Mets fans, and really, fans of basic baseball intelligence were rightly outraged when Steve Phillips called out Carlos Beltran as part of the Mets’ problem, rather than part of the solution, on an ESPN telecast this past season. Ted Berg did a particularly good job detailing the lack of coherence in Phillips’ position.

Any viewer of ESPN on a regular basis has been subject to the baseball stylings of Steve Phillips, and the results often aren’t pretty. I think something coalesced for Mets fans on the Beltran criticism, though. He attacked Beltran as failing to be a “flawless player” when Phillips had traded for Mo Vaughn, who failed to be an ambulatory player.

I still think about Phillips’ claim that Jose Reyes and David Wright are “part of the solution”, an amusing point to make from someone who tried to deal each of them for mediocre major leaguers like Jose Cruz Jr. Given these trade offers by Phillips, does his decision-making to commit adultery with a 22-year-old production assistant where he works seem out of character?

Let’s face it, much of the Steve Phillips tenure is so ugly that in the baseball world, where getting fired often serves as a positive data point on a resume, Phillips hasn’t gotten another GM job, or even reportedly close to one.

So when the story surfaced today that Steve Phillips was in the midst of both a Fatal Attraction-like situation with a 22-year-old production assistant from ESPN, and divorce proceedings, the feeling of schadenfreude was significant for many Mets fans.

After all, not only is Beltran the kind of all-around player Phillips simply never brought to New York, he is a devoted family man, one who writes “J” in the ground before every at-bat in honor of his wife, Jessica.

Phillips had been involved in this kind of affair before, taking a leave of absence from the Mets for similar reasons. But the optics on this one seem problematic enough that Phillips may have trouble getting a job in television. And he’ll need a job, with alimony and child support to pay.

Never mind that his baseball analysis is arguably a greater reason for ESPN to show him the door.

It isn’t always that one gets to root for the good guy. After all, the Mean Joe Greenes don’t always throw the kid a jersey. In real life, much of the time they insult the kid’s mother.

But Mets fans get to root for the classy Beltran in 2010, it appears. And when they watch him on ESPN, it looks like Steve Phillips will be already muted.

Tags: Carlos Beltran, New York Mets, Steve Phillips