Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
December 20, 2005
Mid-Season Help

The Yankees signed Octavio Dotel to a one-year deal for $2 million. This reminds me of the Jon Leiber signing. It might help them down the road if Dotel comes back healthy, and it's not costing them too much money.


Posted by David Pinto at 09:16 PM | Free Agents | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Here's what I wrote to my friend Mike when he told me about Dotel: "i look at it kind of like the lieber deal...there's no risk, and when he gets healthy he could be a real bargain"

Nice to see I'm on the same page as you!

Posted by: James d. at December 21, 2005 02:32 AM

I have to agree that this is much like the Leiber deal. However, though it worked once, does not necessarily mean it will work a second time. The Yankees may have just paid $2M for a guy who could come back with a rubber arm. Likewise, though I liked Dotel, he wasn't indispensible. This is his third team over the past year. So, it may be a big risk or a big reward. The Yankees are able to make this risk. To them it is $2M; to many other teams, it isn't worth it (The Phillies traded Padilla because they didn't want to risk $4M. The Pirates traded Williams because he was to receive a large raise in the 7 figure range). I still must disagree with any notion that there is a competitive balance in Major League Baseball. In order to win and remain winning you must pay for a team (money that many teams cannot afford because they do not make enough at the gate or in the concessions). We'll see how my Dad's beloved Yankees will do. But for me, I still must agree the Yankees suck - for a good website go to www.yankeessuck.com. Of course, that site is maintained by diehard Red Sox fans, who will be paying Mike Lowell multi millions to possibly ride the pine.

Posted by: Bob at December 21, 2005 08:49 AM

re: jon lieber & octavio dotel

well, they're not really the same kind of pitcher, are they? Lieber is kind of a control pitcher, where dotel is a power reliever.

beyond that, the comparison is fair. Lieber on balance really didn't earn that many win shares for the phils because he had a lot of games where he was just replacement level or worse, and also he was a terrible hitter.

His second half wasn't so good either.

Dotel can fill the spot Tom Gordon was filling in relief.

--arthur john kyriazis, philly

Posted by: arthur john kyriazis at December 21, 2005 09:13 AM

George got Dotel because he's an ex-Met, and George has an ex-Met fetish.

Posted by: Yankee Despiser at December 21, 2005 10:19 AM

George has an ex Met junkie fetish. I think he is mistaken in this case. This deal works for Dotel, he can earn while he rehabs. Incentives kick in if he does well. And he goes back on the open market next year, hopefully healthy.

Posted by: abe shorey at December 21, 2005 12:59 PM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?