It's Carlos Beltran Week

Jim Hendry is still playing it cool with Scott Boras and Carlos Beltran, which is the way to go when you're not actually desperate. The Tribune (Reg. Req.) is reprinting this article from New York Newsday about the Mets' rather public recruitment program which starts today.

In case you missed it, yesterday's Phil Rogers column said "Beltran's old associates in Kansas City have been speculating consistently he's going to wind up with the Cubs." That part came after Rogers' own speculation that the Astros are the only realistic player for the free agent's services.

Meanwhile, today's Sun-Times follows this theme, marking the Mets' offer as PR fodder, the Astros as the favorite and the Cubs as hardball back-door negotiators willing to walk away.

Bruce Miles in the Herald is even more cautious, and predicts that "the likely scenario has Boras and Beltran taking the Astros all the way to the Jan. 8 deadline with hopes of Houston increasing its bid." He also suggests that when Beltran lands somewhere else, Hendry will try to sign up Jeromy Burnitz.