Carlos

Beltran

The hiring hasn’t been officially announced by the Mets, but Beltran has already stepped down from his on-air role with the YES Network. The 45-year-old former big leaguer stepped down as Mets manager nearly three years ago during the fallout from the Astros sign-stealing scandal, resigning before ever managing a game for New York. It’s unclear whether Beltran will ever get another opportunity in a major-league dugout again, but this is at least a big step towards a second chance in baseball.

The Royals do have interest in Young, but Gonzalez they would only be renting for a run at winning this season, which has to be considered a long shot. So by spring training, the deal will have boiled down to Beltran for Young, and as one Royals’ exec put it, ''Does that make sense?’'

He’d be the first one to do it while switching teams, not to mention leagues, during that season.

He should be back in the lineup this afternoon.

This news comes despite GM Allard Baird’s belief that the new labor agreement should allow the Royals to keep the core of their young roster intact in coming years. With Alexis Gomez coming up behind Beltran, and young pitchers in place, management may be right about a trade. They shouldn’t expect it to go over well in the court of public opinion, however, especially with Beltran saying yesterday he’d like to sign a long-term contract.

“I’m disappointed,” McLane said. “I sure thought something would happen at the winter meetings. That’s (agent Scott Boras’) motif.” McLane said there have been no additional talks with Boras since the end of the winter meetings, but he hopes that changes soon. Even though there are only two suitors -- the Astros and the Yankees -- right now, Beltran could remain a free agent into next month.

At the moment, it looks like Beltran’s decision will come down to the Astros and Yankees. The Cubs, Tigers and Mets could also make bids, but they’re longshots.

“It’s been made perfectly clear to us that we probably needn’t bother,” Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta said of Beltran. “He has interested parties for places he’d rather be.” Maybe J.D. Drew instead? Only the lack of durability makes him a significant downgrade from Beltran. Of course, that is a big factor.

No offer has been presented. The Mets will probably wait and see what happens with Carlos Delgado, a player they have a much better chance of landing.

McLane hopes to arrange a meeting, though. Agent Scott Boras will meet with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner on Tuesday.