Everywhere One Looks, It's Beltran

Yesterday, we talked about the 2004 National League Championship Series between the Cardinals and Astros, and how it was the best series we had ever seen. We, stupidly, did not mention the words "Carlos Beltran," which was odd, considering the guy showed up in our nightmares for months afterwards. (That, and a snake in a vest.) Everything that guy hit that series was off the wall, over the wall, through the wall ... it was unreal.

So we shouldn't have been surprised when he smashed the Cardinals again last night, hitting a two-run homer in the sixth inning to give the Mets a 2-0 win in the NLCS Game 1. Jeff Weaver had been outstanding all evening, but the minute the pitch left his hand, you knew Beltran was going to get his Astros on. It was the only real moment in the game that mattered.

We are not too terribly upset: We're somewhat distrubed that Albert Pujols seemed distracted all evening, but all in all, the Mets needed this game more and it's hard to argue with six solid innings from Jeff Weaver. Tonight, of course, is the big game: If the Cardinals can't get a win from Carpenter and a split at Shea ... this could be over, like, really fast.

Beltran's Blast From Past [Yahoo! Sports]