MLB

Carlos Beltran just wants one measly ring with Yankees

TAMPA — Carlos Beltran finally took the field as a Yankee Monday, going through batting practice and some light drills at the team’s minor league complex on a perfect Florida morning.

But after playing in New York for nearly seven seasons in the prime of his career and witnessing the Yankees’ $503 million offseason spending spree, Beltran knows better than most that regardless of how things look the rest of the year, his legacy will be remembered by what happens in October.

“Of course we have to win,” Beltran said after his first workout. “I don’t know how far we will go, [but] at least we have to do something positive and something better than they did last year.”

Even while he was helping the Cardinals to a National League pennant, Beltran could see the Yankees’ performance in 2013 was unacceptable, as they missed the postseason for the first time in five years.

“I look at the team, I look at our situation, the players we have and we have a pretty good chance,” Beltran said. “Last year, I experienced being in the World Series with the Cardinals and it was a great feeling. Once you play there, you want to go there every year.”

That’s also true in The Bronx, which is why the Yankees signed Beltran, Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury and Masahiro Tanaka.

“After last year, the organization felt they fell short and felt that adding priorities like McCann — who was a big priority for this ballclub — Ellsbury and myself and other guys [was important],” Beltran said. “I feel our club has a good chance. And I know it’s going to be hard because the AL East is a strong division.”

His quest to capture a title in Queens ended when he was traded to San Francisco in 2011 — almost five years removed from looking at strike three for the final out of the NLCS against St. Louis.

The three-year, $45 million deal he received from the Yankees represents his last, best shot. So while Derek Jeter looks to get his sixth World Series ring before he retires, Beltran just wants his first.

“Hopefully we can help this team win a championship,” Beltran said. “I know [Jeter] has a lot of championships, but I don’t have [any]. Hopefully, I can win one.”

That journey started Monday.

“So many good players have put on this uniform and for me to be able to be part of history, it feels great,” Beltran, 36, said after spending more than an hour on the field.

Beltran even took grounders at second base with another new Yankee, Brian Roberts, something he laughed about later. He also chuckled when asked if he almost felt like a rookie coming to the team he has wanted to play for during much of his career.

“No, no, no,” Beltran said. “I trained hard this offseason to put myself in a position where I’m health. … I don’t want to get caught up into thinking too much or trying come here and impress. I don’t need to impress nobody. I just need to be smart.”

Because of the fact most of the team’s unfamiliar faces have been in the majors for a while, Beltran is confident there won’t be much of an adjustment period.

“It’s not like you’re dealing with a bunch of younger guys that probably don’t know what they need to do for us,” Beltran said. “We know what we are capable of. We just need to find a way to come to the ballpark and get used to the way they play the game, the Yankees, and their philosophy.”