MLB

Beltran says he ‘could’ enter Hall of Fame as member of Mets

It’s very possible Carlos Beltran will eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame and, in a fascinating revelation, the All-Star outfielder said yesterday if he does get into Cooperstown, he might be wearing a Mets cap.

And it’s hard to argue otherwise.

“It could be,” Beltran said before the American League’s 3-0 victory over the National League in the All-Star Game. “I don’t know how that works. I don’t know how you choose that. But, yeah, it could happen.”

The 36-year-old Beltran, who started in right field and went 1-for-2 last night in another return to Queens in the NL’s 3-0 loss, has played for the Royals, Astros, Mets, Giants and now Cardinals. His longest tenure was in New York, here for 6 1/2 seasons from 2005 into 2011, before being traded to the Giants for Zack Wheeler.

Prior to that, Beltran spent 5 1/2 seasons with the Royals. He has also spent a half-season apiece with the Astros and Giants. He’s now in just his second season with the Cardinals. Thus, the Royals and Mets would be the contenders for Beltran’s plaque.

Asked yesterday which team he most identifies with, Beltran replied: “Here and Kansas City. Those are the teams that I spent the most time [with]. I guess Kansas City has been the same time, 6 1/2 years. But if you look at my numbers, I think I had better numbers with the Mets than the Royals.”

With Kansas City, Beltran posted an OPS of .835 while collecting 123 homers, 516 RBIs, 164 steals and no Gold Gloves. With the Mets, Beltran’s OPS was .869, and he posted 149 homers, 559 RBIs, 100 steals and three Gold Gloves.

For his career, Beltran has a .283 batting average, 2,166 hits, 353 home runs, 1,296 RBIs, 308 stolen bases and an OPS of .857.

Beltran was a polarizing player with the Mets, so it would be something if he entered the Hall wearing their cap. He never truly wanted to be in Flushing (he wanted to be a Yankee), but he signed a seven-year, $119 million deal before 2005.

Beltran then underachieved in his first season before delivering phenomenal campaigns in 2006, 2007 and 2008, but also suffering perhaps his seminal Mets moment in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS when — with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning — he took a series-ending called strike three from the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright.

Mainly because of that, Beltran’s reception last night at Citi Field figured to be mixed.

“I moved on,” he said. “If [the fans] don’t want to move on, that’s their fault.”

Beltran, whose eight All-Star appearances are more than any player on the NL team, estimated he wants to play another three seasons, but seemed flexible with that. He admits he thinks about Cooperstown.

“Now that I have heard a lot about it, I do think about it,” he said. “I think if I can stay healthy and playing the game to the level I’m playing now, who knows?”

Speaking of an elite level, Beltran delivered a compliment to Mets ace — and teammate for a night — Matt Harvey.

Beltran rattled off some of the superstar pitchers he has batted against in his career — Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens, for example — but said he told Mets manager Terry Collins of Harvey, “To me, he’s been the best pitcher I have ever faced.”