To the best of my recollection, the Mets weren't interested in Carl Pavano; they were busy going after Pedro Martinez. Correct me if I'm wrong.
The Yankees, on the other hand, WERE interested in Beltran. Most Yankee fans had Beltran penciled into their 2005 lineup from the time of the NLDS right up until about a week and a half ago. Of course, it was only after it looked like they weren't going to get him that you started to hear whispers that "their 'baseball people' don't value Beltran as a $16M/year player" (these are the same "baseball people" who valued Giambi and Jeter at that level) and "Beltran isn't the kind of player who will succeed in NYC" (on that matter, the jury is certainly still out on A-Rod) and "the Yankees don't want to pay him what they pay Jeter and A-Rod" -- none of which you heard when the Yankees were actually courting him. The Yankees can never admit that they were actually outbid, or outworked, by another team for any particular player.
It has something to do with the Yankees because everyone had Beltran going to the Yankees, that's all.