Octavio Dotel

*Octavio Eduardo Dotel’ was born on November 25, 1973 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox. High SchoolOctavio graduated from Liceo Eansino Afuera High School in the Dominican Republic in 1993.*Minor Leagues’Octavio was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1993.

He made his way through the Met’s minor league system. In 1994 he played for their affiliate in the Dominican League, and then was promoted through the Mets’ minor league system for the next several seasons.

1995 - Gulf Coast League Mets, St. Lucie Mets in the Florida State League.1996 - Capital City Bombers, South Atlantic League.1997 - Gulf Coast League Mets, St. Lucie Mets in the Florida State League, and the Binghamton Mets in the Eastern League.1998 - Binghamton Mets in the Eastern League, and the Norfolk Tides in the International League.1999 - Norfolk Tides(He did not return to the Minor Leagues until 2006, when he was on rehab assignmets after Tommy John surgery.)

*Major Leagues‘New York MetsOctavio made his major league debut on June 26, 1999 for the New York Mets, and lost the game. His first MLB win came July 1, 1999 against the Florida Marlins. He ended the season as the winning pitcher in the 1999 NLCS game five against the Atlanta Braves. (The Mets would lose the series in game 6).*Houston Astros’Octavio was traded to the Houston Astros on December 23, 1999, along with Roger Cedeno and minor leaguer Kyle Kessel. In return the Mets got Mike Hampton and Derek Bell.

In 2000 Octavio was converted to a closer, due to an injury to their original closer, Billy Wagner. This marked the first time in National League history that a pitcher had over 15 starts and 15 saves (the only other season in MLB history came in the American League in 1999, when Tim Wakefield won 6 games in 17 starts and attained 15 saves for the Boston Red Sox).

In 2001, Octavio also began the seasn as a starter and then was moved into the bullpen, this time as a setup man for Billy Wagner.

After the 2003 season, Wagner was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and Octavio started 2004 as the closer for the Astros.

Oakland AthleticsOctavio was traded to the Oakland Athletics on June 24, 2004, in a three-team trade that brought slugger Carlos Beltran to the Astros, and minor leaguer Mike Wood, Mark Teahen, and John Buck to the Kansas City Royals.

Octavio was the closer for the Athletics, as well, and finished the 2004 season with a career-high 36 saves (22 for the A’s and 14 for the Astros).