Tagged: Roy Oswalt
Oswalt to Sign Midseason
Roy Oswalt will not sign with a team this offseason. Instead, Roy will wait until June or July to sign with a team ala Pedro Martinez in 2009. Oswalt did not have any offers on the board he liked, as the Rangers didn’t want him and the Cardinals were only willing to give him $5 million.
Former teammate Lance Berkman, currently with the Cardinals, told reporters that he believed that the reason Oswalt hadn’t signed was a “money thing” and that nobody offered him enough to convince him to leave his home in Weir, Mississippi. This move may pay off for Oswalt, as the demand for starters will be much higher around the trade deadline when teams are looking to patch holes as they prepare to go down the final stretch.
If the Phillies endure a few painful injuries this season, reuniting with Oswalt may become reality. After all, the Phillies have done it before.
Latest on Roy Oswalt
Spring Training commences in ten days and Roy Oswalt remains a free agent. Nobody seems to want to, or are able to, pull the trigger on the veteran. The Rangers, Cardinals, Tigers, Pirates, Phillies, Red Sox and Reds have all been in on Oswalt recently. Here’s the latest on each:
-The Boston Red Sox appear to be one of the final serious suitors for Oswalt, though talks are going nowhere according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
-The Philadelphia Phillies have asked around on the possibility of a Joe Blanton trade. They appear interested in signing Oswalt, and Roy is interested in a return, but with the payroll in the state it’s in a deal cannot be done. However, if anybody can unload a starter who hurled a shade over 40 innings last year and makes $8.5 million in 2012, it’s Ruben Amaro Jr.
-The Reds “kicked the tires” on Oswalt and have not engaged in any serious negotiations.
-The Pirates wanted to jump into the bidding, but Oswalt rejected them. The same goes for the Detroit Tigers.
-The Texas Rangers, one of Oswalt’s two preferred destinations, has no room left for Oswalt whatsoever. They would prefer not to move Derek Holland into the bullpen to allow Oswalt to sign, and Oswalt does not want to pitch out of the bullpen.
-The Cardinals, Oswalt’s other preferred destination, are attempting to find a suitor for Kyle McClellan, but have found no such luck. Talks between the two for a contract have stalled.
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As always, be on the lookout for the mystery team. If Oswalt wants to play in 2012, his demands will have to drop more to garner some serious interest.
Phillies, Red Sox Interested in Roy Oswalt
UPDATE (10:14 PM, February 4): Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Reds are only kicking the tires on Oswalt, and are not expected to seriously persue him.
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Spring Training begins in 14 days. Roy Oswalt is scrambling.
The 34-year old Starting Pitcher is the top Starting Pitcher on the market, mostly because he’s pretty much the only one left. Oswalt has shot down offers from teams earlier this offseason, namely the Detroit Tigers, because he wanted to play for either the St. Louis Cardinals or the Texas Rangers, because they were close to his Mississippi home.
He also refuses to pitch out of the bullpen, which means the Rangers have been knocked out. The Cardinals would like to have him, but they need to make an opening. They are attempting to trade Kyle McClellan, but with the Rays’ Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis and the Nationals’ John Lannan also on the trade market, they haven’t had much success.
Oswalt wanted $10 million for one year, but in this market his asking price will have to come down. With Oswalt’s camp becoming desperate, that looks like it will soon happen. With a lower asking price, that opens up spots for new teams to jump into the race.
The Red Sox have been looking at Oswalt all offseason, though being right up against the luxury tax, they can’t make a large commitment. They had to trade incumbent shortstop Marco Scutaro to the Rockies to make room for Free Agent Outfielder Cody Ross.
Enter Cincinnati and Philadelphia.
The Reds, who appear to be going all-in with the potential departure of Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips looming, appear to be interested in adding Oswalt to their rotation. They would need to make a trade to make a deal happen.
Roy Oswalt remains interested in re-signing with the Phillies, though the feeling doesn’t to appear mututal. At least at what Oswalt is currently asking for. The Phillies could be interested if Oswalt lowers his asking price, though they would need to find a suitor for Joe Blanton to get a deal done.
What do the Cardinals, Red Sox, Reds, and Phillies all have in common? They need to make a trade to be able to sign Oswalt.
Looks like whoever can make their trade first will be the winner of the Oswalt sweepstakes.
Rambling Phillies Fan 