MLB betting had the New York Mets trading for outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. from the Los Angeles Angels. The Mets sent reliever Brian Stokes to the Angels to get Matthews. Baseball betting had the Mets looking for someone to fill in and play center field until Carlos Beltran returns from injury. MLB betting had the Mets getting a player in Matthews who has done very little the last three years for the Angels. The Mets are hoping that Matthews can regain some of his previous form and be a solid player for them. Baseball betting indicated that Matthews will compete with Angel Pagan for the center field job until Beltran comes back. “I think it’s going to be open competition,” Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. “Nobody’s going to be given the job.”
The Mets are not losing much in terms of money in this deal. Matthews is owed a lot of money for the next two years but baseball betting indicates that the Angels are picking up most of the contract. Matthews was excellent in 2006 in MLB betting for the Rangers as he hit.313 with 19 homers and 79 RBIs. He was so important for Texas and impacted MLB betting in a big way that year. The Angels signed him to a huge deal and he has simply flopped in Anaheim. He hit .252 with 18 homers and 72 RBIs in 2007 and has done nothing in MLB betting since then. “It obviously wasn’t the role that Gary was looking for,” Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said, “To say that Gary was a disruptive influence or was not happy in our clubhouse is 180 degrees from the situation.”
MLB betting stats had Matthews with 46 RBIs in 2008 and 50 last year. At 35 years old there simply may not be much left in the bat of Matthews. “It’s an opportunity for him to come into New York and be able to hopefully get more playing time,” Minaya said.
The Mets added Jason Bay in free agency but they have failed to land some of their other main targets. They missed out on catcher Bengie Molina who stayed with the Giants and pitcher Joel Pineiro who signed with the Angles.
“You always wish that when you put (out) these offers, you’re able to get the players,” Minaya said.
The Angels may have done well in this MLB betting situation. They get Stokes who was 2-4 with a 3.97 ERA out of the bullpen last baseball betting season. “Being from Southern California growing up, I think this is going to be awesome for me,” he said.