I was in attendance Monday afternoon, and heard the boos that rained down on Carlos Beltran during the game, and have been surprised at the coverage it's recieved in the media the last two days. You would think it had been bedlam at Shea, with fans were throwing projectiles at the guy or something. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. But the fans, many of whom who were in attendance that day were drunk frat-types anyway, have a genuine gripe against this guy, despite what has been written.
Yes, it was only game one, and his injury probably contributed to his sub-par performance last year. We should give this guy at least a month or two to show us how he can play. However, the sentiment towards him is more than just about his batting average, and it's more than just about 2005. Fans have a right to be frustrated by seeing a guy who's supposed to be an RBI guy bunt with no outs and a runner in scoring position, as he did in a spring traing game this year. Also, when we read in the paper the morning of Opening Day that 2005 was no fun for him because he had no friends on the team, we have legitimate reason to question his makeup. I do think the real Mets fans will be patient and wait to see how he plays, but I also think the frustration with the guy is understandable.
Maybe we'll start to see the "real Beltran" soon, the five tool player who hits for average and hits for power, and just plain hits, but nevertheless my prediction for tonights game is this: with "amateur day" over, and the real fans settling in for the game, we'll hear a lot less booing tonight, unless he does something dumb.
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