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Cardinals Decline Options On Dotel, Furcal

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 31, 2011 at 10:20pm CDT

The Cardinals declined their options for Octavio Dotel and Rafael Furcal, according to the Associated Press (via Sports Illustrated). The Cardinals will pay Dotel a $750K buyout instead of a $3.5MM salary and they'll pay Furcal a $1.3MM buyout instead of a $12MM salary.

Dotel, 37, arrived in St. Louis along with Marc Rzepczynski and Edwin Jackson in the trade that sent Colby Rasmus to Toronto. In 54 total innings for the Cardinals and Blue Jays, Dotel posted a 3.50 ERA with 10.3 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 30.1% ground ball rate. MLBTR reported today that Dotel is a Type A free agent.

Furcal, a Type B free agent, hit .231/.298/.348 in 369 plate appearances for the Dodgers and Cardinals in 2011, spending time on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. The 34-year-old shortstop started discussing an extension in September, but didn't reach an agreement.

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Transactions Octavio Dotel Rafael Furcal

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View Comments (39)

Comments

  1. jsmoltz29

    11 years ago

    If FW would deal with his agent I think Furcal would probably be a bit of an upgrade over Gonzalez…

    Reply
    • Guest

      11 years ago

      I’d like that move (not that it’ll happen like you said)… until Furcal got injured…
      But in all seriousness, Gonzo’s gotta go.

      Reply
  2. Wainwrights_Curveball

    11 years ago

    Bad move declining Dotel.

    Reply
    • StanleyPujols

      11 years ago

      Meh….Eduardo Sanchez

      Reply
      • Redbirds16

        11 years ago

        who has an electric arm but shoulder problems. not a safe bet really… The safe play was to pick the option up. Maybe they think they can resign him for less than 2.75MM…

        Reply
        • Ferrariman

          11 years ago

          Salas
          Motte
          Boggs
          Lynn
          Sanchez
          Reifer

          how many righties do you need?

        • Tko11

          11 years ago

          Do you pronounce Reifer as “reefer” ??? Just wondering

        • Redbirds16

          11 years ago

          In 2011, the Cards needed at least that many when considering the seasons of Franklin, Batista, and others. Add McClellan to your list too.

        • David McCutcheon

          11 years ago

          McClellan will be shipped out, I’m willing to bet.

    • DarthVader87

      11 years ago

      Yeah, I thought it was a reasonable option, but I guess they have an idea with the relief market there is going to be.

      Reply
    • BustBigDieHappy

      11 years ago

      Especially in the context of the trade that brought him to St. Louis. I figured they would pick up the option just on principal. “We sent Colby to Toronto because the guys we got in return will help our team win now and in the long run.” Strange decision, especially considering the uncertainties surrounding Albert and the Coaching staff… 

      Reply
      • Lunchbox45

        11 years ago

        they can still offer him arbitration

        Reply
        • FrankTheFunkasaurusRex

          11 years ago

          why would they do that? It’s 99.9% guaranteed he’ll accept arbi.

          Edit: Unless they want him back. Maybe they do want him back, I dunno.

        • Lunchbox45

          11 years ago

           well maybe they dont mind him back, but if he doesn’t accept you get 2 picks out of it?

        • Tom

          11 years ago

          He’d have to be out of his mind to decline arbitration, no one will give up a first rounder for him. He’s accepting that arbitration guaranteed.

        • Lunchbox45

          11 years ago

           15 teams have protected first round picks..

          if any of them sign a higher ranked free agent, they would only be giving up a 3rd round pick

        • Tom

          11 years ago

          2nd round pick.

        • Patrick OKennedy

          11 years ago

          Absolutely, positively, conclusively, definitely. assuredly… Dotel would accept arbitration if offered.  He’d be crazy not to. 

    • Ryan Zieg

      11 years ago

      Type A free agent. Worst case senario he accepts arbitration and Cards get him for a year around the same price. Best case the Cards get 2 high draft picks…

      Reply
      • Redbirds16

        11 years ago

        Wouldn’t he get a small bump through arbitration? And does the 750k buyout go into next year’s salary considerations as well (might just be wishful thinking, but if it’s on their books for next season…)?

