Beltran's back to his old self

Marty Noble at Mets.com writes about Carlos Beltran and his return to his old form:

This year, to borrow one of Yogi's wonderful redundancies, Beltran has exceeded expectations and more. It is more than a comeback season for the Mets center fielder; it is a reaffirmation of the talent that years earlier had placed him among the elite players in the game. He has bounced back like a line drive off the vine-covered brick of Wrigley Field, putting himself in play as a candidate for the 2006 Comeback Player of the Year Award, presented by Viagra.

Before he signed with the Mets in January 2005, Beltran wanted no part of being a comeback player. His career was skyrocketing after a stunning postseason surge with the Astros in 2004. But a strained quad undermined his season with the Mets, and the try-to-do-too-much syndrome free agents often experience after they change teams turned into a straitjacket.

That restriction shed, Beltran is one of six National Leagues players fans can vote for, via MLB.com, as their choice for the award Jason Giambi of the Yankees and Ken Griffey Jr. of the Reds won last year.

Chosen for the ballot in mid-July, Beltran made himself a most compelling candidate with a brilliant performance in late July -- 12 RBIs in a three-game sweep of the Braves -- that thrust him into the league lead in RBIs, second place in home runs and into every MVP discussion. It was as if he reprised his '04 playoff performance -- run production, power and prestige.

"It felt like that [2004 postseason]," Beltran said. "My confidence is high now like it was then."