If you don’t think the San Francisco Giants just became a better club by acquiring the services of National League All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran, you are likely a hater, or worse, a Dodgers fan.

Back when there wasn’t a person associated with Major League Baseball that thought the Giants had a shot this time last summer, that most certainly will no longer will that be the case. I’m not worried about what we gave up (pitcher Zach Wheeler), because Beltran, for two months, will pay big dividends for this club.

The same formula for success the Giants used to finish as MLB’s best team a season ago is back in place again. The Giants are resting in first place and the team’s hitting has been worse than even the Giants could have expected.

Tough to imagine a first-place team being the fourth worst team in the National League in batting average (.241), hits (826) and homeruns (66), while being the third worse in on base percentage (.307) and next to last in runs scored (371).

Mookie Wilson could help the Giants offense right now, so imagine what Beltran is going to bring to the table. Any spark he gives, and he will be giving one, will push a Giants club into a postseason mode that we have seen run the table.

Pitching will be there. Pitching is what has San Francisco in first place, coming off a huge 2-1 win over post season perennial powerhouse Philadelphia and what makes us the most dangerous club in the game. Right now the Giants lead the National League in earned run average (3.12), batting average against (.229), saves (39) and are second in team wins (61). Adding a legitimate bat to the middle of the lineup is going to change things.

Beltran is a guy who will be able to account for some runs on way or another. Offensively, the Mets have consistently been a top-five club and that is thanks largely in part to Beltran. Of course shortstop Jose Reyes is their sparkplug, but Beltran has been the banging force.

He currently leads that team in home runs, is No. 2 in runs behind Reyes and he is No. 3 hits. The standout outfielder also leads all of MLB with 30 doubles.  Anything, I mean anything that Beltran does will be a definite upgrade to the middle of the Giants batting order. As soon as he gets off the plane in Philly he’s hitting third and he leads the Giants in home runs, hits and runs.

And believe me, that’s something the Giants have been missing.