RIP Octavio Dotel, 1973-2025

[G-Fafif]

Octavio Dotel died while being transferred to the hospital after the Jet Set collapse. He was 51.

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/for ... ts-2057034

A splendid debut with the 1999 Mets. A heckuva well-traveled career.

[MFS62]

RIP
Later

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

geez what a tragedy.

He was one of the first prospects to hit in the Internet era. Traded for Mike Hampton!

At one time held the record for most teams ever played for

[stevejrogers]

His passing during transport hasn’t been reported on ESPN yet

[Cowtipper]

Only Octavio in big league history.

[metirish]

How awful , what a tragedy for all

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Awful.

[G-Fafif]

I wrote about Dotel after he became the only 1999 Met to take part in winning a World Series in the years following that close call. My happiness for him transcended that it was for the Cardinals.

https://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/ ... %99t-done/

[Edgy MD]

Was the subject of a classick MoFo thread that we had saved here for a while.

Joined Kenny Rogers as an unfortunate resident of the back end of the pen in those marathon 1999 playoff games against the Braves. Between extra innings and Al Leiter's early exit in the decider, every reliever was seemingly forced into use every game.

[kcmets]

That's just plain sad. RIP.

Isn't Dotel the one Mrs. 'bucket called Ducky because of his bottom?

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

good memory

[G-Fafif]

At the FanFest in January, Bobby V copped, without anybody prodding him, that he should have gone to Octavio rather than Rogers in Game Six.

[Frayed Knot]

His passing during transport hasn’t been reported on ESPN yet

And MLB's website has nothing on the entire tragedy.

[Centerfield]

One of those weird moments where I find myself sad that Dotel was a victim of this tragedy, then realizing it's such a strange thought to think "Oh man, it's so sad that the guy I used to watch on TV died rather than a bunch of Dominicans I don't know either".

[stevejrogers]

His passing during transport hasn’t been reported on ESPN yet

It is now :(

[G-Fafif]

ESPN story...

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/445 ... f-collapse

[Frayed Knot]

One of those weird moments where I find myself sad that Dotel was a victim of this tragedy, then realizing it's such a strange thought to think "Oh man, it's so sad that the guy I used to watch on TV died rather than a bunch of Dominicans I don't know either".

I was 13 y/o when Clemente's plane went down (it was New Year's Day and my mom told me when I woke up). And my first reaction was to think, 'Oh man, he didn't get to finish his career'. Y'know, as if it would somehow be less tragic if this occurred a couple years after his career ended rather than two to three years before (Clemente was 38).
It hit me a few seconds later that that kind of thinking is selfish and stupid even for a 13y/o but, yeah, his baseball life was my first thought.
And I still remember all this 52+ years later.

[smg58]

One of those weird moments where I find myself sad that Dotel was a victim of this tragedy, then realizing it's such a strange thought to think "Oh man, it's so sad that the guy I used to watch on TV died rather than a bunch of Dominicans I don't know either".

I know what you mean. This story wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the same attention otherwise, but it is horrible regardless.

[Batty31]

Omg how horrible!

[Frayed Knot]

Reports saying that brief MLB player Tony Blanco is also among the dead.

[Methead]

He was one of the first prospects to hit in the Internet era.

I bet I still have his rookie cards I bought back then. I remember watching a game he had started, it must have been his rookie year. He was working on a no-hitter and he was into the 8th or 9th inning maybe. Pretty sure it was a scoreless tie, but he gave up a solo homer to lose the no-hitter and the shutout all at once. Looked like he was gonna cry.

edit: OK, it was the 7th inning and the Mets had a 2-0 lead and he gave up a 3-run homer but whatever, this is the game

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxe ... 8160.shtml

[Edgy MD]

Reports saying that brief MLB player Tony Blanco is also among the dead.

Yeah, I'm wondering if the reports that Henry Blanco was among those present have him confused or conflated with Tony.

Henry may well have been there, but (a) he's Venezuelan, (b) he is an active big-league coach, and (c) there is a season going on.

Hank, in fact, currently works for the Nationals, but there are no stories of his reported presence and survival on the Nats' site.

[Cowtipper]

Dotel autographed a card for me through the Astros in 2004.

I mentioned this in another thread, but Dotel couldn't lose for a while with the Mets. At one point, he was 8-1 for them, despite an elevated ERA.

He was an astounding—and unsung—strikeout ace his whole career, average 10.8 K/9, including 10.3 K/9 from age 35 and after.

I'd say he was underrated overall. His WHIP was great for a guy who spent 15 years in the bigs, as was his ERA+, K/9 and H/9.

[G-Fafif]

Today's Immaculate Grid is the perfect understated salute to one of its true legends.

[Cowtipper]

Reports say Esteban German (2000s MLB guy) survived the collapse.