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Angels Agree To Terms With Jeff Mathis

By Mark Polishuk | January 12, 2011 at 5:43pm CDT

The Angels have agreed to terms with Jeff Mathis to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration with the catcher, according to a team press release.  Mathis will earn $1.7MM in 2011, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.

This was Mathis' second arbitration year, and he earned $1.3MM in 2010 after winning an arbitration case with Los Angeles last February.  (The Halos offered $0.7M.)  Mathis, 27, has served as the Angels' backup to Mike Napoli behind the plate for the last four seasons.  Mathis has just a .199/.265/.311 slash line in 1079 career plate appearances, but the Halos value him for his defense.

Mathis is the second arb-eligible player to settle a contract with the Angels in as many days, following Alberto Callaspo's $2MM deal yesterday.  Los Angeles still has six more players eligible for arbitration, including such notables as Howie Kendrick, Kendry Morales, Napoli and Jered Weaver.

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Los Angeles Angels Transactions Jeff Mathis

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AL East Notes: Jays, Soriano, Farnsworth, Arroyo
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46 Comments

  1. ryankrol

    15 years ago

    WHY???

    Reply
  2. firstavenger

    15 years ago

    GREEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT

    Reply
  3. WiiCat

    15 years ago

    Sigh. Massive sigh.

    Reply
  4. RSBuletz

    15 years ago

    How much is he paying the Angels?

    Reply
  5. Tom R

    15 years ago

    Scioscia’s bromance with Mathis really needs to end.

    Reply
  6. Johnny Jaime

    15 years ago

    OH HELL NO!!!!!!!

    Reply
  7. Chris Masteller

    15 years ago

    Ugh… WHY?!

    Reply
  8. Christopher P

    15 years ago

    I find it funny this made MLBTR. Not that I’m knocking MLBTR, but for almost about a month other than rumors, this is the only actual real deal the Halos have made. CERA por vida!

    Reply
    • Christopher P

      15 years ago

      Okay, forgot about Callaspo…

      Reply
  9. Chris Masteller

    15 years ago

    This just in, Mike Napoli traded for a rally monkey costumed mascot.

    Reply
  10. Tom R

    15 years ago

    Reagins and my 3 year old daughter use the same kind of logic. Why have three cookies (catchers) when you can have four? Four is better than three!

    Reply
  11. ogueira

    15 years ago

    Worthless, but not surprising. With Mathis, Napoli, Conger, and Wilson in the catching fold, hopefully Napoli can be bait for a left fielder. Perhaps a Napoli-centered package can net Beltran – big money, but one year left on the contract (just in time for Trout in 2012) and big offensive upside. Playing left field and occasional time at DH should *hopefully* keep him healthy.

    Reply
    • Christopher P

      15 years ago

      I have a feeling Trout won’t debut(impact player) until 2013, if there is an inkling of doubt on his abilities on the farm.

      Reply
      • ogueira

        15 years ago

        Yeah, it’s possible they wait until 2013, but right now, I think the Angels’ ideal scenario is a September 2011 call-up. Assuming he doesn’t fall on his face, I think they’d like to give him the job in 2012.

        Reply
    • Commander_Nate

      15 years ago

      I was thinking something similar, but I was wondering if they’d take Juan Rivera instead of Napoli. Even though he’s getting $1.69 million more than he’s worth now, I’m hoping Mathis is off the roster by the trade deadline. In that case, Napoli could finally be the primary catcher and backup DH/1B while Conger gets eased in. I figure see if the Mets will take Rivera and swap salaries, which still ends up saving the Mets around $13 million. Rivera is also a free agent after 2011 so the Mets get the same type of rental at a lower price. Throw in Willits too just for kicks. That would give them two options to replace Beltran.

      Reply
      • ogueira

        15 years ago

        I’d definitely be in favor of Rivera for Beltran if the Mets would go for it, but I don’t think they would. I think they’d be much more receptive to Napoli because of the offense he provides at a premium position, and they’re more likely to keep Napoli long term than Rivera. As much as I like Napoli’s power, I just feel like he’s a waste on the Angels where he gets only part-time duty – he’s more valuable in a trade.

