Flashback: Beltran's 1st Astros stint was historic

The legend of Carlos Beltran began during his blink-and-you-missed-it first stint at Minute Maid Park.

Though drafted and developed by the Kansas City Royals, Beltran's whirlwind four-month tour with the Houston Astros in 2004 put him on the map as a superstar and began one of the greatest postseason careers baseball's ever seen. At that time, Beltran was months from free agency and a threat with his bat, gloves, and legs. Now, 12 years and five teams later, he's about to return to the Space City as a soon-to-be 40-year-old designated hitter whose speed and defense is gone but is still capable of producing at the plate. Once again, he'll be asked to lead the Astros to World Series glory, something he failed to do last time.

Beltran reportedly agreed to a one-year, $16-million contract with the Astros on Saturday, marking the beginning of his second tenure in Houston and providing the perfect chance to look back at those four magical months in 2004.

Acquired in a three-team trade on June 24, 2004, Beltran - then just 27 - arrived in Houston looking to pad his resume ahead of his first crack at free agency. He was having an excellent season with the Royals, and his numbers were even better with the Astros, hitting .258/.368/.559 with 23 homers, 28 steals, 53 RBIs, 17 doubles, and seven triples over his 90 games after the trade. Beltran finished the regular season just two homers shy of putting up the fourth 40-40 season in big-league history, and also made his first All-Star appearance in an Astros uniform that summer at Minute Maid Park.

But the best was yet to come. Beltran made jaws drop with an October performance that is still one of the greatest playoff runs by any player ever. In Game 1 of the Division Series, Beltran went 3-for-3 with a home run, then homered and doubled in Game 3, and capped it off with two more dingers in Game 5 to help the Astros win their first-ever playoff series.

Oh, but he wasn't done yet. In the NLCS against St. Louis, Beltran wasted no time torching the Cardinals, going yard in his first at-bat of the series.

He would go deep in each of the first four games of the NLCS, setting a postseason record by homering in five straight playoff contests dating back to the NLDS. Beltran's eight postseason home runs tied Barry Bonds' 2002 total for the most in a single year.

Besides the home run record, Beltran also tied the all-time mark for most total bases in one postseason and set a new single-playoff mark with 21 runs scored - all without even reaching the World Series, as the Cardinals beat Houston in six games to win the pennant. Still, Beltran hit safely in six of the Astros' seven LCS contests.

Alas, that was the end for Beltran wearing a brick-and-sand Astros jersey. The historic run made him a very rich man, as he jumped to the Mets over the winter after signing a seven-year, $119-million contract.

That one ridiculous October in Houston cemented Beltran's legacy as one of the greatest postseason hitters ever, and he's continued to pad those numbers. Not counting his 2004 totals, Beltran owns a .929 OPS, eight homers, 27 walks, and 24 runs scored in 43 playoff games with four different teams. All told, his 16 playoff homers are tied for ninth all time.

One thing - outside of a World Series ring - has been missing since Beltran's 2004 run, though: respect from his old friends in Houston. Since leaving the Astros in 2004, he has been booed and jeered with each return to his old stomping grounds by fans still mad about his departure.

But with one stroke of the pen this weekend, Beltran erased those boos for good, and ensured his magical 2004 postseason will be remembered fondly, despite the first awkward split. Now, over a decade later, the future Hall of Famer finally gets the chance to add to his already-unforgettable legacy in Houston - and maybe finish the job he started in 2004.

(Videos courtesy: MLB.com)