A’s Sign Crisp and Duchscherer Sportsbook
Sportsbook odds on the Oakland Athletics probably won’t move much but the A’s did sign a couple important players for next season.
Oakland added center fielder Coco Crisp and they re-signed pitcher Justin Duchscherer. Both players could impact offshore sportsbook results next season.
Sportsbook had the A’s signing Crisp to a one-year deal with an option. Crisp will get $4.75 million next sportsbook season and the team has a $5.75 million option for 2011. For some reason the A’s have wanted to get Crisp. "He's been on our radar for a long time," general manager Billy Beane said. "We called pretty much the first day we could." Why the A’s would want Crisp is the question. They already have center fielder Rajai Davis, who was great last sportsbook year, hitting .305. He also had 41 stolen bases as offshore sportsbook information showed. The A’s could be looking at moving Davis to one of the corner spots in the outfield. Oakland also has Scott Hairston and Ryan Sweeney who may platoon at the other spot as sportsbook news indicated. Oakland has minor-league outfielder Michael Taylor who will try and crack the lineup as well and impact odds at the offshore sportsbook.
Crisp is coming off shoulder surgery but should be ready for spring training. He hit a pathetic .228 last sportsbook season for the Royals but Beane believes it was an aberration. "We think we're adding a good player who should only help us," Beane said. Beane is an excellent judge of talent but Crisp’s best days seem behind him. His on-base percentage is never very good and he thinks he is a power hitter. He isn’t going to hit many home runs in Oakland as sportsbook stats show but Crisp thinks he can steal bases. "When you've got speed guys at first base and second base, it changes the whole dynamic of the game," Crisp said.
The bigger sportsbook news is that the A’s signed free-agent pitcher Justin Duchscherer to a one-year deal that could be worth $5.5 million. He is a two-time All Star who can impact odds at the sportsbook. He is 31-24 in his sportsbook career but missed all of last season after undergoing elbow surgery. It is a young rotation in Oakland so Duchscherer will be important vs. the offshore sportsbook number. The A’s could go with Trevor Cahill, Duchscherer, Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden and either Vin Mazzaro or Gio Gonazlez. Sportsbook stats had Duchscherer going 10-8 two years ago with a 2.54 ERA.
