As Bob Smizik noted on his blog, Frank Coonelly told a fan in his chat on Pirates.com today that Octavio Dotel is not on the trading block.
↵↵↵"Octovio Dotel is not on the trading block. We are fortunate, however, that both Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan have shown the stuff and fortitude to close games. Having options in that area certainly puts us in a position to entertain offers if another club is willing to overpay for one of our players. Danny Moskos has performed extremely well at the back end of the bullpen in Altoona and now at Indianapolis and is again showing the type of stuff to make you believe that he could be a closer one day as well. The talent that we have in this area could help us address needs in other areas."
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Take that for what you will, but there's probably more to read into that last statement than the first. Rarely do you find players that management will say are on the trade block, even when it's clear the Pirates are trying to trade them. It's doubtful Coonelly would spend so much space talking about the team's depth, something many who see a Dotel trade as likely point to as a reason the Bucs might do so, if he didn't think a move was possible or even likely, too.
↵In other Dotel news, Dejan Kovacevic caught up with him on Stephen Strasburg's "snub" from the National League All-Star roster.
↵↵↵Count closer Octavio Dotel among the dominant majority of Pirates opposed to the idea of Washington phenom Stephen Strasburg in the All-Star Game: "He's pitched, what, five games? Why are the media even talking about this?"
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It's actually quite comical that the media thinks Strasburg should even be close. If Strasburg and his 2-2, 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 53/10 K/BB, ratio, .215 BAA in six appearances is All-Star worthy, then it opens up an argument for guys like St. Louis's Jamie Garcia (8-4, 2.10 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 77/39 K/BB, .220 BAA in 16 appearances) and San Diego's Mat Latos (9-4, 2.62 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 91/26 K/BB, .193 BAA in 16 appearances) among others, and no one is even saying a word about them.
↵Strasburg has been great thus far, but he should at least have to keep it up as long as those fellow young guys who were held out before he's remotely considered for an All-Star roster. Right now, the only thing that separates Strasburg from any other young hot shot who comes up and sees success early in his Major League career (see Zach Duke, 2005) is the hype that's followed him since his draft day.
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