The Atlanta Braves have signed right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano to a 2-year, $9 million deal. Here’s a quick demonstration of why it’s good to lock up the guys you already have rather than pay top dollar on the open market:

Rafael Soriano vs Octavio Dotel

 
2006-2007 Stats
2008 Age, Contract

IP
ERA
WHIP
K/BB
Age
Yrs
$

Soriano
132
2.66
0.962
3.75
28
2
$9M

Dotel
40.1
5.75
1.721
2.09
34
2
$11M

I know we just picked on the Dotel signing, but seriously, what am I missing?

The Chicago White Sox have signed right-hander Octavio Dotel to a 2-year, $11 million deal. On the heels of their November signing of Scott Linebrink, the White Sox appear to have adopted the same strategy that worked so well for the Orioles last winter.
Like Linebrink, Dotel was a dominant reliever several years ago. Now he’s mostly just hurt. Here’s what Dotel has done recently:

Octavio Dotel, 2005 – 2007

IP
ERA
H/9
BB/9
SO/9
HR/9

Statistics are courtesy of David Pinto’s Day by Day Database.

56
5.14
9.16
5.46
10.29
1.29

You’ll notice in the caption that this is Dotel’s record for the past 3 years. Last season he worked 30 2/3 innings, which was …read more

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Jaret Wright has been placed on the disabled list due to “right shoulder stiffness.” First Octavio Dotel, then Eric Gagne, now Wright? I guess you just never know who injuries will strike. Where’s Keith Foulke again?