With three big pieces of last year’s excellent bullpen possibly leaving via free agency, it’s no secret the Brewers are looking for bullpen help. According to ESPN Deportes, it looks like there’s some mutual interest between the Brewers and right-hander Octavio Dotel. Unlike a lot of rumors this time of year, it appears this one is coming directly from the player himself:
“Mi agente ha conversado con varios clubes que están muy interesados, incluyendo San Luis y Milwaukee. Detroit y Mets de Nueva York también han mostrado interés”, dijo Dotel desde su hogar en República Dominicana.
“Ya recibí una oferta de los Cardenales para volver por un año, pero me gustaría conseguir dos años o en su defecto, firmar por una temporada, pero por el salario adecuado”, agregó.
For those unfamiliar with Spanish, Dotel basically told ESPN that his agent has talked to St. Louis, Milwaukee, Detroit, and the New York Mets. He’s already received a one-year offer from the Cardinals, but he wants a two-year deal. He’d be willing to settle for a one-year deal for the right price.
Dotel was a midseason acquisition for the Cardinals and came up big in the postseason — particularly in the NLCS, when he served as the Cards’ designated Ryan Braun Killer. Even though he’s entering his age-38 season, Dotel remains effective against right-handed batters, holding them to a .154/.198/.211 line last season. The catch with Dotel, though, is that he simply cannot be used against left-handed batters — they hit .236/.345/.500 against him last season. That .845 OPS against was actually the lowest lefties hit against him since 2008. He’s nothing by a ROOGY at this point, albeit a very solid one.
At first glance, he looks like he would be a solid addition to the bullpen. But would he be worth the $3 million or so it would take to get him? And at that price, would he be a better buy than LaTroy Hawkins or Takashi Saito, who can at least face both lefties and righties without much problem?
Hey, even if he isn’t, at least Braun wouldn’t have to face him for a year or two.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!