An Adrian Beltre Appreciation Thread
by Matthew on Dec 7, 2009 11:50 AM PST
in Miscellaneous
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PrintWith multiple people agreeing, and on the side of overwhelming logic as well, it appears that within the next 12 hours or so, Adrian Beltre will decline the Mariners offer of arbitration.
Beltre, or Scott Boras rather, seems to still be pressing for a multi-year contract for Beltre, something in the 4/40 range. It strikes me as unlikely that Beltre will reach that. He may get $10 million in annual, but guaranteed for four years coming off the season he had in 2009, the reputation that he's garnered and the general state of free agent contracts this winter, seems unlikely. Beltre and Boras are probably aware of that. They probably know that they are more likely to prefer a one year contract in order to have Beltre put up respectable offensive numbers and then land a four year deal next winter. By declining arbitration, they are refusing a guaranteed one year, ~$12 million contract.
What this tells me is that, while the Mariners are objectively no different from any of the other 29 teams in terms of chance of signing Beltre, realistically, they don't want him to return for 2010. I do not blame them.
In his five years here, Beltre provided legitimately top of the line defense (48.2 runs by UZR), a dedication to play through all sorts of pain as long as it didn't impact his ability to play, fantastically easy to root for antics and many other things. According to FanGraphs, Beltre was worth 16.6 wins with the Mariners, an amount that from 2005-9 was valued at $67.4 million for which he was paid $64 million.
Everything that Adrian Beltre did not provide is irrelevant. He was worth his salary in performance on the field alone. His performances in other aspects, the dancing, the lovably retarded plate discipline, the interactions with Red, etc were just gravy. Godspeed, Adrian. I hope you find success and appreciation where ever you go*
*offer void in Anaheim
116 comments
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Whole-heartedly concur with everything said
Particularly the addendum. Thanks for giving everything you could Adrian. Good luck.
I wouldn't normally link here to things I wrote, but I feel like it's appropriate here
This is something similar that I wrote a couple of months ago. Here
My Mariners blog - SodoMojo, Twitter Feed, Fuck the fucking Angels!
Can I still wear my Beltre jersey?
I love Adrian Beltre.
You can always wear a Beltre jersey with pride!
The good thing about having sex with pregnant chicks is that they cant get pregnant.
by RED29 on Dec 7, 2009 1:40 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
THANK YOU AND GOODBYE YOUR CRAZY POINTING MOTHERFUCKER
I WILL MISS YOU. AND I WILL NO LONGER BE THE ADRIAN BELTRE OF POSTERS. ALAS WHAT AM I TO DO?
I don't think they allow curse words there.
So you would be banned by your first game thread.
...and now I'm here
I think I would do that just for the fun of it.
by nathaniel dawson on Dec 7, 2009 11:14 PM PST up reply actions
You can.
Though if I’m not mistaken J/M/G would ban you here for it, so I probably wouldn’t.
...and now I'm here
I am sad that he is leaving.
:(
angels fan in seattle
by Eyebrows on Dec 7, 2009 12:57 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Beltre is one of the few baseball players I think I would actually enjoy hanging out with.
He’s funny, a little off-kilter, and seems like a genuinely cool guy. Plus, I bet he likes Star Trek.
I will smash your face into a jelly.
by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Dec 7, 2009 1:10 PM PST reply actions
I had to explain to my wife yesterday why Beltre was no longer a mariner.
It was sad.
abender20 hates freedom.
You see...
He was always so bored here, so we took him to a farm where he could play baseball and do little dances and throw his glove at fly balls without anyone bugging him about his balls.
He’ll be happy there…. Now here’s a new puppy!!!
It's hard to convince people to let you eat them if you're an asshole. - Thingray
If this park hadn't been tailored for a half a season of Griffey's left handed swing Beltre probably wouldn't be leaving
Burn in hell Junior!
by Poochie on Dec 7, 2009 1:37 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
Couldn't have said it better myself!
The good thing about having sex with pregnant chicks is that they cant get pregnant.
Tis a sad day...
I’m about to officially become the owner of 10 retro Beltre jerseys. This was the first time I have been able to watch my favorite player on a daily basis and it was truly an honor, the last 4 years have been awesome. I wish him nothing but the best, even if he signs with the Red Sox or Angels. I will never be a fan of those teams but Beltre will ALWAYS be my favorite player.
Thank you for the appeals, the happy feet, throwing your glove at a ball, the signed bats, the interactions, just everything. You were down right fun to watch play baseball, you will be missed.
