HOUSTON -- Cole Hamels has gone to Chicago, but third baseman Adrian Beltre is still with the Rangers with three days to go before Tuesday's non-waiver Trade Deadline.
To this point, Beltre said the Rangers have not approached him with a specific trade proposal, even though there are rumblings that the Braves and other teams might be interested in him. The possibility grows that Beltre could be with the Rangers once the Deadline has passed, but there has been no final resolution either way.
"I've always been at peace with being here," Beltre said. "Obviously, we have talked before, and if it makes sense for both parties, I would consider it, but up 'til now, there's nothing concrete that we can sit and talk about."
Beltre loves being with the Rangers and has great loyalty to the organization. If he plays next year, it will most likely be with Texas. But he also has a great desire to play in another World Series and knows that's unlikely with the Rangers now that they are in a major rebuilding mode.
"Well, the question is whether I'm going to play or not, that's the only question," Beltre said. "Even if I'm still here, or if I go somewhere else. But if I decide to play again, I think in my heart, the first choice would be coming back here."
Even if the Rangers aren't going to be contenders anytime soon?
"I mean, it's a question that is not fair for me to answer, because I don't know where my head is going to be next week," Beltre said. "I don't know where my head is going to be tomorrow. So, if you ask that question, it's unfair for me, because I'm not going to be completely honest with you. There's a lot of questions that I have to answer myself after this season, and then we'll answer that question."
Right now, the best chance for Beltre to experience the postseason again is if the Rangers can work out a deal in the next three days, and he agrees to it under his 10-and-5 veto rights.
"Obviously, it's going to come down to what works for the team, and what works for me," Beltre said. "A chance for me to -- if we go down that route -- a chance for me to actually be part of that team, not just sitting on the bench. A chance for me to play. I'm not going to specifically say, 'I need to play every day,' but contribute to that team to win the World Series, if that's going to happen. But it's a matter of what that team needs, and what their offer to the Rangers looks like."
The Braves could be the one team that would be a fit for Beltre. They are looking for a right-handed bat and veteran leadership. Former Rangers manager Ron Washington is now a coach with Braves and could be lobbying them to acquire Beltre.
"I mean, it's always nice to see him," Beltre said. "I love Ron. But I can't comment on that, I don't know. I don't think anything, to my knowledge, is heading that way."
The bottom line is Beltre appears torn between a desire to play for a winner again and his loyalty to the Rangers.
"It's a different situation, because I'm comfortable here, I love it here," Beltre said. "The fans have been great, the organization has given me the chance to win for many years. Yes, we ended up coming up short in 2011, but ultimately for me, I want to win. And I'm caught up in between the organization that gave me the chance to win for many years, the organization that trusted me enough to sign me to multi-year contracts multiple times. I could ask nothing better than the way the Texas fans have received me in this state.
"But ultimately, I do want to win, it's just like … it's a difficult situation for me. And obviously, if I get traded to a team that has a chance to win, we might not end up getting there. It's going to come along if the right situation works for both parties."