Dotel Suggestion

Apparently, Dotel is getting some interest from a lot of teams and it got me thinking about how the A's could keep him. Obviously, they have cash if they can give Witasick $3 million for two years, so how about this: Offer him arbitration.

Seeing as how he made $4.75 million, he can't get more than that and if at the most, $5 million. And while that is a steep price to pay, you have the possibility to get draft picks as relievers are always a premium. Looking at the Yankees Tom Gordon, should he not re-sign with the Yankees, they will receive draft picks for his services. A solid 2006 campaign will undoubtably get the A's draft picks should Dotel perform.

But the other part of offering arbitration is that the A's are highly likely to win their case should they submit an offer around $2.5 million. Dotel cannot have the same value he signed his '05 contract for on account of the Tommy John Surgery which has made him an uncertain for the start of 2006. Knowing this, the A's could offer a two year contract guaranteeing him the amount he submits for arbitration or Dotel could risk losing 2+ million dollars.

Either way, the A's have the ability to bring in additional draft picks should he accept a contract or arbitration, all the while having a quality arm in the pen, which is of interest should they trade Barry Zito.

Changing of the Guard

Although Theo Epstein and Paul DePodesta left via different methods, they both had their decisions made by incompetent writers. DePodesta was fired from L.A. solely because of L.A. Times writer Bill Plaschke. From the moment DePodesta got the job, Plaschke has been using the same jokes surrounding DePodesta's laptop. There was the one about the computer getting a virus when Drew was signed and now there's a joke about how the computer was hacked because players like Hee Seop Choi did not produce like DePodesta predicted he would. And then there were the times he used other cheesy jokes on ESPN's "Around the Horn" program.

It's somewhat funny because the fault lies with Manager Jim Tracy who would play Choi for a game or two and then inexplicably bench him even if Choi played well. You would think those are the things that writers would focus on, but being a part of the baseball old-school club can cloud judgment.

As for Epstein, he decided to leave Boston after the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy wrote in Sunday's column that Epstein, being a protege' of Lucchino's, was in-debted to him as Lucchino "took the fall" for some of Epstein's moves. After that column ran, Peter Gammons has said that it infuriated Epstein and it made the decision for him.

I have stated before my questions surrounding assistant GM David Forst and how much of a coincidence it is that the A's fell into a rut when DePodesta left. Then again, DePodesta was around for the Redman trade/signing as well as the Karros signing. It would be interesting to see DePodesta come back or Epstein to come into the fold, but they would positions that are subject to either finding another GM gig. But here is something to note:

Beane has an Epstein-like assistant in David Forst, the former Harvard baseball captain. Forst is on the fast track to becoming a general manager, but he recently turned down an offer to become GM of the Diamondbacks, a job that went to Byrnes, and appears in no hurry to end his apprenticeship with Beane. There is a good likelihood, in fact, that Forst winds up as Athletics GM in another year or so if Beane moves upstairs.

This is the second time I have read that Beane may move up to being Club President, similar to former GM Sandy Alderson who is now the President of the San Diego Padres. If this were true, it would be nice for DePodesta to be the GM for the A's with Beane his boss. Even though the titles would be changed, the power structure would be the same.