NEW YORK -- When the Yankees signed Octavio Dotel to a one-year deal last winter, they knew they would have to wait for him to finish rehabbing his surgically repaired right elbow before he would throw a pitch for New York.
The wait is over.
Dotel joined the Yankees on Wednesday, bolstering the team's bullpen for the stretch run. Dotel, 32, will join Kyle Farnsworth, Scott Proctor and Ron Villone as the primary setup men for Mariano Rivera.
"I feel like it's the first time I got to the big leagues," Dotel said. "The way I feel is it's a big time to come back. It's something where you have to work hard; you've got to earn it to come back after elbow surgery."
To make room for Dotel, the Yankees optioned right-hander Jose Veras to Triple-A Columbus.
Dotel was in his hotel room watching "Mission Impossible 3" in Columbus, when he got the call he had been waiting from Mark Littlefield, the organization's Tampa-based player development trainer.
"It's kind of funny, because when I heard from Mark Littlefield, I told him what I was watching," Dotel said. "He said, 'Well that mission is impossible, but this one is possible.' It was really an exciting moment for me right there. I didn't watch any of the movie after that."
Dotel had started and stopped his rehab assignment twice during the season, but his last one proved to be enough. Dotel had been in constant contact with general manager Brian Cashman, telling him that he was ready to join the team.
"He's been giving me a full-court press for a week," Cashman said. "He's felt for a week that he's been ready to join us."
"We talked after the game last night and Brian said that he's ready to go," Joe Torre said. "He's anxious. I always sensed with Dotel that he was willing to be patient with this whole thing, but for the last week, he's been champing at the bit."
With every setback Dotel suffered during his rehab, the thought crossed his mind that he might not return at all in 2006.
"It's kind of crazy, because sometimes you feel great and then you feel like you don't have [anything], and then the next day you feel good," Dotel said. "You think, 'What's wrong with me? What's going on in there?' One thing I can say is, I always felt positive in my mind."
Earlier this week, Torre didn't seem optimistic about getting Dotel back in the next week or two. But there he was Wednesday, slipping into his No. 29 pinstriped uniform.
"What may have turned the tide or pushed it over the edge was his attitude," Torre said. "When he's that proud of his stuff, it makes you feel good about it."
Torre plans to work Dotel in slowly, using him to start an inning at the beginning instead of putting him in with men on base. Dotel also hasn't worked in back-to-back games, so Torre isn't going to push the envelope on that issue, either.
"He gives us a little more experience in the bullpen," Torre said. "I'm happy he's here. This sort of came quickly, so hopefully it works out for him and for us."
Sheff swings
Gary Sheffield took the next step in his rehab on Wednesday, swinging a bat 20 times in his swimming pool.
Sheffield will visit hand specialist Dr. Charles Melone next week, at which point he hopes to be cleared to begin hitting.
"In my view, based on how I feel, I feel great; I feel like I want to swing a bat now, but I have to see the doctor," Sheffield said. "Once I get out of the pool, tee work and BP shouldn't be too far away."
"That's great news," Torre said. "I'm sure he's pleased about that. It's a step; once you start swinging the bat, you can start looking down the road."
Sheffield said he needs his surgically repaired left wrist to heal a little more and get some more strength before he can move forward with his rehab.
"I'm pain-free and that's all I've been waiting for for a long time," Sheffield said. "I'm not in a hurry. My plan is not in the short-term. My plan is long-term. That's the only thing I'm worried about."
Sheffield said he first felt pain-free at the beginning of the week, when he started playing catch.
"The first time I went out there, there was a lot of pressure when I caught a ball," he said. "After that I didn't feel any pain. Once I started catching balls from A-Rod and all those guys throwing it hard, I knew I was ready."
Carl on track
Carl Pavano, who threw four scoreless innings for Class A Tampa on Tuesday, will make his third rehab start Sunday for Double-A Trenton.
Pavano threw 56 pitches in his outing, a number which will increase to about 75 on Sunday. According to Cashman, Pavano's pitch count will increase by about 15 pitches each time he takes the mound.
"He's going to have to go through a whole Spring Training; we have to get him up to at least 100 pitches," Cashman said. "We need to build his arm strength up. When he gets to 100, we'll be in position to take him."
