Angels getting Brian Stokes for Gary Matthews Jr.

Still no word yet on the money involved, but ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports that the Angels’ return for Gary Matthews Jr. is reliever Brian Stokes, who has a 5.02 career ERA. Stokes was fairly useful over the past two seasons, posting a 3.82 ERA in 103.2 innings, but he’s basically a 30-year-old, run-of-the-mill middle reliever. In other words, sounds about right in a swap for Matthews, although the Angels are obviously eating a huge chunk of his remaining contract to make the deal work. UPDATE: SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports that the Angels will be covering $21.5 million of the $23.5 million remaining on Matthews’ contract. So basically the Mets get him for two seasons at the total cost of $2 million and Stokes. As far as deals to acquire hugely overpaid, mediocre fourth outfielders go I suppose this isn’t a terrible one.