Jays Check In Dotel

Wednesday, December 29 2010 @ 12:42 AM EST

Contributed by: #2JBrumfield

According to foxsports.com, the Blue Jays appear to have signed their new closer for 2011 as they have reportedly come to terms with right-handed reliever Octavio Dotel on a one-year deal plus an option.  A tip of the Jays graphite cap to Bauxite dan gordon for the heads-up!

Octavio Dotel spent time with Pittsburgh, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Colorado in 2010.

Dotel has been in the majors since 1999 when he began his career with the New York Mets after signing with them as a free agent in 1993.  Dotel was actually a starter for the Mets as he went 8-3 with a 5.38 earned run average to help the Mets reach the National League Championship Series.  Despite giving up a run in the top of the 15th inning, he was the winning pitcher in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves after Robin Ventura's infamous "grand slam single".  He was dealt to Houston with outfielder Roger Cedeno for lefty Mike Hampton and former Jays outfielder Derek Bell in the off-season.

A native of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Dotel spent four seasons with the Astros and proved his versatility in 2000 by making 16 starts and earning 16 saves after filling in for the injured Billy Wagner.  He stayed in the pen as a set-up man for Wagner and helped pitch the Astros to the 2001 playoffs.  He then asserted his dominance by leading National League relievers with 118 strikeouts in 2002.  Dotel also was among the six pitchers who no-hit the Yankees in 2003.  After posting 14 saves with Houston to start 2004, he was involved in a three-way trade that saw Carlos Beltran wind up in Houston, former Jays catcher John Buck land in Kansas City, and Dotel going to Oakland.  The 6-foot, 220 pound hurler nailed down another 22 saves for a 36 save season.  In 2005, he only earned 7 saves with the A's thanks to Tommy John elbow surgery.  He wound up with the New York Yankees in 2006 but struggled in 14 appearances with an ERA of 10.80.

Dotel reasserted himself in 2007 with Kansas City by earning 11 saves in 24 appearances but he was traded again at the July 31 deadline to Atlanta for fellow pitcher Kyle Davies.  Dotel's Braves career lasted all of nine appearances thanks to a shoulder strain.  In the off-season, he had to pack his bags again as he landed in the Windy City.  With the Chicago White Sox in 2008 and 2009, he had just one save but he made a combined 134 appearances and saw the post-season again in 2008.

Last season, Dotel was closing games for the Pittsburgh Pirates and nailed down 21 saves for the Bucs before he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers July 31st for pitcher James McDonald and outfielder Andrew Lambo.  However, when the Dodgers fell out of the NL West race, he was sent packing to Colorado for minor league utilityman Anthony Jackson.  He earned one save with the Dodgers but none with the Rockies.  He lost his only decision in Denver and had an ERA of just over 5.00.

The 37 year-old Dotel has a career record of 49-43 with a 3.75 ERA and 105 saves.  He has struck out 10.9 batters per nine innings but has walked 4.1 batters for every nine frames.  His career WHIP is 1.256.   According to fangraphs.com, Dotel throws a fastball around 91-92 miles per hour with a slider around 81-82 MPH and the occasional changeup at 77-78 MPH. 

Toronto marks Dotel's 11th team in what will be his 13th major league season.  The Jays hope he can replace Kevin Gregg's 37 saves from last season but with a lot more efficiency and a little less excitement.  It will be interesting to see which uniform number Dotel winds up with.  He has worn #29 five times, #26 three times, #28 two times, #35 once, and #41 once.  Numbers 29, 26, and 41 are spoken for (Dustin McGowan, Adam Lind, Pat Hentgen) but 28 and 35 are now open with the departures of Shaun Marcum and Lyle Overbay.   It would be weird seeing someone wear 28 right after Marcum's departure but it wouldn't surprise me if that's the number Dotel chooses given his affinity for numbers in the 20's.

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