Next Stop: Cooperstown

Adrian Beltre's announcement this week that he was retiring after 21 major league seasons robs the game of what likely would have been a widely covered farewell tour. Make no mistake, Beltre was worthy of a final round of cheers -- he steps down as one of the best all-around 3rd basemen ever. The five-time Gold Glove winner totaled 477 home runs to go along with a .286 batting average. He passed 3,000th career hits in 2017, and jumped passed Stan Musial and Willie Stargell on the all-time home run list this past summer.
Those numbers pass the "eye test" for greatness; the popularity with his teammates, and his leadership role with the Rangers, show the measure of the man.
Beltre joins the just-retired Joe Mauer as strong Cooperstown candidates for the Class of 2014.

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