New York Mets News: Carlos Beltran Out 8-12 Weeks Due to Knee Surgery

I am participating in an NL-only draft over at MDC and I saw this on Will Carroll's twitter site:

Big news pending for mets. Doesn't sound good. 43 minutes ago from Tweetie

The first name that popped into my head was Jose Reyes. Then Johan Santana. Or, maybe they signed pitcher Joel Pineiro?

Time will tell. Will update when the news is announced.

Lizard's comment lead me to this from Joel Sherman's twitter site:

Trying to get 2d confirmation, but hear that Beltran had microfracture knee surgery today without #Mets permission 2 minutes ago from web

Wow-who plays centerfield for the Mets? Angel Pagan's stock may have just skyrocketed. Or Fernando Martinez? Not sure FMart is ready yet.

More from Sherman:

 2d source is describing this as "scope clean up" for beltran. but #Mets are acting like this was more than routine less than 20 seconds ago from web

This from Jon Heyman at SI.com:

Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran underwent minor knee surgery Wednesday, sources connected to the Mets told SI.com.

Beltran will need 8-12 weeks of rehab and is expected to be recovered at or around Opening Day. The Mets begin the season at home vs. the Marlins on April 5.

Beltran missed significant time last season because of a bone bruise behind the right knee cap

8-12 weeks doesn't sound minor to me. If 8 weeks, he is back mid-April to get into playing shape, etc. If 12 weeks, mid to late May??

The latest from Sherman:

another source insists it was not microfracture surgery, but standard scope and Mets team phys Altchek and #Mets were OK on this 3 minutes ago from web

If its a Mets source, it was microfracture surgery.

More from Will Carroll:

Beltrans scope done by inventor of microfx. No wonder there's still lots of confusion on the facts. 14 minutes ago from Tweetie Btw 8-12 weeks for a knee scope seems long. I'll get some comps when I get to hotel.

Met's side of the story sounds fishy. You want the truth? You can't HANDLE the Truth!!! 

It's getting uglier!!! This from Sherman:

#Mets are definitely claiming Beltran procedure done without their blessing, and are threatening some form of action 7 minutes ago from web

Condition worsened during offseason and so did pain, so this was determined as course of acction 28 minutes ago from web

Beltran had worsening osteoarthritis in rt knee and Dr. Steadman in Colo did artho cleanup today, according to #Mets 28 minutes ago from web

another source insists it was not microfracture surgery, but standard scope and Mets team phys Altchek and #Mets were OK on this 35 minutes ago from web

"Carlos Beltran had worsening of osteoarthritis of the right knee during the offseason.  He had not been experiencing pain following the conclusion of the season and into his early offseason conditioning. The symptoms returned to the point where pre-spring training conditioning became too painful.  He elected to undergo arthroscopic clean out of the arthritic area of his knee by Beltran"s personal physician Dr. Richard Steadman today in Colorado.  He is anticipated to return to baseball activities in 12 weeks.

note #Mets statement says Beltran returns to bball activities in 12 wks, not games. so does this mean longer absence from games?

I would think so. Mid-May the earliest?

Someone on Will Carroll's twitter wrote this:

Credit @dianagram ... Beltran to 1B might be in play now with his knees. Would make sense at least. 31 minutes ago from Tweetie

Interesting.....