Thank you to everyone here as well for pretty much creating my 15 minutes. I had a blast!
The good thing about having sex with pregnant chicks is that they cant get pregnant.
by RED29 on Dec 7, 2009 1:38 PM PST reply actions 43 recs
Thanks Red, Safeco would be a better place if there were a few* more giant sign holding fans like you!
*a few more= maybe 20, maybe 200? but no more that could get crazy.
You really need to create a Gutierrez face sign now.
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel, or the headlights of an oncoming train?
Enjoyed every minute of it
I hope we eventually find another player even close to as awesome as Beltre for you.
Ah, Beltre.
I loved how he would do his little tap dance when he was barely able to stop himself from swinging at a slider three feet outside.
I hope Adrian is sent this link.
He was a wonderful player who didn’t get the recognition he deserved. Good luck, Adrian, you will be missed.
And lo did the good Lord Beltre leave his people.
And there was much lamenting and sadness. And the people did look to their new God for guidance.
In all seriousness though, I will really miss Beltre. He was one of the only bright spots of the Bavasi years and he was my favorite Mariner for most of the time he was here. He’d better not sign with the Angels though, that would just suck.
by Vatinius on Dec 7, 2009 1:51 PM PST reply actions 27 recs
I support fanshotting the Guti God so I can rec it again.
...and now I'm here
It is entirely appropriate for the Guti God to have gold armor and sunglasses.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/
by JY on Dec 7, 2009 4:17 PM PST up reply actions
That Guti picture is mindblowingly awesome
"For the love of god drop the FF talk everyone."
by Fearless Frog on Dec 7, 2009 7:40 PM PST up reply actions
It's not even a record for this week.
...and now I'm here
Though you still deserve extra recs.
Bring it back to the fanshots by the time the season starts yeah? It’d be nice to have easy access.
...and now I'm here
Best. Free. Agent. Signing. Ever!
When he was signed here after the ‘04 season, I was dumbfounded that it was such a “short” deal. His was actually one contract that I was hoping Bavasi would go longer on. I knew that when we reached this date it would be something I’d still be upset about. I was fine with the M’s giving Beltre 5-6 years back then and I really wish they would have.
So, moral of the story – even though Bavasi actually got the right guy in free agency that time, he still found a way to muck it up…
SHOW FiFi THE MONEY!!!!
When we signed him...
I remember talking to my dad about it and saying how excited I was that we actually invested in defense at a corner. And when I bought my first non-Japanese version of Power Pro, I felt like wriing Konami and complaining that Beltre was rated as an average defender with a below average arm.
I will miss him so much.
I love all the idiosyncrasies of his AB’s: The patented self appeal. The incessant whacking of the the cleats with bat handle. The funny little dances.
When Lopez fouls off 10 pitches that are laughably out of the strike zone, it irritates me to no end. When Adrian would do the same thing it was somehow charming.
Even here where defense is appreciated, I think it will only be after he’s gone awhile we’ll appreciate how spoiled we’ve been by his wizardry. He is just so damn good at every part of playing third. He consistently made plays other guys usually don’t and he often made it look easy.
It was a great pleasure to watch him these last 5 seasons. Thanks for everything Adrian.
Griffey!
by Big Jared on Dec 7, 2009 2:35 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Without question one of my favorite Mariners of all time
I’m still disappointed he didn’t receive the fanfare he deserved during the final game of the season.
The greatest third basemen in the history of this franchise.
Thank you for everything Adrian. You may not of matched the raw numbers of some of the greats we have had play for this team, but in my opinion, when it comes to discussing all time Mariner players, you are definitely in that conversation.
You’re one of my favorite players to every play here in Seattle and I, like all the others here, will miss you greatly. Good luck and please, do not sign with the Angels.
"you don’t drive in runs with base on balls."
~gitanoloco
by Goose on Dec 7, 2009 3:26 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Goodbye, Adrian
Thanks for being one of the few players lovable enough to make the Bavasi era a little less painful, and a shame you can’t be around to complete the resurgence.
This post needs more .gifs
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/
by JY on Dec 7, 2009 4:20 PM PST reply actions 5 recs
Oh God, so much win.
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel, or the headlights of an oncoming train?
bummer
Beltre was the kind of player I enjoyed coming to the ballpark to watch. I will miss him sorely.
Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org
Thank-you so much for everything you've done for us Adrian!
You were truly one of the bright spots on this team when everyone else was so inconsistent. Your humor and wit will be truly missed. You will always be one of my favorite players and
I wish you good fortune with whatever team you land on, even if its a division rival.
