The A’s have been desperate, desperate and really really desperate for a competent relief pitcher.
I do hope that today’s trade for Astro’s closer Octavio Dotel will relieve their desperation.
Dotel, 30, is 0-4 with a 3.12 ERA and 14 saves in 17 chances in his first year as a closer following the trade of three-time All-Star Billy Wagner to Philadelphia in the offseason.
Uh Oh.
Dotel was even booed off the mound by the normally patient Houston crowd after allowing three ninth-inning runs in a June 15 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
“It’s not that we had our eye on Dotel. It was a case of finding a guy in that position and role that’s both available and also affordable,” Beane said.
“Face it, it’s hard to find a premier guy at the end of the game that’s going to be available. There are very few guys who fit that bill,” he said.
Oh well. At least the best of the rest is better than the worst of the worst.
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Don’t worry: The A’s are getting a great reliever — one of the best for the past three
or so years. Check out this analysis by Aaron Gleeman for the details. Note especially Dotel’s high K/IN rate.