St. Louis Cardinals’ outfielder Carlos Beltran focused on new season – MLB News
The St. Louis Cardinals’ new outfielder Carlos Beltran has stated that he has learnt a lot from his experiences and that he will be more focused and prepared in the coming season. His statement on Monday, February 6, was a declaration to his tenacity and
determination to remain fit and contribute for the team.
St. Louis Cardinals have recently signed the player to a two-year contract, worth $26 million. The arthroscopic knee surgery that he had undergone in the middle of 2010 was deemed to be critical in 2011, but he proved the critics wrong.
"Last year, a lot of people thought I wasn't going to be able to play in the outfield 140, 150 games," Beltran said. "I proved that was possible. When you get older, you're more focused and more prepared and you know what you have to do in order to maintain
yourself. Last year, I learned a lot of things I didn't do in the past. I just want to repeat those."
It is this year that the Cardinals are ever more reliant on the likes of Beltran, David Freese, Matt Holliday and others. Beltran’s fitness, of course, is one of the key factors in determining the effectiveness of the team’s offence.
However, the fact stands that although Beltran could not play many games in 2009 and 2010, it was 2011 that was relatively productive and successful. With 142 games that he appeared in the past season, compared to only 64 in 2010, Beltran maintained an impressive
average of .300 with no less than 84 RBIs to his credit and 22 homers.
Another important role to be played is that of Jon Jay whom the Cardinals expect will do as good as he did in the last season. "It's going to be my third season, but I'm just trying to be consistent out there and help the team win," Jay said.
All these expectations will either materialise or fail to see the light of the day only when the new season starts. However, as things stand, the Cardinals are attaching their hopes to these players to do well in the upcoming 2012 Major League Baseball regular
season.
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