Saturday, December 06

HOUSTON – Octavio Dotel’s teammates during his time with the Astros spoke fondly of his humor, humility and big heart. Dotel, who passed away early Tuesday in his native Dominican Republic, was also a dominant relief pitcher who pitched in 302 games during his five seasons in Houston, where he became a fan favorite.

Dotel, former utilityman Tony Blanco and Nelsy Cruz -- sister of former big league slugger Nelson Cruz -- were killed early Tuesday morning when the roof collapsed at a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic. Dotel, 51, was initially found alive and pulled from the rubble, but later died while being taken to a local hospital.

A veteran of 15 Major League seasons from 1999-2013, Dotel pitched for 13 teams, but spent most of his time in Houston, where he pitched from 2000-04. Dotel, Brad Lidge and Hall of Famer Billy Wagner formed a dominating back end of the bullpen in '03.

“I can hardly believe it,” Lidge said.

“Breaks my heart,” Wagner said.

Dotel came to Houston prior to the 2000 season in a deal that sent Mike Hampton and Derek Bell to the Mets. Wagner was already an established closer in ‘03, which turned out to be his final season in Houston. And Lidge was a first-round pick of the Astros in 1998 who made his debut in 2002 before his breakout ‘03 season.

“Honestly, I think he was a completely unique teammate, I can say, from anyone I never had in any bullpen,” Lidge said. “He kind of lived and he kind of played baseball like he was a kid that was joyous just to be playing, which is how we should all play but is not the reality of it. Major League Baseball is very stressful, especially if you’re a bullpen pitcher, but he seemed to not feel that stress. He seemed to be playing with house money his whole career.”

The Astros were 21-4 when Lidge, Dotel and Wagner were the final three pitchers in a game in ‘03, with a combined 2.51 ERA in those outings. Dotel posted a 1.85 ERA in 83 games in ‘02 with 118 strikeouts in 97 1/3 innings and a 2.48 ERA with 97 strikeouts in 87 innings in ’03. Dotel struck out four batters in the eighth inning of the Astros’ six-pitcher no-hitter at Yankee Stadium on June 11, 2003. He also threw the first official pitch at Enron Field, which is now Daikin Park.

“He kept everything light-hearted, for sure,” Wagner said. “A lot of times he was going out there in the eighth inning and he would go out there and punch out three guys. He made going out in the ninth a lot easier a lot of times just because of his ability to pitch two innings or go pick up an inning here and there and just be so dominating.”

Dotel was traded to the A’s on June 24, 2004, in the three-team deal that brought outfielder Carlos Beltran to Houston for the first time. Craig Biggio, the Astros’ Hall of Fame second baseman, said Dotel loved life and loved competing. Biggio said Dotel would often sing songs with his sons, Conor and Cavan.

Dotel is one of four members of the 2000 Astros who have passed away, joining Ken Caminiti, Jose Lima and Julio Lugo.

“All we have left is our memories of what we had as teammates and friends and we’ve lost another good one, a great one,” Biggio said. “Lima was Lima, but then O.D. was O.D. and he had fun and enjoyed it and loved life. It’s a tough day for him and his family and everybody that knew him.”

The Astros will wear their City Connect 2.0 jerseys for all three games this weekend against the Angels at Daikin Park. This weekend’s fan giveaways will also have a City Connect them with a jewelry chain on Friday, Orbit bobblehead on Saturday and a fanny pack bucket hat on Sunday.

Carl Warwick, a left-handed-hitting outfielder from Dallas who helped the Dodgers win a World Series in 1964 and played in 280 career games with the Colt .45s, passed away in Houston on Saturday at 88 years old. He set a record in the 1964 World Series by reaching base in his first four plate appearances (three singles and a walk) as a pinch-hitter to help St. Louis beat the Yankees in seven games.

Warwick was traded to the expansion Colt .45s on May 7, 1962, and became Houston’s starting center fielder, hitting 16 homers in 104 games. He played a career-high 150 games as the starting right fielder in 1963 and hit seven homers with 47 RBIs. He also played for the Dodgers, Cubs and Orioles.

April 9, 1965

Wednesday marks the 60th anniversary of the first game in the history of the Astrodome, when the Yankees came to Houston for an exhibition game against the newly named Astros before 47,876 fans, including President Lyndon B. Johnson. Yankees legend Mickey Mantle is credited with the first home run in the $35 million indoor stadium, though Dick Allen of the Phillies hit the first regular-season home run three days days later.

The franchise that began as the Colt .45s for three years (1962–64) played in Colt Stadium, a makeshift ballpark in the parking lot of what would become the Astrodome, for three years before changing its name when it moved indoors in 1965. The Astros played in the Astrodome for 35 years, leaving for a downtown ballpark after the 1999 season.

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