Carlos Beltran overcame overwhelming Mets start to get on Hall of Fame path

COOPERSTOWN — Carlos Beltrán will become just the third player to represent the Mets in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, joining Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza in the small but mighty group. Before Beltrán’s six years in Queens, he began his career in Kansas City after being drafted out of high school in the second round of the 1995 draft.At his pre-induction press conference in Cooperstown on Saturday, he opened up about the reception he got in each city.Beltrán would get another taste of New York when he went to the Yankees for two years in the twilight of his illustrious career.  Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.

“If you don’t understand the process, sometimes it could be overwhelming.For me, it was,” Beltrán said.

“Coming from Kansas City, playing in New York, at the beginning, I didn’t understand why the fans were getting on me, while I played in Kansas City and never got booed.So all of a sudden, I’m in New York, they boo me the whole month. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I just signed here for seven years and these people, they have no patience with me,’ ” Beltrán continued to laughter.

“[New York is] a city where the fanbase supports their team, but at the same time, they expect excellence out of the players, and they understand the game … they know how much money you’re making, so they want you to earn every single penny.” One of the most significant memories from Beltrán’s early career came alongside perhaps the most legendary Royal in 1999, when George Brett got his moment in Cooperstown with his induction alongside Nolan Ryan and Orlando Cepeda. “[1999] was my first full year in the big leagues.I haven’t been able to show what I’m capable of,” Beltrán said.

“I was so excited to come [to Cooperstown] because not only were we supporting George Brett, I was going to be able to meet Orlando Cepeda, who ...