Dotel Signs with Chi Sox

According to Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports, The White Sox have signed RP Octavio Dotel to a 2-year $11 million dollar deal. Last season with the Royals and Braves, he went 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA and 11 saves in 33 appearances. Dotel is the second major addition to the Whtie Sox bullpen this off-season. The Sox earlier signed right-hander Scott Linebrink for $19 million over four years. Thats $30 million for over-the-hill-relievers. I still think Dotel has a little left in the tank, if he can stay healthy, but Linebrink won't do as good as he did when he was in the National League Central.

In other news, the Cardinals and 25 year-old catcher Yadlier Molina agreed to a contract extension worth approximately $21.5 million over the next 4 seasons. Molina is said to be one of the best defensive catchers in the majors, and Tony La Russa praises his work ethic. Last year, Molina hit .275 with six homers and 40 RBIs in 111 games. Yadlier is the youngest of the Molina catching family, with Jose on the Yankees and Bengie with the Giants.

Possible Moves for Omar

We have reached the slowest part of the off-season and well, there is simply nothing to write about unless the signing of Matt Clement and Josh Towers.. but that has no effect on the Mets... but I've been thinking, what smart moves could Omar make? Well, here is a few suggestions from me...

Trade for Johan Santana...

I love our prospects but we need to get an edge. I would perfer that Omar waits until he becomes a free-agent next off-season but if we can pull a trade off that doesn't include Fernando Martinez, then I'm fine with it. Although most fans would haunt Omar Minaya for years if one of those prospects backfired in our faces, just like Scott Kazmir.


Sign Freddy Garcia to an incentive-laden contract with an option for 09'...

Freddy Garcia won't be ready until near the All-Star break but we need options. Gracia seems interested and there just simply aren't any better options. Unless you count Bartolo Colon, but he isn't even touching 90 MPH in the winter leagues. If Garcia would come back to form, the fans would love Omar Minaya again.



Sign Octavio Dotel to a 1-year contract with a vesting option for 09'...

Dotel is a very good reliable reliever out of the pen, when he is healthy. The thing is, he can't stay healthy.. but when he is, he can be a Duaner Sanchez type of pitcher. We need depth in our bullpen and that is what we lacked last season. Adding Octavio to the mix would definitely help solve that problem.



Sign Kevin Mench to a 1-year deal...

The recently acquired RF Ryan Church, is a very light hitting outfielder against left-handed pitchers.. so we need a platoon partner that can absolutely mash left-handers. Kevin Mench is our man. Last season, in 156 at-bats against Left-handers, Mench hit .314 with 8 homers and 26 RBI's. Combine that with Ryan Church vs right-handers, and we have a two headed monster in RF for 2008.

Sign Jason Jennings to a 1-2 year deal...

I know most of you are totally against him but in 2006 he was very good for the Rockies... and in the first half of 2007 he was decent with a 1-4 record and 4.07 ERA in 10 games started. The reason his record is so bad is because the Houston Astros offense was anemic all of last season... but he did blow up in the second half of the season, but thats the risk that your going to have to take.


Trade for Huston Street, and Joe Blanton...

Bullpen help? Check. Starting Pitcher? Check. Lets kill two birds with one stone. I would be more than willing to give 4-5 good prospects for a very good young closer and an innings eating SP. All I ask is that we do everything in our power to keep Fernando Martinez in a Mets uniform. Any prospect beyond him is as good as gone if we can get a package of both Huston Street and Joe Blanton.

I think all of these moves would be smart, but some would be risky. Either way I still believe that Mike Pelfrey should start for a full season in Flushing. If one of these starters were to be signed, we would just simply put Orlando Hernandez in the bullpen and keep Pelfrey as our #5. In my opinion, Kevin Mench would be a very smart signing for the Mets, and we should wait for Santana to be a free-agent at the end of the season... but if Omar pulls the trigger, I'll be fine with that too, just as long as we still have Fernando Martinez.

Pelfrey to the 'Pen?

According to Buster Olney, via MLBTR, the Mets could trade OF Carlos Gomez, SP Kevin Mulvey, and SU Aaron Heilman to the Oakland Athletics in return for SP Joe Blanton. I really don't like this deal for the Mets. You would have to give up your second best reliever and at least one 5-star prospect in Carlos Gomez. In addition, you would have to include SP Kevin Mulvey, who could end up being very similar to what Joe Blanton is now. I say NO DEAL.

If that fore mentioned deal was to be offered to the Athletics, and excepted, who would be the new Set-up man? Ted Berg at SNY seems to have an answer. Convert RHP Mike Pelfrey into a reliever. As I have stated before, Pelfrey could benefit from having more time to work with pitching coach, Rick Peterson. Berg does not think that we should give up on Pelfrey, noting that Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux both struggled when they were called up to the Majors for the frist time. This would just provide the Mets with a Set-up man while giving Pelf more time with the jacket. Shea Nation also has a post on this topic.

I also have an idea. Sign Octavio Dotel to a 2-year deal. Keep Pelfrey in the minors or bullpen and hope that Dunaner Sanchez can come back at least at a middle reliever.

One deal I would make with the Athletics is this...

Mets Get:

SP Joe Blanton
OF/1B Nick Swisher

Athletics Get:

OF Carlos Gomez
SP?/SUAaron Heilman
SP John Niese
RF Ryan Church
SP Kevin Mulvey
SP Phillip Humber

Sounds like a fair deal to me.. Maybe a young arm from the A's in return. What are your thoughts?