Baseball: Mets upset Beltran went ahead with knee surgery

NEW YORK - The New York Mets are upset Carlos Beltran had knee surgery this week after the team asked him to wait while management discussed options with its medical staff.

Assistant general manager John Ricco said the All-Star center fielder had permission to be examined Tuesday by Dr. Richard Steadman, a knee specialist in Colorado who also looked at Beltran last summer. Steadman recommended surgery.

"We told the agent for the player that we wanted to have the ability to discuss the diagnosis and possibly have a third opinion because, you know, of the nature of this injury," Ricco said during a telephone conference call Thursday. "We wanted to have the opportunity to digest the information, the diagnosis, and unfortunately we were never afforded the opportunity to do that."

Despite the Mets' request, made to agent Scott Boras on Tuesday evening, Steadman operated on Beltran on Wednesday, removing cartilage fragments and inflammation, and shaving bone spurs.

New York said Beltran is expected to resume baseball activities in 12 weeks - although Boras said it could be as few as eight. Ricco said the team will be "losing his services, at least for the early part of the season."

"We thought we had cooperation from their side," Ricco said. "And to find out afterward that, you know, the surgery occurred, that's where we're most upset."

Thus far, the Mets have stopped short of taking action against Beltran for going ahead with the operation. He is entering the sixth season of a $119 million, seven-year contract.

"We sent a letter to the agent reserving our rights," Ricco said. "And that's where it stands right now."

Ricco spoke because general manager Omar Minaya and chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon were at the major league owners' meetings in Arizona.

"When you have a player of this magnitude, you have an injury that could keep him out for a substantial period of time, you know, our view of it was that we want to make sure we have all the information that we can have at the time before we go forward," Ricco said. "Obviously, both the Mets' and Carlos Beltran's interest in this is Carlos Beltran's health and having him be healthy and productive for the Mets."

A five-time All-Star, Beltran missed 2 1/2 months last season with a painful bone bruise on his right knee. The switch-hitter finished with a team-leading .325 batting average and .415 on-base percentage. He had 10 homers and 48 RBIs.

Beltran, who turns 33 in April, had an MRI exam near the end of last season, another one in November and a third on Dec. 10. The third screening showed worsening of an underlying condition in his right knee called osteoarthritis.