The impetus for the trade was "one-sided," another source said, saying the Angels were far more eager than the Reds to pursue further discussions.

The contracts actually match up well — Matthews is owed $33 million over the next three seasons, while Harang will earn $36.20 million and Arroyo $31.5 million over that period, respectively, including club options for 2011.

The Reds, however, have little interest in compromising their rotation depth to obtain Matthews. They are committed to Willy Taveras in center for the next two seasons and comfortable with Chris Dickerson getting most of the at-bats in left.

The Yankees and White Sox, two other clubs that represent a potential fit for Matthews, are instead going with younger players in center.

The Mariners possibly could obtain Matthews for one of their expensive starting pitchers — Carlos Silva, Jarrod Washburn or Miguel Batista — but there is no indication that such talks have taken place.

"We haven't had much discussions with respect to trades and trade possibilities," Angels general manager Tony Reagins told FOXSports.com on Monday.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella might have chosen Kevin Gregg over Carlos Marmol as his closer in part because of his uncertainty over newcomer Aaron Heilman in the seventh inning. Piniella knows that Marmol can produce four- and five-out holds, if necessary. If the manager had more familiarity with Heilman, he might have been more willing to make Gregg his setup man and Marmol his closer ...

The Rockies could end up keeping Jeff Baker as a right-handed pinch-hitter rather than trading him, according to a source with knowledge of the team's plans. The offers for Baker have not been enticing, the source said, but even if Baker made the team, he would not cut into the playing time of Ian Stewart, who is likely to get at-bats in left field and second and third base ...

The addition of Hammel or Niemann would add to the Nationals' pitching depth at a time when they plan to go with two rookie starters, right-handers Jordan Zimmermann and Shairon Martis. Zimmerman, according to the Nationals' acting GM Mike Rizzo, "changes eye level as well as anybody I've seen at this stage of his career. He hits all four quadrants of the strike zone with his fastball. He can really pinpoint it."