Report: Smaller Markets Giving Yankees A Run For Their Money On Beltran
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Imagine the Yankees getting outbid for a player by the Kansas City Royals. Unheard of, right?
It's definitely possible.
That's because coveted free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran spent Monday and Tuesday in Kansas City getting wooed by the team he broke into the bigs with back in 1998, the NY Post reported.
It appears the Royals, who were in last season's wild card race up until the final week of the regular season, are desperate for run-producers to help get them to the next level. Beltran, who drove in at least 100 runs four times for Kansas City before being traded to Houston in 2004, definitely fits the bill, even at soon-to-be 37.
It's not known if the Royals have made an offer yet to Beltran, but it is believed a team has come to him with a three-year, $48 million overture. That team may have been the Seattle Mariners, who are said to be extremely interested in Beltran's services, ESPN reported.
The Yankees have said Beltran is their No. 1 priority now that they've locked up catcher Brian McCann for five years and $85 million. However, the Bombers have been reluctant to give Beltran more than two years. It appears to be a safe bet the Yankees will win the monetary battle no matter the opponent, but without the third year the per-season salary may not make any difference.
Earlier Tuesday, managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner issued a statement to go along with the official signing of McCann, saying in part, "Our work this offseason has just begun."
That's clear, if their idea is to also sign Beltran.
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