Beltre's a team leader

[Providence A's]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseba...85_mari23.html

"I saw him when he first came up as a kid, and I saw him mature," Hansen said. "When he was with the Dodgers he really developed as a leader. He has real respect from everybody."

That aspect of his personality was part of the package the Mariners thought they were getting when they recruited him last fall to move to the Northwest at a cost of $64 million over five years.

And just as his offense was slow to make the adjustment to American League baseball, Beltre's personality was slow to assume a dominant position in the Seattle clubhouse. But the Franklin-Price incident underscored that Beltre is about ready to take over.

[Saber]

I would prefer it if he were a team hitter.

[Providence A's]

I'm sure Mariners' fans would agree

[Porter]

Im not going to deny that at all. but he has been hitting better than earlier in the year.