Right after the New York Knicks pummel the Orlando Magic, exactly when the game was over, senior baseball writer Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Yankees have agreed to a deal with the Bombers. After seeing the Knicks play well and seeing Iman Shumpert make a highlight dunk, I thought I was going to have a nice, easy night, after a crazy day of Hot Stove news. Nope. At 10:00 PM, Yankees decide to sign Beltran to keep my sugar level up.
I knew this was gonna happen; even if the Yankees would've re-sign Robinson Cano, I still felt that Beltran was coming here. Then when I knew Cano signed with Seattle Mariners, it was only a matter of time until we see a report saying Beltran agreed to a deal with the Bronx Bombers.
It was a mutual feeling between the all-star, veteran switch-hitter Beltran and the Yankees. It was so mutual, that Brian Cashman called Beltran's agent Dan Lozano last night at 7:00 PM and got the deal done in two hours. Mostly because all they had to do was negotiate a one more year. They already had a 2-year deal in place.
The actual offer the Yankees wanted to give Beltran was two years. But Beltran wanted three. After Cano signed with Seattle, right then I knew the Yankees wouldn't have a problem adding that extra year.
Beltran makes the lineup 'that' much better, and 'that' much more balanced. I'm glad they didn't sign Shin-Soo Choo because that would've too many lefties; also, Choo has a tough time against lefties. We needed a right-handed bat, but instead we got a switch-hitter.
The Yankees now have two of the most prolific switch-hitters, in the past ten years, Beltran and Mark Teixeira. Pretty amazing to think about it.
All in all, glad to see the Yankees sign the pride of Puerto Rico. I've wanted him since 2004 when he was a 27-years old free agent. But, better now than never.
How cool would it be for Beltran to win his first ring with the team that his favorite player won four, with.
