Tyler Chatwood for Chris Iannetta

posted 12/01/11 7:54 AM PST
by Jason Martinez

It's true that most trade rumors never end up happening. But it's probably not much of a surprise that Chris Iannetta ended up with the Angels, who had made it no secret that they wanted to find an upgrade at catcher. While they aren't particularly deep in starting pitching, they were willing to part with Tyler Chatwood knowing that they can probably sign another starting pitcher or two in the coming months. Here's a breakdown of how each roster is affected by the trade. You can vote at the bottom of the article on who you think got the better end of the deal.

Colorado Rockies
The Rockies had also reportedly shopped Iannetta at the trade deadline and are desperately trying to find some starting pitchers this offseason with Jorge De La Rosa (Tommy John surgery) and Juan Nicasio (neck injury) both unlikely for the start of the season. It appeared that the Rockies may have been trying to open a starting spot for talented 22 year-old Wilin Rosario, but that's not exactly the case. Veteran Ramon Hernandez has agreed to a two-year deal to be the starting catcher. He'll likely get the majority of playing time early on while Rosario is eased into the everyday job, possibly as early as late-2012. In fact, the Rockies could sign another catcher to back up Hernandez and allow Rosario to start the season in Triple-A. The 35 year-old Hernandez, who had a .788 OPS for Cincinnati last season while throwing out 37% of attempted base stealers, will reportedly make $3.2 million in 2012, about $400,000 less than Iannetta will make. The 28 year-old Iannetta had a .784 OPS and threw out 30% of attempted base stealers in 2011.

While the 21 year-old Chatwood isn't necessarily a lock for the Opening Day roster, he can certainly help at some point in 2012. He was rushed to the big leagues last season because of injuries and ineffective pitching from Joel Pineiro and Scott Kazmir. He'll likely benefit from some more minor league seasoning. I'd still expect the Rockies to bring in at least one more starting pitcher this offseason. In his first 20 starts of 2011, Chatwood maintained a respectable 3.93 ERA and pitched at least seven innings in eight of those games. His ugly 58 BB/60 K ratio over that span kept hopes from getting too high. Not surprisingly, the right-hander struggled over the past two months of the season. What makes Chatwood appealing to the Rockies is his ability to keep the ball on the ground. With improved command, Chatwood could become a mid-rotation workhorse who has success at hitter-friendly Coors Field.

Los Angeles Angels
It was widely assumed that Jeff Mathis' days with the Angels were numbered. A favorite of manager Mike Scioscia for his non-hitting attributes, Mathis likely punched his ticket out of town when he posted a measly .484 OPS in 93 games last season. Expect him to be non-tendered in the next week. Hank Conger, who has a .629 OPS in 72 big league games, has the potential to be an above-average hitting catcher but he doesn't appear to have the trust of Scioscia to handle a pitching staff and play good enough defense at this point in his career. Iannetta, however, has plenty of experience working in a very tough environment for pitchers and also brings the offensive skills that GM Jerry Dipoto hoped to add. Iannetta's on-base ability should provide a boost to a lineup that ranked in the bottom third of the majors with a .313 OBP. The right-handed batter had a .370 OBP with 14 HR in 2011.

Moving into the projected rotation with Chatwood out of the picture is 23 year-old Garrett Richards. It doesn't meant he'll be there, however, when the season starts. Like the Rockies, the Angels are likely to add at least one more starting pitcher to the mix before Spring Training. In a best-case scenario, Richards can spend at least a few months in Triple-A, where he has a total of zero career starts. The 6'3" right-hander made the jump to the big leagues in early August after winning 12 games and posting an ERA just over 3.00 for Double-A Arkansas. Jerome Williams has a good shot to claim one of the remaining rotation spots after the big three (Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana).