Since the end of 2009, Alex Anthopoulos has been the General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. I've been a fan of just about every move that he's made since taking over. My biggest qualm came when he traded away Mike Napoli for oft-injured relief pitcher Frank Francisco. That deal came on the heals of Anthopoulos trading Vernon Wells contract for Napoli though, so I gave him a pass.
I'm fairly convinced though, that a clause in the Vernon Wells for Mike Napoli deal was the root for Anthopoulos's most recent deal. With multiple backup catcher types available on the free agent market, the Blue Jays recently traded away Brad Mills for the services of Jeff Mathis. From the outside, I cannot find a line of reasoning that explains why the Blue Jays would acquire Mathis.
The Blue Jays can't view Mathis as their new starter, or long term solution. J.P. Arencibia showed he could handle the starting role, and Travis D'Arnaud is their long answer. Mathis is going to be brought in as a backup, and will make at least $1.7 million in 2012 before becoming a free agent prior to the 2013 season.
I'm fine with Mathis as a backup, but I think that they could get a better option, or a cheaper option, or an option that didn't cost a pitcher. Mathis should only play in about 45 games next season, and as long as he's suitable defensively, shouldn't made too much impact on the team. The pitcher they gave up, Brad Mills, hasn't shown much in his three stints in the majors. He's doesn't generate many ground balls (32.6%), and walks too many people (5.89 BB/9). He's a lefty, but doesn't profile as a lefty specialist with his fastball changeup arsenal. He'll be 27 at the start of next season, and probably won't turn into anything, but there's still to reason to give him up to acquire one of the worst players in the majors.
Anthopoulos's biggest strength has been able to acquire assets throughout his tenure. He's stockpiled draft picks (Miguel Olivo's one day with the team), and done a good job at acquiring major league talent that's still under team control (Colby Rasmus, Yunel Escobar). The next step for this team will be to fill holes at the major league level with impact talent in order to made a serious playoff run. I think that this team is close enough that with the added wildcard team, that they could be in the playoff hunt next season. Spending big money wisely on free agents is something Anthopoulos hasn't had to do yet, and is more challenging that is sounds.
The Blue Jays are in a very similar position as the Royals. Both teams have young rosters, and are on the verge of contending. Both Anthopoulos and Dayton Moore have done great jobs at building the farm system, but need to prove that they can stretch their budgets to get the most out of the free agent market to join the upper echelon of elite general managers.
For the Angels, this move shows a clear change in philosophy. Along with the acquisition of Chris Iannetta, they're showing a willingness to take a hit on defense in order to hit more on offense at the catcher position. I think it's a good move for the Angels, who had trouble scoring this past season with a .314 wOBA.
I think that the Angels view themselves as contenders this season, and believe that they're closer than most people think. They've already upgraded their catching, and have been linked to starting pitching and third base help in the free agent market. Adding a quality starting pitcher is almost always a good idea, but with the lose of Tyler Chatwood, it makes more sense because the team seems a little thin there anyways. Most teams use at least eight starting pitchers in a season because of injury, trades, or ineffectiveness. Depth in the rotation is often overlooked, and adding starting pitching is always a good thing.
The Angels have also been linked to third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Ramirez would be a great addition to this team. The team's current third baseman, Alberto Callaspo, is a decent player, but much of his value comes through his defense and he lacks power. Aramis Ramirez actually had the same WAR as Callaspo in 2011 (3.6), but did in in a much different way. Ramirez defense isn't anything to get excited about, but he brings an offensive skill set that would occupy the middle of their order. The loss on defense wouldn't be that pronounced, as Anaheim has a good pitching staff, most of whom have a high fly ball rate, and will rely on Peter Bourjos, Mike Trout, and their spacious outfield to produce outs. The addition of Ramirez would also allow them to flip Callaspo for something else. Callaspo is still under team control for two more years, and with a lot of teams basically taking zero at third base, Callaspo would still be a valuable player to another team.
The Angels finished 2011 ten games behind the Texas Rangers. Just the switch from Mathis to Iannetta should put them around 90. They aren't losing any major pieces. A starting pitcher, possibly a third base upgrade, and maybe an arm or two to bolster the bullpen could put the Angels up near the class of the American League.
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