"The Jeff Mathis era -- cynical Angels fans would call it an error -- came to an end Saturday morning when the Angels traded the weak-hitting catcher to the Toronto Blue Jays for pitcher Brad Mills, a 26-year-old left-hander who spent parts of the past three seasons in the big leagues.

Mathis, who hit .174 with three home runs and 22 runs batted in this past season, became expendable when the Angels acquired catcher Chris Iannetta from the Colorado Rockies for pitcher Tyler Chatwood on Wednesday.

Mills is not expected to develop into a Cy Young Award candidate, but new Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto did well to get something for Mathis, who had virtually no trade value and was not expected to be tendered a contract by the Dec. 12 deadline.

Mills, a Mesa, Ariz., native who pitched for the University of Arizona, has a 2-3 record and 8.57 earned run average in 14 big-league appearances, nine of them starts. He struck out 45 and walked 31 in 48 1/3 innings."