Octavio Dotel Out for 2005, and perhaps 2006.

A's closer Octavio Dotel (which, coincidentally, is Spanish for "LaTroy Hawkins"), has elected to undergo reconstructive elbow surgery. This goes against the advice of his doctors, who prescribed rest & rehab.

Against the recommendations of four physicians, Dotel is convinced that surgery is necessary, saying that "What I have is not even close to what I had last year. It's not the same pain, not the same feeling. Tendinitis does not keep you from throwing your slider. What I have now does make me not throw my slider."

This is, obviously, a strange situation - almost unprecedented. Just one year ago, Dotel was being "promoted" by the Astros from the 8th inning, where he had been dominant - to the 9th inning, where he struggled before being shipped to Oakland in the Carlos Beltran deal. It seems that Dotel can be safely categorized as a dominant set-up reliever who simply could not close games effectively.

Note the use of the past tense - "could not". Dotel is 31 years old, and and he's electing to undergo a major, possibly unnecessary, elbow surgery that may sideline him until he is 33.

It's quite possible that Dotel's career is over.

Rookie Huston Street will continue to close games for the A's, and is now the "official" closer.

False Alarm? Lyon will not need surgery.

Diamondbacks' closer Brandon Lyon visited Dr. Lewis Yocum for a second opinion on the "irregularities" noted in his elbow. Dr. Yocum confirmed what Diamondbacks team doctor Michael Lee had previously stated; Lyon's elbow will not require surgery.

Lyon stated that "Dr. Yocum kind of reassured me that right now it's nothing to take too seriously - just take a rest right now and let Mother Nature take over and see how I feel in 10 days." According to the D-Backs official site, Lyon will still be out for some time - he may be able to start playing catch in 10 days before starting a rehab assignment.