It appears the New York Yankees just might not try to sign baseball's most coveted free agent — Carlos Beltran, according to a report in the New York Times.
The newspaper, citing a "baseball official who is in a position to hear such things," said the Yankees would not attempt to add Beltran to an already star-studded roster."Someone told me the other day, if they get (Randy) Johnson they wouldn't go after Beltran," the official told the Times. "Even the Yankees have to have a limit."
Commissioner Bud Selig approved the Randy Johnson trade Monday. That means the Yankees' payroll is likely to exceed $200 million — a level no other team has ever reached.
The Yankees, including owner George Steinbrenner, have met with Beltran. And Beltran, in turn, has admitted to being impressed by Steinbrenner, and said he would not be intimidated by the challenge of playing in New York.
But the team has not made a contract offer. And when asked by The Times last week about that subject, general manager Brian Cashman said, "We have to decide if we're going to be a player in this."
The Mets, meanwhile, have begun to employ the same aggressive recruiting strategy for Beltran that proved effective in landing Pedro Martinez.
General manager Omar Minaya and owner Fred Wilpon were among those who flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico to meet with Beltran, his agent Scott Boras and Boras' associate Mike Fiore for four hours Monday.
"We had a very productive meeting," Boras said after the session at a San Juan hotel.
But Boras would not say whether the Mets had made a contract offer during the meeting.
Beltran hit .267 with 38 home runs, 104 RBIs and 42 stolen bases for the Royals and Astros last season. He later carried Houston to the NLCS and hit 8 home runs in the post-season.
Newsday reported last week that Boras told teams to start the bidding for his client at $119 million, or roughly $17 million over seven seasons.
According to the N.Y. Daily News the Mets, during their Puerto Rico visit, could offer Beltran an 8-year deal totaling as much as $140 million.
The Astros, on the other hand, have already offered deals ranging anywhere from $70 to $96 million. What's more, a source told the Houston Chronicle owner Drayton McLane has resumed negotiations with Boras following a Christmas break.
If Houston fails to reach an agreement with Beltran by Jan. 8, it would have to wait until May 1 to re-sign him.
The newspaper, citing a "baseball official who is in a position to hear such things," said the Yankees would not attempt to add Beltran to an already star-studded roster."Someone told me the other day, if they get (Randy) Johnson they wouldn't go after Beltran," the official told the Times. "Even the Yankees have to have a limit."
Commissioner Bud Selig approved the Randy Johnson trade Monday. That means the Yankees' payroll is likely to exceed $200 million — a level no other team has ever reached.
The Yankees, including owner George Steinbrenner, have met with Beltran. And Beltran, in turn, has admitted to being impressed by Steinbrenner, and said he would not be intimidated by the challenge of playing in New York.
But the team has not made a contract offer. And when asked by The Times last week about that subject, general manager Brian Cashman said, "We have to decide if we're going to be a player in this."
The Mets, meanwhile, have begun to employ the same aggressive recruiting strategy for Beltran that proved effective in landing Pedro Martinez.
General manager Omar Minaya and owner Fred Wilpon were among those who flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico to meet with Beltran, his agent Scott Boras and Boras' associate Mike Fiore for four hours Monday.
"We had a very productive meeting," Boras said after the session at a San Juan hotel.
But Boras would not say whether the Mets had made a contract offer during the meeting.
Beltran hit .267 with 38 home runs, 104 RBIs and 42 stolen bases for the Royals and Astros last season. He later carried Houston to the NLCS and hit 8 home runs in the post-season.
Newsday reported last week that Boras told teams to start the bidding for his client at $119 million, or roughly $17 million over seven seasons.
According to the N.Y. Daily News the Mets, during their Puerto Rico visit, could offer Beltran an 8-year deal totaling as much as $140 million.
The Astros, on the other hand, have already offered deals ranging anywhere from $70 to $96 million. What's more, a source told the Houston Chronicle owner Drayton McLane has resumed negotiations with Boras following a Christmas break.
If Houston fails to reach an agreement with Beltran by Jan. 8, it would have to wait until May 1 to re-sign him.
