For most of the decade, Roy Oswalt has been the one regular on the Houston pitching staff. You could rely on Oswalt for 15-20 wins every year and know he'd put in his finest performance every time he got the start. But it may be time to send him packing, not during the season but during the off-season.
Let me begin by proclaiming that, the Astros have a lot of reasons to thank the young hurler from Wier, MS. Without him, the Astros would not have reached two playoffs and one World Series. He's been a solid guy and a forceful player. If the Astros seemed to be a team able to compete in the next few years, I'd want to keep him around.
But the truth is that the Astros will have to to regress before they can go forward. Since 2007, they have relentlessly tried to win another World Series by putting veteran teams on the field and it clearly hasn't paid off.
Going into next year, the Astros will have to disburse three sizeable salaries, all with no-trade clauses. Two of the salaries, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee, provide no indication they would authorize a trade. Oswalt dances around the subject but it seems unambiguous he would go somewhere that could put a World Series ring on his finger and fit in with his lifestyle.
It's been a frustrating year for Roy who is not used to being this deep into the season and still be caught on seven wins. He's in a position of not reaching 10 victories for the first occasion in his entire existence. He hasn't been assisted by much run support and, when he has, something has habitually kept him from receiving the victory, whether it be a slight injury, some blunders behind him or a relief pitching collapse.
You don't have to speculate when he claims he "didn't come here to be on a run of the mill team" and insisted, after his most recent defeat in St. Louis, that the players are "only going through the motions" to know he's not pleased playing here.
So, where else may Oswalt go? I suppose Oswalt would choose to be in the South or the Midwest. Teams like Arizona, the Royals and the Twins don't have the bank roll to afford Roy's agreement. Likewise, the Marlins and Tampa Bay would be decent fits except the franchises don't have the money.
Until lately, the notion of trading Oswalt would have been met with knee-jerk rejection but it seems plain Roy doesn't want to stay through a reconstruction run (if there is one) and he won't be pleased about being an Astro if Cooper is still the manager. Getting rid of his salary brings relief and flexibility to Astros''s salary cap which may make them a bit more brave to offer negotiation to players who will bring draft promises our way if they commit away.
Let me begin by proclaiming that, the Astros have a lot of reasons to thank the young hurler from Wier, MS. Without him, the Astros would not have reached two playoffs and one World Series. He's been a solid guy and a forceful player. If the Astros seemed to be a team able to compete in the next few years, I'd want to keep him around.
But the truth is that the Astros will have to to regress before they can go forward. Since 2007, they have relentlessly tried to win another World Series by putting veteran teams on the field and it clearly hasn't paid off.
Going into next year, the Astros will have to disburse three sizeable salaries, all with no-trade clauses. Two of the salaries, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee, provide no indication they would authorize a trade. Oswalt dances around the subject but it seems unambiguous he would go somewhere that could put a World Series ring on his finger and fit in with his lifestyle.
It's been a frustrating year for Roy who is not used to being this deep into the season and still be caught on seven wins. He's in a position of not reaching 10 victories for the first occasion in his entire existence. He hasn't been assisted by much run support and, when he has, something has habitually kept him from receiving the victory, whether it be a slight injury, some blunders behind him or a relief pitching collapse.
You don't have to speculate when he claims he "didn't come here to be on a run of the mill team" and insisted, after his most recent defeat in St. Louis, that the players are "only going through the motions" to know he's not pleased playing here.
So, where else may Oswalt go? I suppose Oswalt would choose to be in the South or the Midwest. Teams like Arizona, the Royals and the Twins don't have the bank roll to afford Roy's agreement. Likewise, the Marlins and Tampa Bay would be decent fits except the franchises don't have the money.
Until lately, the notion of trading Oswalt would have been met with knee-jerk rejection but it seems plain Roy doesn't want to stay through a reconstruction run (if there is one) and he won't be pleased about being an Astro if Cooper is still the manager. Getting rid of his salary brings relief and flexibility to Astros''s salary cap which may make them a bit more brave to offer negotiation to players who will bring draft promises our way if they commit away.
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