Skip to content

Beltran recalls 'praying to God' when he played without cup

Elsa / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The looming threat of retirement isn't enough to thrust New York Yankees slugger Carlos Beltran into an identity crisis.

The 18-year veteran has appeared in 2,127 career games in the outfield, and the outfield is where he'll stay.

By process of elimination however, Beltran did once make an appearance as an infielder, albeit briefly in April of 2014. And it's an area he's vowed to never venture to again.

"I remember Joe (Girardi) went to Ichiro (Suzuki) and said, 'You want to go to first?' And Ichiro said, 'Hell, no.' So I went to first," Beltran told Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News.

"Not a fun moment for me."

The experiment only lasted five innings, but left Beltran on edge the remainder of the game. He summed it up as one of the most terrifying experiences of his career.

"Joe said, 'Carlos, you want to go to first?' I said, 'Brother, I'll go.' I had no cup," Beltran said.

"David Ortiz was hitting. I'm like, 'Oh, my God.' The first pitch, I didn't even see it coming out of the pitcher's hand. Everything happened so fast. That day, I said, 'Wow, my respect for the infielders, pitchers.' The game out there (outfield) is so easy, so simple. You see the ball come off the bat.

"Everything happens so fast in the infield. I was praying to God. I was very nervous. It had been a long time where I didn't get nervous in the game of baseball, but that day, I was very nervous."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox