Not that it's exactly a life with lots of tough decisions.

Dodgers: "We'd like to give you more money at age 15 (shhh, don't tell anybody) than the average Dominican sees in a lifetime."
Beltre: "Could you give me a minute to think that over?"

Dodgers: "Adrian, you're nearly 21 years old and have 1.5 year's MLB experience, time to plan for your future. How would you like $1.5 M right now plus another $3.5 over the next 3 years which only buys out 1 arb year?"
Beltre: "Is this because you took advantage of me at 15?"

Mariners: "Adrian, do you have any idea how well you hit last year? How about 5 years and $64 M?"
Beltre: "Shucks that's awfully nice of you folks especially given I'm never going to hit like that again."

Rangers: "Adrian ..."

The 1-year with the Sox was a gamble but otherwise we should all be so lucky as to face such tough decisions.

True, Adrian is one lucky Dominican. On the other hand, he is awfully good at baseball. His defense would be very valuable even if he was only a marginal hitter. Since his escape from Seattle he has been much better than that. His acquisition was the single biggest reason for the Rangers six-game improvement in 2011.

Beltre's got 2000 hits through age 32. If he can stay healthy, he's got a non-crazy shot at 3000. Certainly his glove is good enough that he should be able to remain deserving of playing time.

The funny thing about Beltre is that while he's on a bit of a Johnny Damon track, he'll actually be a perfectly deserving Hall of Famer if he makes it to 3000 hits, given his excellent defense. On the other hand, Beltre's probably going to be entirely overlooked if he doesn't either make it to 3000 or turn in a mid-30s run of peak seasons. I hope he keeps it up - in just one season in Boston, he became one of my favorite players in the world. Constant entertainment at the plate and understated brilliance in the field is a fun combination.

True, Adrian is one lucky Dominican. On the other hand, he is awfully good at baseball. His defense would be very valuable even if he was only a marginal hitter. Since his escape from Seattle he has been much better than that. His acquisition was the single biggest reason for the Rangers six-game improvement in 2011.

Love me some Beltre. Worried that he'll be a shell of himself in the last year or two of that contract, but when he's healthy, he's just awesome. Great defense, above average hitting, and fun to watch. Could easily be a deserving HOF candidate even if he doesn't reach 3000 hits, although I agree he'll be ignored by the voters unless he does.

The funny thing about Beltre is that while he's on a bit of a Johnny Damon track, he'll actually be a perfectly deserving Hall of Famer if he makes it to 3000 hits, given his excellent defense.

I like a little more peak than what Beltre has provided. He had that great 2004, but he has a total of 3 seasons over 5 WAR

#5 -- fair enough but 3000 hits would require another 6 or so good (not great) seasons which would put him around 65 career WAR or so. Don't need much of a peak to qualify as a 3B with that -- well, you shouldn't.

The strange thing about Beltre -- and this hurts his case with the voters quite a lot -- is he's got only 3 GG. Won't be able to make a "defensive god" case with that, especially not given how they treated Santo and will probably treat Rolen.

Was curious, from age 33, Brooks had 917 hits (and 19 WAR) which would leave Beltre 50 short. Brooks is a pretty good comp -- debuted at 18, defensive god, solid hitter in his prime, 109 OPS+ in 7770 PA through 32 with 1931 hits. Beltre has a 110 OPS+ in 8043 PA with 2033 hits with a virtually identical BA and OBP. Despite Chone's man-crush on Brooks' defense, it's just 50 WAR to 48 WAR.

The problem is nobody calls him the new Brooks.