Dotel signs with the Yankees

[WharfRat]

I'd heard about Damon but didn't hear about this being done until just now, a nice 1-2 punch to come home too.

Love this deal. 2 mil is peanuts for the Yanks, so there's basically nothing but upside on this the way I see it.

[TheYanks04]

I'm a Yankee fan and I don't understand this. Didn't the Yanks learn with John Lieber?

Now here they are giving Dotel, a very good set up guy, 2M to basically rehab with them. And then what? He'll be cast off after his still-weak arm gives up a key HR in October.

Dumb. They should have at least given 2 years for lesser per year and at least benefitted down the road.

I agree. Want they should have done is insisted on a team option with a minimal buyout for year 2.

[BronXBombers51]

I'm a Yankee fan and I don't understand this. Didn't the Yanks learn with John Lieber?

Now here they are giving Dotel, a very good set up guy, 2M to basically rehab with them. And then what? He'll be cast off after his still-weak arm gives up a key HR in October.

Dumb. They should have at least given 2 years for lesser per year and at least benefitted down the road.

I agree. Want they should have done is insisted on a team option with a minimal buyout for year 2.

That would have been ideal but maybe Dotel wanted a one year deal so that he could get paid next season. There was alot of competition out there for Dotel, so the Yanks probably did what they needed to do to get him for 2006.

[TheYanks04]

So they could not have made the option sufficiently large enough to satisfy Dotel if exercised? Like a 7.5 M option with a 1.5 M buyout? If the Yanks picked it up he gets 7.5 M, if not he gets a free 1.5 M and can sign somewhere else? I doubt they would have had to go that high. But the odds are he will at best have 4 good months and then walk. And most likely he uses 2006 to gain back arm strength and the Yanks get mediocre numbers. Not a bad signing, just think it is rather short sighted.

[blankman]

I like this signing. Low risk, potential high reward.

[Half Massed]

For the Yanks, the money means nothing, so it's a good signing. Dotel hasn't been the same since he left Houston though, so I wouldn't be expecting anything like that, especially right after TJ surgery. I think he pitches at a mediocore level when he returns, but considering the Yanks bullpen, that might be good enough...

[RocketsDWM]

Only the Yankees and the Sox could throw 2 million at an injured reliever who may not pitch till June.
Most teams need to trade away their second baseman to clear budget room, just to sign there own closer ...


another huge dis-advantage, that needs to be fixed by a salary cap.

I agree that there needs to be a salary cap but I disagree that only the Yankees and Sox could sign a reliever to this type of deal. The Cubs have already signed Howry and Eyre to 4 mil a year deals as MR and the Cards have signed Looper to a similar deal. I'm not saying Dotel isn't a risk but many players come back stronger after TJ and he already has a track record of being dominant in MR. I think this is a good signing for the Yanks.

Trading away Loretta so you can keep Hoffman (at 6.5 a year which is an awesome deal for him and I'm glad he's staying in SD) is very different from trading away Loretta so you can keep a MR for 2 mil.....

all of those pitchers you mentioned are healthy ...
And it generally takes a pitcher a good two years to return from TJ .. that will be 2007.
for 85% of the teams it is a big big risk, for the Yankees it is ball boy money.


while Lieber may have been a success yes, ask Boston how there Wade Miller expriment worked

And Matt Mantei. Usually these low-risk, high reward deals do not work out. Jon Lieber, if I recall correctly, was signed for 2 yrs so that he could rehab the entire first yr.

[raiders_umpire]

This signing will be a great one IF Dotel is healthy and can pitch productively for at least 1/2 the year. And of course if Dotel does that, then he will get paid much more money come next offseason.

[pokerplaya]

I think this is a good deal, he could pitch as early as late may from reports I've heard, and only 2 mil for a guy that can be a great middle reliever.

Dotel has tremendous stuff and will thrive in the closers role.

Except I don't think he'll be closing though. They have Mo.

Completely mis-typed. My brain was typing setup, but my fingers put down closers role. Whoops.

[Yoda]

THis is a great signing. Dotel was a dominant middle reliever. With modern medical technology, pitchers come back from TJ stronger than before. Recovery time is shorter, etc.

Even if Dotel is effective for 1/2 the season, he will be well worth the gamble.