Octavio Dotel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Chicago White Sox — No. 26 | |
| Relief pitcher | |
| Born: November 25, 1973 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
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| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| June 26, 1999 for the New York Mets | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through 2007) |
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| Win-Loss | 39-32 |
| Saves | 82 |
| Earned run average | 3.76 |
| Strikeouts | 773 |
| Teams | |
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Octavio Eduardo Dotel (born November 25, 1973 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a major league pitcher for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed.
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[edit] Mets
Dotel graduated from Liceo Eansino Afuera High School in the Dominican Republic and was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1993. He played for their minor league affiliate in the Dominican League through 1994 and then promoted through the Mets' minor league system for the next several seasons.
Dotel made his major league debut on June 26, 1999 for the New York Mets and lost. His first MLB win came July 1, 1999 against the Florida Marlins. He ended the season as the winning pitcher in the 1999 NLCS game five against the Atlanta Braves. In game six, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eleventh inning and one out, Dotel was warmed up and ready to enter the game to face Atlanta slugger Andruw Jones, but manager Bobby Valentine, with the team in need of a strikeout, elected to leave the veteran Kenny Rogers, who was less likely to strike out a batter than Dotel, a power pitcher, in the game, and ended up walking Jones and forcing in the winning run.
[edit] Astros
On December 23, 1999, Dotel was traded with Roger Cedeno and minor leaguer Kyle Kessel to the Houston Astros for Mike Hampton and Derek Bell.
In 2000 Dotel amassed 3 wins in 16 games started as well as 16 saves as his role converted from starter to relief pitcher for the Astros, filling in as closer for an injured Billy Wagner. This season marked the first time in National League history that a pitcher had over 15 starts and 15 saves (the only other season in MLB history came in the American League in 1999, when Tim Wakefield won 6 games in 17 starts and attained 15 saves for the Boston Red Sox).
In 2001, Dotel again began the season as a starter but quickly moved into the bullpen as the setup man for closer Billy Wagner. Dotel had an excellent season in 2002, he led all relievers with 118 strikeouts, helping secure a well-reputed bullpen for the Astros at that time. By 2003, Dotel and Wagner were joined by future Astros closer Brad Lidge and all three partook in a historic event when six Astros pitchers combined for a no-hitter against the New York Yankees on June 11, 2003 (the most recent in Astros history). [1] [2]
After the 2003 season, Wagner was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and Dotel started 2004 as the closer for the Astros.
[edit] Athletics
On June 24, 2004, Dotel was traded to the Oakland Athletics in a three-team trade that brought slugger Carlos Beltran to the Astros, minor leaguer Mike Wood, Mark Teahen, and John Buck to the Kansas City Royals. Dotel served as closer for the Athletics and finished the 2004 season with a career-high 36 saves (22 for the A's and 14 for the Astros). The highlight of the season for Dotel occurred on September 2nd against the Chicago White Sox. In the 4-2 victory, he struck out Joe Borchard to end the game, raising his arms in excitement.
Dotel began 2005 as closer for the Athletics again, but had a rough start and soon went on the 60-day disabled list on May 19. He underwent Tommy John surgery on June 1, ending his season after just 15 games.
[edit] Yankees
Dotel signed a one year deal with the New York Yankees in December of 2005. He missed the first four months of the 2006 season, recovering from his Tommy John surgery. Dotel had a setback after developing tendinitis in his elbow while on a rehab assignment with the Trenton Thunder. This pushed his return back into August as he went through another minor league assignment with the Columbus Clippers. Dotel pitched his first game in a Yankees uniform on August 16, coming into the game in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles, facing two batters with one strikeout and one walk. With this appearance, he joined the list of players who have played for both current New York teams, the New York Mets and the Yankees. [3][4]
[edit] Royals
Dotel became a free agent at the end of the 2006 MLB season. He was heavily courted by several teams, amongst them the Red Sox, Yankees, Indians, and Devil Rays.
On Friday, December 8, 2006, he reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals for a guaranteed $5 million. The contract also could pay up to $2.5 million in additional incentives. He is reportedly excited by the opportunity the Royals will offer to return to the role of closer.
[edit] Braves
On July 31, 2007 the Royals traded Dotel to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for pitcher Kyle Davies. He made his Braves debut on August 1, throwing a scoreless ninth inning in a 12-3 rout of the Astros. On August 10, Dotel was placed on the DL with a right shoulder strain. He made his return on September 22 escaping a bases-loaded jam which eventually led to a Braves win. He finished the season 2-1 with a 3.76 ERA.
[edit] White Sox
On January 21, 2008 he agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with the Chicago White Sox.
[edit] External links
- Career Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com
