According to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, the Dodgers are currently the top suitor for 33 year-old reliever Octavio Dotel. Dutton reports that Royals GM Dayton Moore is said to be asking for a position player regular, like James Loney or Matt Kemp. Lest you think Dutton is off his rocker, consider that Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News says the same thing. Jackson even mentions Russell Martin.
I have to begin by questioning the Dodgers’ need for Dotel – he would be their third-best reliever. I don’t know why he would jump ahead of Jonathan Broxton on the depth chart. Broxton has become one of the game’s best relievers, and he’s posted zeroes in his last eight appearances.
But beyond that, the asking price is silly. Maybe the White Sox were offered a player like Kemp for Mark Buehrle – maybe. Dotel isn’t nearly as valuable. I applaud Moore for trying, but he’s really asking for the moon right now. Dotel might be worth a Delwyn Young, maybe a Blake DeWitt, not that the Royals need those guys. A pitcher such as Hong-Chih Kuo seems about the high end of what Moore could reasonably get, in my opinion.
The Indians and Rockies have also been said to have interest in Dotel, who is making $5MM plus incentives this year. He’s also got a $5.5MM option for ’08, which he probably won’t exercise if he stays healthy and effective in 2007. Additionally, John Perrotto mentioned in his Sunday column that the Tigers have been scouting Dotel.
