Afternoon Baseball

Baseball Musings
Bronx Banter
Was Watching

Octavio Dotel, signed to a one-year deal by the Yankees, is apparently doing well in his return from Tommy John surgery. This is great to see, and he may well be vindicated for his decision to, against (the A's?) doctor's recommendations, shut down mid-2005 and go under the knife. Given the excellent way the Yanks handled Jon Lieber after his lengthy layoff, and even going back to Mariano Rivera's and David Cone's arm troubles in the 1990s, if Dotel is going to return to being an effective set-up man, the Bronx is his best bet.

EDIT: I mention this in the comments, but Sheffield was 36 throughout the 2005 season (born 11/18/68), and would only be 38, not 39, in this hypothetical 2007 Yankees campaign.
Sheffield has a team option for 2007, which I don't see the Yankees picking up. I've also warned (item #4) against extending his contract (by option or a new deal), despite the genuine respect and admiration I have for his underrated hitting. It's early though, and if he shows no or little drop-off this year, it may well be worth it. Was Watching has a good point in the chances that Sheff may be a Yankee in the Hall when that day comes -- if he plays a fourth season in New York. Replacement Level Yankees Weblog talks Sheff and the whole team in an interview and a position-by-position comparision with the Red Sox.

Bronx Banter touches on the Dotel saga and has lots of links and news -- at least, news that passes for frigid February.