Dodgers Interested In Dotel

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.

Comments

[greenbaydude1232]

It makes sense in a way:

The Royals are still a couple years off. When Dotel leaves they are going to get a 1st/2nd round pick for him. The Royals must figure that unless they can get a player of that caliber for him, they would rather wait for a draft pick (whom could be potentially as good as those guys) to develop.

[Tim Dierkes]

Not sure if he'd bring a great pick, basically not pitching last year.

[quintjs]

And for a portion of this year too...

Matt Kemp for Dotel makes all the fan suggestions of *failed mlb outfielder plus b level prospect for star rookie position player* look far too close to reality.

[Teetz]

Dotel for Russell Martin seems fair

Wow. I seriously doubt Dayton Moore even brought up Martin in trade talks with Dotel. That is just poor journalism by Tony Jackson.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

I don't think Dotel is even a B level compensation FA.

[SBE]

On the surface it seems like this would be a one-sided deal, but if LA thinks Dotel is the missing piece to a championship team, it makes sense.

Flags fly forever, and the Dodgers have a surplus of young prospects right now. Dotel's best ball is ahead of him as he's still rounding into form after not pitching in 06 and the first part of 07.

Now, do the Dodgers actually need Dotel? I'm not so sure about that. I always thought Detroit or Cleveland would be the top suitor for him.

[bravesbeast]

WEll, I was hoping that the braves may make a run at dotel for insurance in the ninth, but if salty is the price, wow

[Tim Dierkes]

Even though flags fly forever, it'd still be a dumb move by Colletti because Kemp could get you someone much better.

[lih]

I would think betemit would get traded. Maybe he plays 2b for KC. I wouldn't do it if I were the LA GM, but betemit is fairly extraneous right now. Maybe if they throw in odalis perez...haha.

[zubes007]

This actually makes a lot of sense (hear me out)...

The type of player Colletti likes are useless pieces of crap (see Pierre, Nomar) at a position that the Dodgers are set at for way too high of a price ($$$ or prospect-wise)...

...the Dodgers have a pretty stacked bullpen, so a big-time prospect/young player for Dotel actually makes a lot of sense here!

(Seriously, Colletti is the worst GM in baseball...this team would not win 75 games if not for DePodesta and Logan White)

[SBE]

Tim - who do you suggest? Most publications have noted that Dotel and Gagne will be the best relievers available over the next couple weeks.

[gordo_and_bully]

if not kemp or loney (surely it won't be martin) what about andre ethier.

[Guitar Hero]

This is all overpaying for a reliever. They could give some non-mlb prospect that they have lying about, like Greg Miller, for Dotel, just like what the Tampa Bay Devil Rays did last year for Danys Baez, etc. etc, getting Edwin Jackson, etc. etc. But seriously even I'm scoffing at those trade offers and I imagine the Dodgers are too especially with their prospensity to keep the good ones...he really must be smoking marijuana and if they give up even half the value I would want my team to deal a Scott Downs or Jason Frasor type and snag one of those guys.

[J.L.]

Or...why don't the Dodgers just call up Meloan, one of the best relief prospects in baseball, and see how he does before trading for 22 YO soon to be FA? Guess he isn't 'veteran' enough? But they aren't going to trade the guys who are helping them win now, but they will stupidly give up someone of value...for a reliever. Ugh.

[J.L.]

Make that *33* YO FA... I don't doubt that they would ask for Martin. That's what happens when your team has a surplus of young talent. Of course, then the Padres get asked about luminaries that Hensely. The curse of talent.

[firesticks]

Of course he's going to shoot for the moon first. Something will get done, and by that I mean, Dotel will be gone to SOME team by July 31. Settle on Hu (the SS), not sure if he has a future with the Dodgers, while he could become a middle infielder, possibly next year, with KC.

[J.L.]

I would go for trading Hu, only because his best case scenario is to become furcal, and once furcal is finally healthy (probably by next year) I'd rather extend him then *hope* that Hu turns out as good and let Furcal walk. Hu's value is as high as is going to get right now.

