After Carlos Beltran trade, what's next for contenders?

The Mets had numerous suitors for Carlos Beltran.

Now that he's off the trade market and delivered to the Giants, what's the best course of action for other teams looking for a productive bat or outfielder?

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By Charles Rex Arbogast, AP

• Philadelphia Phillies: No way the Phillies were going to part with Domonic Brown for a 34-year-old, gimpy-kneed Beltran. The Phillies can win the NL East with what they have, although they'd like to upgrade the Raul Ibanez-John Mayberry Jr.- Brown triumverate. Any trade they make should be with an eye toward the future -- which could require a call to former general manager Ed Wade to get to the nitty gritty concerning the availability of Hunter Pence. Although they've been there/done that with Michael Bourn, they could do worse than consider his exceptional speed and .302 average.
• Atlanta Braves: The Braves' need for offensive help became more acute when catcher Brian McCann was placed on the DL Wednesday. The need for outfield help and a right-handed bat extends beyond this season, making Tamapa Bay's enigmatic yet highly-talented B.J. Upton a must-consider option. Although he's in his seventh season, Upton is still only 26. Look beyond his .223 average and he has 15 homers and 23 steals this season. Only McCann and Dan Uggla have more homers (18) and no Brave has more than 15 steals in 2001.
• Texas Rangers: Not quite sure why the Rangers might have been so infatuated with Beltran. They have a high-powered offense which will only get better when Adrian Beltre returns from the DL, and they're in excellent position to win the AL West with their team as-is. Looking toward October, they'd be better served by adding a pitcher (possibly closer Heath Bell) or a corner infielder with offensive skiils (possibly Michael Cuddyer).
• Boston Red Sox: Beltran, with a no-trade clause, made it known he preferred to stay in the National League. One AL team he probably would have considered was Boston. But Red Sox needs have been tempered by the strong performance of Josh Reddick, who has taken and run with the right field job. Boston also has Ryan Kalish in the minors and J.D. Drew, who could help off the bench down the stretch. Like the Rangers, pitching remains a greater priority.
• Cleveland Indians: Injuries to Shin-Soo Choo and Grady Sizemore have messed up the Indians' outfield picture this season. Cleveland believes it can still win the AL Central and would like to add a productive bat. Ryan Ludwick of the Padres or Josh Willingham of the A's remain much more viable options than Beltran considering a move to Cleveland. Although he's within the division, Melky Cabrera, experiencing a revival with KC, would be a good fit for Cleveland as well as other teams.