Even though there are reportedly no current trade talks involving Roy Oswalt, rumors continue to swirl around the Astros' ace. According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the Astros could be struggling to find a market for the right-hander because they're saying any club that deals for Oswalt would have to assume the entire remainder of his contract.
Oswalt is still owed approximately $9.3MM this year, along with $16MM in 2011 and a $2MM buyout for his 2012 option. Hernandez also points out that because of Oswalt's no-trade clause, the 32-year-old could demand that the $16MM option be picked up before allowing a trade. In that case, any team acquiring Oswalt would be on the hook for over $40MM. Needless to say, as Hernandez reports, this rules the cash-strapped Dodgers out for now.
Danny Knobler of CBS Sports writes that Oswalt says he's willing to pitch anywhere where he could contend, including an American League club.
"Location doesn't matter. It's only for a year and a half," said Oswalt. "Actually, I'd be excited to pitch over here [in the American League]. Everybody keeps bragging that it's better."
As Zachary Levine and Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle point out, the Yankees fit Oswalt's criteria perfectly. We've heard lately that the Yankees haven't started looking at potential trade targets, though that could change in the next month and a half.
That is funny.. Oswalt to the LAD and this is the team that wouldn’t even offer arbitration to Randy Wolf last year with probably 75% chance certainty he would refuse it because the owner is in a cash flow problem. What is that old Beach Boys song? “California Dreaming”…
NYY probably only team that can manage to eat that entire contract if it’s the demand, then Houston probably isn’t going to get an awful lot back in return either.
Remember couple years ago when Oswalt was the hot commodity and Boston was after this guy? Glad it never happened. Not sure his stuff will ever translate to the AL, just look at Jake Peavy and how well his has worked out so far. Could be a dangerous/expensive pickup for an AL team and especially an AL East one.
Petco is very pitcher friendly, but Minute Maid is a hitters park. I for one believe Oswalt can hold his own in the AL.
Not as an ace, but as a quality stater. That’s why his salary is an issue for most AL teams, though.
Exactly. I think he would be great in the AL, but at 16 million per, I rather save the money and the prospects and give an extra for million per to Lee, as he’s actually had major success in the A.L.
If his new team were to decline the option Oswalt would actually cost 18MM for next season, but the commitment would only be for 1 year, with Lee you’re probably looking at 5 years.
Roy, really, you don’t want to pitch in the AL.
I’m so confused why the yankees are involved in all these starting pitching trade rumors. Starting pitching is the last thing the team needs.
I agree that Oswalt to the Yankees is especially unlikely. It’s a topic that’s come up in the last day or two because the Astros are visiting the Yankees, and the New York media has been eager to get Oswalt’s thoughts on playing there.
They aren’t. It’s just a huge market and writers have deadlines bad people.
The Yankees are not in the market for a starter, period, the end.
I wouldn’t write the the Yanks off when it comes to starting pitching, because any team will look at some point. But on that same note I wouldn’t write them in any sweepstakes and just assume they’re in on a guy.
The Yankees just get thrown out because it creates more interest in these rumors. “OMG THE YANKEES ARE INVOLVED!!!” It’s usually either caused by lazy reporting or the player’s agent trying to stir up interest in their client.
If the Astros really expect another team to take on Oswalt’s entire contract, they better not expect more than one or two marginal prospects in return. No team is going to give up elite prospects or anything for that cost.
Let’s get real, folks. The Yanks needs are (1) a LH corner OF bat, (2) a veteran utility MIF, (3) a solid LH bullpen guy. Oft-injured RH starters with a $40 million price tag aren’t really high on the priority list right now.
Spot on comment. Oswalt is “oft-injured”.
I mean the guy has only pitched 200+ innings in 5 out of the past 6 seasons and is on pace for another 200 innings this season. Oh – that season where he missed 200 innings – he managed to scrape together only 181 innings.
During those years he has had an ERA in the 2’s twice, 3’s three times, and fours once (his injury season in 2008). IN 2010 his ERA has crept right above 3 and sits at 3.16. He’s a couple years older, but he compares fairly well to Sabathia. He crushes Petitte. Better than Burnett. More consistent than Vazquez and more experienced than Hughes.
I’m not suggesting that he is a great fit for the Yankees but he certainly would upgrade the rotation. To pretend otherwise is foolish. There are bigger needs out there but Oswalt would help ANY rotation in baseball.
Nicely said. Now, let’s say Oswalt stays put – is Haren next on the list as a target, given his favorable contract and years of team control?
The point being, of course, that the Yankees do not need to upgrade the rotation, and they would be better off not going after Oswalt and giving Lee that extra 4 million per in the off-season.
Why not? With no salary cap and the Yankees budget – why not take the risk? I’d say if the Dbax unload Haren, he would probably end up being a Yankee. Who do you think will jump on the Brandon Webb train (even though he hasn’t pitched in over a year)?
Really, any club trading for Oswalt is getting a great deal. Its only 1 1/2 years instead of the 4 or 5 years that any free agent will demand.
If Oswalt really wants out of Houston, he’s going to have to agree to go to any team that will have him, and be willing to renegotiate that contract. I think if I were an Astros fan about now, I’d be highly p@@### at Oswalt being so vocal about his wanting to leave.
the only reason they are involved, the Yankees, is because next year 2/5 of their rotation will be free agents
So that means they should trade for him now? And then bump one of their starters to the bullpen?
Sox dont have their starting 3B or C under contract next season, so lets link them to every player with a big contract who’s available.
See you this July, Oswalt. See you in Anaheim.
There’s actually no evidence that the Dodgers are “cash strapped.” This is a story concocted by sports writers to explain why the Dodgers are spending about the same for payroll this year as they did last year.
How about the fact that the Dodgers have required teams to pay the remaining salaries of the players they have acquired via trades, even at the cost of sending better prospects to the other team. Most notably trading Carlos Santana for Casey Blake so that the Indians would pay the 4 million remaining on his contract. You are blind if you don’t see how the Dodgers have greedy dicks for owners.
So only the Dodgers owners are in it for the money? Now that’s howler. The other team owners, they sink hundreds of millions into owning a team just for the fun of it. Cripes, I can see being disappointed in the way the Dodgers are performing this season, but it’s ridiculous when what is happening on the field has to be crammed into some prepackaged storyline.
“Even though there are reportedly no current trade talks involving Roy Oswalt, rumors continue to swirl around the Astros’ ace.”
This is where I stopped reading.
WE HAVE NOTHING TO WRITE ABOUT SO HERE’S A FEW PAGES OF DOUCHEY SPECULATION WRITTEN SUGGESTIVELY SO YOU CAN’T TELL THAT I LITERALLY JUST MADE IT UP
Hate sports writers
You do know that the entire point of this site is to to relay all of the rumors found in other news sources, right? The entire site is based on speculation and the writers and most all if the readers know this.
How could I possibly not know that
How could I possibly not know that
He never said he hated this site.
Oswalt is an ace. AL or otherwise. He is the definition of a gamer. He has pitched through pain over the course of the last 3 years and still put up good numbers on a poor ball club.