Uncertain when Carlos Beltran will be ready to play in 2010, the Mets have now acquired a backup — good-fielding, modest-hitting Gary Matthews Jr. of the Los Angeles Angels.The Angels signed Matthews to a five-year, $50 million contract after the 2006 season, and it quickly came to be seen as one of the worst contracts in baseball because of Matthews’s limitations as a hitter. He is owed $23 million over the final two years of his deal, and the Angels are expected to pick up most of the cost, making him a relatively inexpensive acquisition for the Mets.
The deal, in which the Mets are expected to surrender the relief pitcher Brian Stokes, is expected to be made official later Friday. It was confirmed by a baseball executive who did not want to speak publicly until the deal was announced.
Last season Matthews played in 103 games, had 316 at-bats, and hit .250, with 4 home runs and 50 runs batted in. As a Met, he is capable of playing center field in place of Beltran, although it is possible that the Mets will use him as a fourth outfielder, playing behind Jason Bay, Jeff Francouer and Angel Pagan, who had a good season offensively in 2009 and presumably is the first choice to play in center until Beltran returns.
But Pagan has been injury-prone as a Met. If he gets injured, Matthews will be there to step in.
As for Beltran, he is expected to return to the lineup at some point in May.
Original Post By: By JAY SCHREIBER
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/mets-acquire-gary-matthews-jr-from-angels/
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