        Reply
        • cookmeister

          15 years ago

          Rivera is a FA at the end of the year.. the Mets could be interested just to save the money

          Reply
      • Christopher P

        15 years ago

        Am I the only one who really values a guy like Willits? I hear what you’re saying about trade fluff, but the consensus from the fanbase on his value is well below mine. I love this guy off the bench. Sorry for the sidebar.

        Reply
        • Arnold Pierce

          15 years ago

          Looking back to the year he came up, I think Willits should be given a shot at left field and lead off. Excellent defense and a potential offensive jump starter.

          Reply
        • RSBuletz

          15 years ago

          I’ve just seen Willits make hash of too many fly balls. I don’t think he would have been on the roster last year if Pettit hadn’t gone down pre-season with a (I think) a torn labrum. I’ve heard nothing, but hope Pettit is back in the mix this year for the back-up OFer spot.

          Reply
  12. Mike Miller

    15 years ago

    1.7 million with $50,000 extra for both 110 and 120 starts. WHHHHHYYYYYYYYY

    Reply
    • Alan Hanson S. Mafra

      15 years ago

      He’ll donate half of his salary to April Fools Foundation, which the Angels’ staff seems to be “Honorary Fool” Members.

      Seriously, It must be april fools!

      Reply
  13. Chris Masteller

    15 years ago

    After his horrendous performance in 2010, don’t you think the Angels could have won arbitration this time?

    Reply
    • Christopher P

      15 years ago

      Lasagna goes a long way these days…about 400,000 bucks with a vesting bonus.

      Reply
  14. haloapologetics

    15 years ago

    Okay so we got the 2 most worthless players back on board… just close up with the rally monkey before arbitration and we’ll be set… FML

    Reply
    • PushDown

      15 years ago

      Cmon bro don’t put Callaspo in the same group as Mathis. At least Callaspo’s going to be an improvement over Wood at the 3B. You could’ve plugged in anybody in Mathis’s spot and he still wouldn’t e considered an improvement.

      Reply
  15. ze3

    15 years ago

    Mathis sucks.

    Reply
  16. Bryan

    15 years ago

    I want a 30% raise for sucking at my job too!

    Reply
  17. SoCalAngelsFan75

    15 years ago

    Back in Nov 2010, I was so looking forward to the 2011 season. What with Moreno’s big talk about spending big and the availability of players fitting our team’s needs. Now I’m just dreading the impending catastrophe.

    Reply
  18. Blake C

    15 years ago

    You can only value a player for his defense so much…..I’d say after batting under the Mendoze line for over 1000 plate appearances, that is overvaluing his defense. Considering most sites think his defense slightly above-average I don’t know what the deal is. The Angels have plenty of catching options. $1.7 million for a marginally decent defensive catcher who has batted UNDER .200 for over 1000 plate appearances is WAY too much.

    Reply
    • ryanfea

      15 years ago

      The problem is, he is one of the worst defensive catchers in all of baseball…

      Reply
    • Christopher P

      15 years ago

      It’s the Mathis line, now.

      Reply
  19. Nick

    15 years ago

    It boggles the mind how Mathis is still on the roster, let alone making nearly $2M

    Reply
  20. mkorpal

    15 years ago

    Thats about 3 million too much

    Reply
  21. JFAAKATIM

    15 years ago

    Angels come to terms with Rally Monkey. 142MM/7yrs
    Big Splash we were waiting for

    Reply
  22. PushDown

    15 years ago

    Whew, I was holding my breath hoping Reagins doesn’t sign him long-term. At least we’re done with him after next year.

    Reply
  23. Flharfh

    15 years ago

    Jeff Mathis or Koyie Hill, who would you rather have as a backup catcher?

    Reply
  24. Angelsdog

    15 years ago

    The lunatics are running the asylum. Black is white, up is down, I dont know what to expect next-really concerned. I hope all this minor stuff is leading to something!

    Reply
  25. thexboxnerd

    15 years ago

    I know we value defense, but in that case couldn’t we have given the the bullpen catcher $40k or something to be the backup catcher? No way he hits worse than Mathis.

    Reply

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