Beltran, Cardinals agree to 2-year contract (AP)

ST. LOUIS ? Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, fortifying the team's lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the move Thursday night and said it expects to make a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals' flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million over two years ? the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols' spot.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals another strong outfield option but will miss at least the first month while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in 1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBIs.

"Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years," St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. "It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years."

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004 with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.

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AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111223/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbn_cardinals_beltran

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