Beltran Wants To Move On

Marty Noble at Mets.com, writes about Carlos Beltan and how he just wants to forget about game 7 of the NLCS:

The hangover persists. And now that the public eye again can focus on Carlos Beltran, it may get worse. No "hair of the dog" exists for this one. Only time or a big hit in another Game 7 will remove the stain that -- rightfully or not -- has been affixed to Beltran's reputation.

Seldom has a player been so put upon for something he didn't do. But New York loves to point the finger -- even at its own. As much as it would have embraced the Mets' involvement in the World Series, it doesn't forget -- or, apparently, forgive -- the final play of the game that denied them.

The bat remained on Beltran's shoulder as the final pitch of the NLCS, a masterful back-door curve from Cardinals reliever Adam Wainwright, passed over the outer half of the plate. Now it is that caught-looking that rests on his shoulders and prompts him to point out, "I struck out 100 times before that."