Sportsbook betting could be a little bit better on the Baltimore Orioles next season as the team continues to make moves. They recently signed third baseman Garrett Aktins from the Rockies and reliever Mike Gonazlez from the Braves. Sportsbooks will be interested to see how these moves work out for the Orioles going into the 2010 season.
Sportsbook betting had Atkins getting a $12 million, two-year contract. Atkins had spent his whole career with Colorado. He slumped this past sportsbook betting season as he hit 226 with nine homers and 48 RBI. The previous sportsbook betting season he hit .286 with 21 homers and 99 RBI. He had a career-high 29 homers and 120 RBI in 2006. Atkins has the ability to affect the outcome at sportsbooks as he has the power and the ability to make a big difference. Last season could have been an aberration and it will be interesting to see how he bounces back next sportsbooks baseball season.
Gonzalez was 5-4 with a 2.42 ERA and had 10 saves last season for the Atlanta Braves. He has 54 saves in seven sportsbook betting years, including a career-high 24 in 2006. He pitched in 80 games last year. He had very good numbers, striking out 90 and walking only 33. He is expected to get $6 million in each of the next two seasons. Baltimore traded closer George Sherrill to the Los Angeles Dodgers last season so it is very possible that Gonzalez takes over the job next sportsbook betting season. He has had that role in the past and would be a good fit in Baltimore.
Baltimore was 64-98 vs. the odds at sportsbooks last season. The Orioles were 15th in the league in hitting so Atkins could help them and they were a disaster in pitching ranking dead last in the Major Leagues in ERA last sportsbook betting season so Gonzalez will be a plus. Their lineup should have been a lot better than it was and the addition of Atkins could give them some pop in the middle of their order. The bigger issue though is pitching so Gonzalez will help them in that regard at the back end of their bullpen. Now they just need to get some starting pitching to improve what was one of the worst starting rotations in baseball last sportsbook betting baseball season.