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2005-12-30 05:16
by Alex Belth

The Yankees have signed utility infielder Miguel Cairo and relief pitcher Octavio Dotel to one-year deals.

According to Anthony McCarron in The Daily News, the Yankees worked the phones in order to land Dotel:

A deluge of calls may have been most effective in landing a lesser name - reliever Octavio Dotel. The Yankees, who reached an agreement with Dotel on a one-year deal worth $2.25 million last week, announced the contract yesterday, giving them what they hope is a second power arm along with Kyle Farnsworth to set up for Mariano Rivera.

There was a lot of competition for Dotel, so GM Brian Cashman said calls from first base coach Tony Pena, Torre and Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson were exceptionally meaningful. "We had more people talk to him than anybody, to be honest, and it may have taken all of that because the competition on the player was so heavy and I had to drag my price up, too," Cashman said.

Dotel is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Bombers hope he will be a critical part of their bullpen come the second half of the season.

Comments
2005-12-30 06:12:31
1.   jdsarduy
It seems when Farnsworth is healthy and has an effective slider the guy is tremendous.
Could be the best set up man in the AL east.
I don't think Dotel is going to have problems coming back but he might take some time getting back to his form. His stats are great, he's always given up a lot less hits than innings pitched.
And has always struck out more than a hitter an inning.
Over all, we have to pleased with what the Yanks have done in the bullpen.
If these new guys pitch in 06 like they've done in the past, the Yanks should have a much better bullpen then last yr. Last years middle relief blew quite a few games for the Yanks, probably costing them more than 5 wins.
2005-12-30 07:49:03
2.   seamus
without Dotel I feel fairly good about the pen. With Dotel i'm downright excited. Let us hope he returns to form by June...
2005-12-30 08:34:38
3.   standuptriple
I'm not sure if they put provisions in the Dotel deal, but I haven't heard any mention of a club option for 2007. They should have ogtten that since they are taking a risk on him.
2005-12-30 08:51:13
4.   yankz
I'm pretty sure there's no team option. As I read somewhere else, Dotel was so heavily sought after by a dozen clubs that he was in the position to negotiate his way out of one.
2005-12-30 09:05:47
5.   vockins
I'm thrilled about the Yanks landing Dotel. Here's to his health.
2005-12-30 09:17:45
6.   celli23
anyone know anything about the Dotel news of some phone card scam last week involving Manny, Tejada, Pedro, Big Papi and Dotel? What I originally read was that they were blaming Dotel.
2005-12-30 09:29:35
7.   Dimelo
No wonder Manny wanted to go to Anaheim, he didn't see any Sawx groupies at the mall so he told his wife - "dis is our para dice".
http://www.deadspin.com/sports/baseball/the-real-reason-for-mannys-trade-demand-145865.php
http://www.sheriffsully.com/2005/12/29/manny/

This is funny if this is the true reason.
I love the user comments:
"In Manny's defense, he probably had no clue that the woman he slept with wasn't his wife."
"It should be noted that Boston just lost their most prolific adulterer to the Yankees. Maybe the absence of this bad influence will convince Mrs. Manny to stay in Boston, where the "frustrated women have to be in by 12 o'clock" regardless. "

2005-12-30 12:00:31
8.   BxSparksNYC
My only question and maybe I missed it being reported. Why only a one year deal, no team option? We take a chance on him and let him walk after a possible successful setback...doesn't sound smart to me...
2005-12-30 13:14:52
9.   ChuckM
Good thing he's not expected to pitch until June, there may still be a chance Torre won't have worn him out come October...
2005-12-30 13:32:43
10.   Levy2020
It's a good sign that we're so concerned about Dotel's option. Expecting big things out of him.

Still after Lieber, I'd expect the front office to mess up resigning a Tommy John pitcher. . . . And they did!

2005-12-30 13:34:34
11.   standuptriple
Good call on Leiber. They could've offered arbitration, but they didn't even do that. Then the market got blown up by the Mess, I mean, Mets signing of Benson.

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