Dotel to Close in Toronto

According to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, it looks like Octavio Dotel is being given an opportunity to seize the Blue Jays closer role.   His agent Dominic Torres had this to say:

"Octavio is excited about playing for a team that will give you the opportunity to close games in the strongest division in baseball."

As I said the other day, Dotel's always had nasty, strikeout inducing stuff worthy of the closer role.  His problem has always been control and a penchant for allowing home runs.  If he fails to hold down the closer role, the Blue Jays could always fall back on long-time bullpen stalwart Jason Frasor to assume the closer duties.   Stepping into the closer situation would not be new to Frasor, as he filled the role admirably at times during the 2004 and 2009 seasons.  Frasor,33, induces strikeouts, and solid control, and tends to give up more ground balls than fly balls.  All told, he might be a better option for the role than Dotel.

Dotel's contract is for one year $3.5M with an option for a second season at the same price, or a $750K buyout.  The deal will be finalized pending his physical that is scheduled to occur sometime next week.

Dotel Signs with Blue Jays

According to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, Octavio Dotel is close to reaching an agreement on a one year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.  The deal appears to be nearly identical to the contract he signed with Pittsburgh prior to the 2010 season, which was worth $3.2 M plus $500K in incentives.

With Scott Downs having signed with the Angels and Kevin Gregg exploring other options, it appears Dotel may be given an opportunity to close in Toronto.  At 37, Dotel still has whiff inducing stuff, which includes a lively fastball and sharp breaking slider.  For his career, he's racked up a career K/9 rate of 10.95 in 834 innings. 

The closer role is nothing new to Dotel.  He's encumbered the role a few times throughout his career with the Astros, Athletics, Royals, and Pirates with varying degrees of success.  Due to his penchant for issuing walks and allowing home runs, he's probably best suited as a seventh or eighth inning set up guy.  Still, you could definitely do worse than Dotel in the closer role--like Kevin Gregg, for example, who held the role for the Blue Jays last year.