Carlos Beltran free agency: Red Sox, Beltran have had 'serious dialogue'

The Red Sox have engaged in "serious dialogue with free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.

Heard the #RedSox have had "serious dialogue" with free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran

— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) November 19, 2013

Color me concerned.

Beltran is a good player, but he's also 36, and costs a draft pick to sign. Beyond that, he doesn't really fill a clear need of Boston's. He could play in left field, pushing Daniel Nava to first base, but in that role Beltran's contract demands--which have been said to be as high as 3-4 years in recent days--make him far less appealing than a return of Mike Napoli or an acquisition of Corey Hart.

Still, Beltran has kind of been one of Boston's obsessions since way back, both as a trade target and in free agency. He's never made his way to the Red Sox, and given his age, declining production, price, and the poor fit, now doesn't seem like the time to change that. But sometimes, even for the best front offices, there's just no accounting for personal fixations.

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