Yeah that was a very touching moment
My Mariners blog - SodoMojo, Twitter Feed, Fuck the fucking Angels!
Well thanks, I was wondering what the next 20 minutes of my life were going to be
and now it will be full of looking for video of the end of that game.
If his name was Adrian Catchtre I bet he would have been better loved in Seattle.
His last name wrote a check that Safeco couldn’t cash.
...and now I'm here
Adrian Beltre was my favorite non-Mariner back when he was a Dodger
Even before his crazy year. So I was thrilled to see him go nuts in 2004. And over the moon when we signed him. I’ve spent the better part of 5 years defending him to his critics, even before I knew exactly and statistically why he was good. Because Beltre is one of those guys that is just flat out fun to watch, one of them that makes baseball entertaining and great. The league needs more players like him. Godspeed Adrian, you crazy motherfucker.
ADRIAN!!!!
Even when the Mariners sucked (often) over the past few seasons,there were precious few games when Beltre didn’t do something that made me think (and sometimes say) “hot damn.” I miss him already (including his crazy at-bat dance). I hope for only the best for him no matter where he lands…
Chone may replace him in the field
but no one will ever replace Adrian in my heart.
by I Lick Squirrels on Dec 7, 2009 6:44 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
I guess the only thing that I can say that hasn't been said is
I just wish more people realized how awesome you were. Here’s to a ring for each finger in the future regardless of who it’s with.
Beltre was one of my favorite players.
Sad to see him go. I wish him well.
"For the love of god drop the FF talk everyone."
Adrian rivaled Yuni in silliness and was actually good at the sport of based ball
In this way he will always remain one of my favorite Mariners
by Dewey N on Dec 7, 2009 7:55 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
If anyone has .gifs of the eye-level tomahawk home run or the on-his-knees home run, I'd love to see them here.
Weren’t they both within the same week or something?
Glad I was there for the one-knee dinger
After that sweep-clincher at Petco I was raving about Ichiro’s 5-for-5, at which point Jeff reminded me that I had just seen a man hit a home run while kneeling. Awesome.
by lemonverbena on Dec 8, 2009 11:18 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
That second one was so absurd
It was higher than his forehead! And he was way late on the swing and hit the ball from his back shoulder! God I’ll miss him
I want to poop at your house - Thingray
Farewell, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest
…..wait FUCK
by OlSalty on Dec 7, 2009 8:36 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Boooo...
It's hard to convince people to let you eat them if you're an asshole. - Thingray
:(
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It's hard to convince people to let you eat them if you're an asshole. - Thingray
by Faux on Dec 7, 2009 9:36 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Bye Adrian. :(
You’d better be as awesome as him, Chone.
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel, or the headlights of an oncoming train?
Adrian will always be a special player to me.
He really is the player that introduced me to modern baseball analysis. The first two years of his contract I thought he was an absolute bust for all the wrong reasons, then I discovered LL and USSM and learned how wrong I was.
To me, Adrian is the player who showed me that value is derived from far more than simple counting stats. He’s the player that showed me the immense value of defense.
So, thank you Adrian. Thanks for showing me that defense matters and a run is a run.
I'm suprised nobody mentioned the fact that
Beltre was only the 4th Mariner to hit for the cycle. That rates as one of my favorite Beltre moments.
Much like playing 5 more innings after breaking your testicle...
I’ll fight on, but it hurts. It hurts bad.
...and now I'm here
by CapSea on Dec 8, 2009 12:14 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
:(
Pack up
I’m Straight
Enough
Oh say say say you’ll
Say say say you’ll
Say say say you’ll
Say say say you’ll
Say say say..
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Maps………..
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Made off
Don’t stray
Well my kind is your kind
I’ll stay the same
Pack up
Don’t stray
Oh say say say
I’ll say say say..
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Maps………..
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Maps………..
Wait.
they don’t love you like I love you
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Maps………..
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Wait.
They don’t love you like I love you
Maps………..
Wait.
they don’t love you like I love you
-Yeah Yeah Yeahs
by portablestsanzas on Dec 8, 2009 4:09 AM PST reply actions
Hasta luego, Yaydrian.
I hope we don’t see you soon. It would make my heart hurt too much.
by Kirsten Schlewitz on Dec 8, 2009 10:26 AM PST reply actions
Anyone have video
or animated GIFs of Beltre appealing his own check-swing to the first base ump?
by Lents Park Homer on Dec 8, 2009 11:28 AM PST reply actions
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