Per Jon Heyman, the Mets are on the verge of acquiring outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels. Details to follow.
10:54am: Heyman said on WFAN that the Angels will kick in something like $20 million and that Luis Castillo is not involved in the deal. Matthews is owed $11 million in 2010 and $12 million in 2011 and has been basically useless for the last three years with Los Angeles.
11:52am: Jerry Crasnick tweets:
Not sure who the Angels are getting back for Matthews, but I was told it's a "low salaried pitcher'' off the big league roster.
Speculation on the internets suggests that it's Brian Stokes, but that's little more than dart-throwing.
12:02pm: Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that it is (he hears) Brian Stokes, who is a cult hero at Amazin' Avenue but not a particularly notable pitcher.
12:22pm: Looks like a done deal, per Jon Heyman. Mets send Brian Stokes to the Angels for Gary Matthews Jr. and $21.5 million of the $23.5 million owed to GMJ over the next two seasons. One quick note: while GMJ was actually below replacement (per FanGraphs) the past two seasons, he did so as a rightfielder. His value would be higher -- perhaps into the black -- as a center fielder. So that's something. At all events, this is hardly a terrible trade, it just isn't a particularly good one, either.