From the Collection: Gary Matthews, of, Los Angeles Angels
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I am not sure if the Los Angeles Angels have had more bad free agent signings than your average team. But gosh, it feels like it. While it’s probably not the worst of the bunch, the one I remember the most is outfielder Gary Matthews Jr.
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In 2006, Matthews had a career year while playing in Texas. He had career highs in home runs (19), on-base percentage (.371), and had a plus glove. He ended the campaign with a 121 OPS+. And, as luck would have it, this career year came right before he was to become a free agent.
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Any team would love to have a player like 2006 Gary Matthews on their team. However, as with any good purchase, it’s probably a good idea to read the fine print. Matthews had his career year at the age of 31. That is on the wrong side of the average MLB age curve. Also, his career year was significantly more impressive than his previous seven seasons in the big leagues, in which he was a 89 OPS+ player. None of this screams good long-term investment.
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But screw all that! The Angels wanted to upgrade their defense in center, and they thought he was the man to do it. The Angels went big, signing him to a five-year deal worth $50 million. Their thought was that his plus defence would help right fielder Vladimir Guerrero and left fielder Garret Anderson, all while he was an effective leadoff bat.
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Well, long story short, the whole thing blew up in their face. Matthews almost immediately reverted to the hitter he was before 2006, and over the next three seasons had an 86 OPS+. What was surprising was that his defence was not all that great following the signing. The whole deal was a massive pumpkin for the organization.