For three days last week, Gary Matthews Jr. glided along the outfield grass at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. He felt a cool breeze at his back during games. He found a throng of family members waiting for him afterward.
It was a good feeling.
The Texas Rangers outfielder, who can be a free agent at the end of the season, is a California native. His son, mother, grandparents and girlfriend all live within 30 miles of Angel Stadium. The Los Angeles Angels will be in the market for a center fielder. It could be a match made in heaven. Well, for everyone except the Rangers.
“I haven’t really allowed myself to think about [playing in Anaheim],” Matthews said. “But when you get to a point where you’re comfortable with who you are as a player, it’s a comfortable feeling playing in front of family. I’ve been around. It makes me comfortable seeing them.”
The Rangers are trying to assure that Matthews doesn’t consider playing for the Angels. They have until mid-November to re-sign him before other clubs can start talking to him. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels has met with Matthews’ agent, Scott Leventhal.
Matthews and Leventhal expressed to the Rangers earlier this year that they’d prefer to wait until after the season to talk about a contract. The Rangers don’t intend to wait long after the final out of the season to start more serious talks.
“Gary is an important part of the club,” Daniels said. “He’s at the top of the list for our off-season priorities.”
If he gets to free agency, Matthews, whose salary this season is $2.49 million, will be on many teams’ priority lists. The Cubs–who might lose Juan Pierre to free agency–Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis and Boston could all be seeking center fielders. Matthews, 32, and Pierre, 29, are the two highest-profile center fielders who will be free agents.
The market could become flooded if Minnesota declines a $12 million option on Torii Hunter or if Toronto decides to deal Vernon Wells, who has one year left on his deal. St. Louis is expected to decline a $10 million option on Jim Edmonds, putting him on the market. San Diego is expected to pick up its option on Mike Cameron.