Carlos Beltran 2009

Carlos Beltran got two picks in Rotoman's 2009 Fantasy Baseball Guide - from Jeff Winick and Buck Davidson. Winick loves Beltran, as he was also a Winick pick in 2008.

Saying you like Beltran in 2009 is kind of like rooting for U.S. Steel. What you're really saying when you endorse Beltran is that he's a player you can build your Rotisserie franchise around.

Earned $35 last year in 4x4, making him the seventh best hitter to own in the National League last year. Earned $34 in 2007 and $35 in 2006, making him as consistent a hitter as you're going to get in Roto.

Though not in real life. Beltran's raw numbers have fluctuated quite a bit. In 2006, he hit 40+ HR and the steals dropped a little bit. The last two years he hasn't provided the huge power numbers but he has done some major running, particularly for a hitter in the middle of the order.

Beltran's a rare example of a top guy who I wouldn't pay a few extra bucks to get. I know that I'm not going to get a four-category guy, since his contributions in batting average don't help and sometimes hurt (he earned $2 in BA in 2008). I'd still pay $35 or $36 for him, but after that I might be better off chasing after one of the other top bats who will also likely contribute in batting average.