[lih]

I don't know about that. Hu is a better fielder than Furcal. I'd like to see Laroche, Hu, Abreu, Loney from left to right in 09. Then you have Ethier, Pierre, Kemp in the outfield, with Martin as catcher. This leaves you open to waste money on pitchers every year. Extending Furcal would be pretty risky considering his injury problems and the fact that he's getting older. He'll probably have a great year next year and want 60 million for 4 years or something along those lines. I'm not completely against trading Hu, but Dotel does not have that kind of value in my opinion. Maybe Wilson Valdez for Dotel or maybe Hu for Grienke.

[firesticks]

Hu for Greinke? That's as insane as Kemp for Dotel.

Come on man, think logically. He's not going to be traded for Wilson Valdez. That makes little sense on KC's side of the deal. Maybe the dodgers are not the right fit for Dotel, I'm sure there will be many suiters for him.

[lih]

I'm saying, if they're going to ask for Martin or Kemp then you've got go at them from the other end of the spectrum and say, "Hey, we'll give you Choo Freeman or Sandy Martinez." If Moore wants to be a comedian then you just play along.

[lih]

You make some jokes and then go find someone serious to make a trade with.

[J.L.]

what do you think the asking price is for Greinke?

[lih]

I don't know. I didn't really think he had that much value anymore. I mean, if he isn't good enough to start for KC then I'd assume he's a career reliever, but maybe I'm undervaluing him somehow. I figured a slick fielding SS like Hu who would be under control for 6 years or whatever, would be a pretty decent deal for a solid young reliever who's closer to arbitration.

[firesticks]

The asking price for Zack is pretty high, since young pitchers with the potential that he possesses are valuable these days.

The asking price is probably something like Salty from ATL, Kemp from LAD or Jones from SEA. Something along those lines. Hefty price? Sure, but then again why would KC give up a potential #1 starter for peanuts?

Bottom line, I doubt he is dealt unless Moore is overwhelmed with a deal.

[darkstar1661]

I don't think Greinke is avail really. His value is pretty low considering how bad he was doing as a starter and his instant change into solid numbers out of the pen says that he is better suited for that roll. Well, KC would probably want more that BP return for him since he is such a nice arm creating a huge difference in the value to the respective teams.

The Royals best bet is to keep him until someone actually offers "top young starter" return (which probably won't happen) or he develops into the star they thought he would be.

[darkstar1661]

I don't think Greinke is avail really. His value is pretty low considering how bad he was doing as a starter and his instant change into solid numbers out of the pen says that he is better suited for that roll. Well, KC would probably want more that BP return for him since he is such a nice arm creating a huge difference in the value to the respective teams.

The Royals best bet is to keep him until someone actually offers "top young starter" return (which probably won't happen) or he develops into the star they thought he would be.

[darkstar1661]

(((what is up with everything double posting from my phone???)))

Anyway, wanted to also say that people should chill a bit on the “he’s young and cheap for like 5 years” thing a bit as well… This is something which is very important IF the player is actually worth that much otherwise. If the guy (ie Hu) isn’t much better than options the other team has in AAA themselves, then what would be the value of “he’s young and cheap for 5 years”?

If we are talking about a guy with some real potential to be something special, then yeah it’s a huge selling point ~ if the guy is projected to be somewhere in the range of average to maybe a bit above though, then “young and cheap for 5 years” can be found in easier, cheaper ways than trades of desired players…

[lih]

Well, it may not make much of s difference for the Greinke thing, but I still would much rather have 5 or 6 years of Hu than half a year of Dotel as our 7th inning guy. 7th inning guys are much easier to find than guys like Hu. I think you're undervaluing Hu more than I was undervaluing Greinke...take what BP says about him...
"...widely considered the best defensive shortstop in the minors and a future Gold Glove winner..."
He's also got a 1.391 since moving to AAA a week or so ago. He had a .887 OPS at AA and was the MVP of the futures game last week.

[lih]

Actually I don't think I would trade him for Greinke...I take it back.

[DentalPlan]

The Royals can't bluff anyone on Dotel... if the Dodgers are throwing those prospects in the ring, other teams will go crazy to get them and offer up something better. I mean, give me a break, Dotel? His numbers are okay but not impressive. Kemp or Loney? Not even close.

Did this sort of foolishness work when the Royals were trying to trade Mike Sweeney? Of course not. The Royals can price themselves right out of getting anything except praying Dotel is a Type B free agent.

[rdccdr801]

I think I'll cry myself to sleep if the Tigers get Dotel.

[rdccdr801]

I think I'll cry myself to sleep if the Tigers get Dotel.

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