All Alderson has to do is lower the asking price, and that can all be avoided.

Maybe then the Mets can finally take the first step back to prominence.