Let's see what Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has for us in his latest Full Count video..
- If the Marlins do not start playing more consistently, manager Fredi Gonzalez will be on the hot seat. Florida is one win below .500, which probably does not strike most as a failure considering their modest $47.4MM. However, as Rosenthal put it, owner Jeffrey Loria is not exactly "Mr. Patient". At the start of Spring Training, Loria said that the team had all the ammunition needed to make the postseason.
- Roy Oswalt could be the best starter available at the deadline, depending on three factors. The team must be willing to move him, the 32-year-old must be willing to waive his no-trade clause, and a team must be willing to take on the rest of his contract. Oswalt will only approve deals to certain clubs and two of them, the Braves and Cardinals, are already flush with starting pitching. Money will be a major factor, as he is set to earn $15MM this season and $16MM in both 2011 and 2012. The final year of the deal holds a $2MM buyout.
- Rangers pitchers Matt Harrison and Rich Harden are effectively on notice. Tommy Hunter is set to begin a rehabilitation assignment and Derek Holland has been stellar thus far in Triple-A. There are even more arms waiting in the farm system, including Tanner Scheppers, the 44th overall selection in the 2009 draft.
Derek Holland is putting up absurd numbers in AAA r/n. Why he’s not in the big leagues is beyond my comprehension
It’s hard to imagine any team taking on Oswalt’s bad contract. The Astros will have to eat part of it in order to deal him, I think.
Oswalt’s contract isn’t bad. Over the last three seasons he’s produced an average of $16.2M in value, which is right on the money for what he’s being paid. For a contending team, the value of a marginal win is much higher, and higher still when you’re talking about a starting pitcher, because of the way the postseason works.
However, it’s true that Wandy Rodriguez would probably have more value on his contract ($5M, team control through next season) should the Astros be willing to deal him instead, or in addition to, Roy Oswalt.
Maybe Rich Harden will be closing in Texas pretty soon? He looks very lousy as a starter thus far, he can barely go 5 innings.
Ryan Howard was just flat overpayed.
Would oswalt approve trade to the mets?