Sleeper of the Week

Even before landing on the disabled list in mid-May, Octavio Dotel didn’t look like his old dominant self. His ERA may have been lower than it was in 2004 (down from 4.09 to 3.52), as was his batting average allowed (.185 compared with .220 the year before), but his WHIP was up by 21 points, and perhaps far more alarmingly, his K-rate was down while his walks were up. To fantasy owners worried by this trend, it probably came as no great surprise that the closer complained of elbow soreness before too long.

Unfortunately, those owners’ worst fears were confirmed when Dotel wound up having to undergo Tommy John surgery that would sideline him for the rest of the season. Fortunately, that surgery seems to have gone extremely smoothly, and Dotel should be good to go when the 2006 season begins.

Whether or not Dotel will come back as Oakland’s closer when he returns remains to be seen. Huston Street, who turns 22 tomorrow, has been quite successful as Dotel’s replacement, to the tune of an eye-popping 0.98 WHIP this year. Yet even if the A’s decide to stick with Street, they may well ship Dotel to one of the many teams in need of a proven stopper, a gambit Billy Beane has performed successfully on several occasions.

If you’re in a keeper format with a small disabled list (or no DL at all), it’s possible that Dotel will have been discarded to the waiver wire following his surgery. Should that be the case, consider picking him up if you can somehow find room on your roster. If Dotel, who saved 22 games last year and seven more in the first six weeks of this season, winds up with a closer’s job, either in Oakland or elsewhere, next year, you’ll be glad you did.