Though Dave Dombrowski insists the Detroit Tigers are content with their bullpen and aren't seeking any more help, there's one relatively big name still out there, waiting to be signed. And I can't help but wonder if the Tigers might still be interested.
Yesterday, the Baltimore Sun's Roch Kubatko reported that the Orioles were talking to Octavio Dotel, but conceded that the Baltimore front office wasn't about to go crazy for late-inning relief. Today, Kubatko predicts that the O's will eventually pass on Dotel and pursue an in-house option at closer.
That prompted MetsBlog to speculate that the Mets are likely interested in signing Dotel, but not to the two-year deal that he's reportedly seeking. I wonder if the Tigers are taking the same stance.
Signing Dotel to a two-year deal makes no sense for the Tigers if Joel Zumaya fully recovers from his shoulder injury. But what if this season is being written off for Zumaya? Granted, it's too early into his rehabilitation to make such a judgment, and maybe the Tigers feel they can wait it out until a hopeful June return. But what if Zumaya isn't ready by then, and there's still a gaping hole in Detroit's middle relief? Wouldn't a one-year deal for Dotel be worth a shot?
I know I've been beating this drum for quite a while now, but to me, it makes too much sense not to happen. But maybe the Tigers feel they already have enough (and far less expensive) insurance on their roster with Francisco Cruceta and Denny Bautista, and I just need to chill out about the bullpen.