        Reply
        • Patrick OKennedy

          11 years ago

          There is a huge risk in arbitration.   First of all, he’d accept.  That is more certain than the sun rising in the morning.  NO way any team would give up a first round pick to sign him, so he’d be limited to the bottom 15 clubs, and doubtful they’d give up a second rounder in addition to salary for him.  

          He’d also be in line for an increase in salary through arbitration.  His salary history and experience are two of the main criteria to an arbitration panel, two factors that don’t matter to a GM looking at free agents. 

        • Adam

          11 years ago

          I doubt he gets much more than $3.5MM through arbitration.  Also if you think nobody would sign a type A RP for anything other than closing duty, you weren’t paying attention last winter.  Many good teams signed type A RP’s for setup work, including the Tigers, Red Sox, and Yankees.  I think the Cardinals made the right move here.

        • David McCutcheon

          11 years ago

          Deeper relief class this year.

  3. Eddie Robbins

    11 years ago

    Furcal burned the ATL bridge. He’s not coming here.

    Reply
    • jsmoltz29

      11 years ago

      Furcal or his agent?  Link pending mod approval…

      Reply
  4. James Grenard

    11 years ago

    WOW. Declined Furcal. 

    Reply
    • Ryan Zieg

      11 years ago

      um, that’s not surprising AT ALL. TWELVE MILLION DOLLARS for a short stop with injury history that hit .231/.298/.348.
      …I hope you were joking….

      Reply
  5. James

    11 years ago

    Not surprised about Dotel, but Furcal….. Seesh what is Mozeliak thinking!

    Reply
    • wyldstallyns

      11 years ago

      How are y’all surprised that they’d decline a $12mm option on a guy that’s going to get a $5mm contract next year?

      Reply
    • sam_lammert

      11 years ago

      that he can get furcal back for less than 12 million

      Reply
    • highski

      11 years ago

      I’m sure they can sign him for much less than $12M.

      Reply
    • Cardsfan387

      11 years ago

      Giving Furcal $12mil would have been stupid. They can still try to sign him back for a lot less.

      Reply
  6. optionn

    11 years ago

    Dang, this is a brutal business.  3 days after winning it all they decline a modest option on one of their bullpen pieces that came up huge.

    Reply
    • Redbirds16

      11 years ago

      Doesn’t mean they don’t want him back. Probably just a matter of pinching pennies and counting draft picks.

      Reply
    • Sean

      11 years ago

      still a business.  still a very good chance that both players return next year for much smaller price tags.  How are either of these decisions surprising at all?

      Reply
      • johnsilver

        11 years ago

        “still a business.”

        Absolutely. 50% of the people who post here think that money grows on trees for the owners and should just pay anything to these players. As you posted.. It is a business, with REAL bottom lines and must be ran as one.

        Reply
  7. Wainwrights_Curveball

    11 years ago

    Dotel can still throw, so he’ll definitely find somewhere to play.  The Cards definitely won’t offer him arb because he’d accept it.  It works out either way for Dotel because if he gets arb, he can accept with a higher salary increase.  If he doesn’t get offered arb, he’ll have enough teams looking to sign him…maybe even some teams that think he can still close?  Not crazy to think some team might give Dotel a shot at closing again, especially considering how shutdown he was for the Cards this season out of the pen.

    Reply
  8. Phillies_Aces35

    11 years ago

    Would love to see the Phillies go after Dotel. He showed he can still throw the baseball at a high level and we need bullpen depth beyond the prospects (DeFratus, Schwimer, Savery, Aumont). I’ve wanted them to go after him for a while though.

    I’d expect Furcal to stay in St. Louis on a 1 year deal, possibly with a club option for $5-8 million.

    Reply
  9. Ricardo Elorza

    11 years ago

    Am I the only one thinking this is a “Oh well, TLR is gone, so we will only need like half our bullpen?”

    Reply

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