During the Winter Meetings, it was reported that Roy Oswalt was looking to sign a three-year deal. However, interest in the veteran has picked up greatly since he began telling teams roughly two weeks ago that he only wants a one-year commitment. The 34-year-old's change of heart will certainly help his case on the open market, but what team will pony up the money that he's looking for?
The Red Sox and Yankees are looking to bolster their respective rotations, but both clubs are wary of the luxury tax threshold. A one-year, eight-digit deal wouldn't be out of the question for either team if it weren't for the 40% penalty they would have to pay on top of it. Both teams have expressed interest in the Cubs' Matt Garza but they're certainly not alone in that. The Marlins and Tigers appear to be the frontrunners to land the right-hander while the Blue Jays have also been connected to him. One has to imagine that the clubs that miss out on Garza will be in the mix for Oswalt.
There are other teams that have been interested in Oswalt this winter but seem unlikely for one reason or another. The Rangers would have liked to bring the veteran back to the state of Texas but they've since won the bidding for Yu Darvish. The Nationals were also in on Oswalt but their rotation is both formidable and deep after the acquisition of Gio Gonzalez.
We may have to wait for the dust to settle on the Garza talks to find out, but where do you see Roy Oswalt signing?
I find it somewhat surprising that with almost all these poles this offseason, especially the pitchers, the voters seem to favor the Yankees by a wide margin and now a close 2nd with Oswalt. None of which have materialized. A few pitchers the Yanks didn’t even get involved with at all. It’s almost as if no one has been actually paying attention to what the Yankees are doing and really what they are looking for.
The Yankees have CC, Nova, AJ (who I do expect to have a good season this year), Hughes (another that I expect to bounce back) and Garcia. With Noesi, Warren, Phelps and in August maybe Betances or Banuelos if they have strong first halves. Even if the Yanks have a bounce back season from only 1 of AJ or Hughes, still they’re in decent shape. Other options will present themselves later and Oswalt and $8-$10mm for a season, for the Yankees, isn’t the answer.
who cares?
Many times voting for questions like this is like All Star voting! Regardless of need or who deserves it polls come out showing which centers have the largest populations and thus who are a bunch of homers. That’s one thing I’ve noticed lately Toronto is paying attention to baseball again to the levels of when JP shot himself in the foot with a bunch of free agent signings and they had one good season before they all fell apart…or possibly since the 94 strike where baseball fell off the map in Toronto (for various reasons) and never really came back. They aren’t out at the games but they are out on web pages!
last year the rotation was CC and 4 other guys. you are planning on 1 unproven pitcher (Nova), 2 bouncebacks (AJ and Hughes), and an unlikely repeat (Garcia). Basically only one out of the five is a shore thing. So yes…people say the Yankees will eventually find some pitching help, just like people have been voting for the Red Sox to get some pitching help
Cc and those 4 other guys led to a top 10 rotation so… And gsrcia has put up the same xfip for 2 straight yrs
In whose opinion was that a top ten rotation.
Mr sierra and mr xfip and mrs war. most other stats ranked them borderline top ten as well.
Did Nova not prove himself in 2011? People were saying the same thing at the beginning of the season and looked what happened. I rather roll the die again instead of given Oswalt and his back 10mil or given Ejax a 3year deal.
sox have no money left.
Yeah and Pigs can fly.
of course we do, we have one of the richest man in the world as our owner… we can spend all we want it’s just the luxury tax which shouldn’t be a big deal to ownership cuz they are rich
Blue Jays are mentioned so they are not getting him.
Tigers. 4th-best offense in 2011, but their rotation was middle-of-the-pack. Oswalt would thrive in a weak division. Everyone wins.
He’s also a much cheaper fit than Garza would be, referring to prospects.
another year of scherzer and a full year of fister make them a better then average pitching staff
Their rotation was 16th in the league in runs given up. While I usually prefer sabermetrics like fWAR and SIERA, at the end of the day that number needs to improve. Perhaps their defense could be better, but if you can’t improve it, then you improve the pitching.
Those stats are brought down by the beginning of last year when they were basically going off a 4 pitcher rotation (the Phil Coke starter experiment badly failed) and they had Brad Penny in there. Look at the stats after Fister came over, also they are bound to find a better replacement for Penny in the 5th spot. Even one of their prospects will put up better numbers.
Wouldn’t be shocked to see the Cards make a play, as it’s clear they’re looking to deal Westbrook/Lohse, still have a little flexibility, and they’re looking like the 2004 Astros a little more every day. The problem lies in opening a rotation slot; no-trade clauses hurt, peoples.
He’s going to the cards
Who’s going to want Lohse or Westbrook? When I saw the report from whoever it was that actually thought there was a possibility Texas would trade Harrison for either of those, I barfed.
Who’s going to want Lohse or Westbrook? When I saw the report from whoever it was that actually thought there was a possibility Texas would trade Harrison for either of those, I barfed.
That’s exactly what I was thinking, hopefully Berkman can convince him to come aboard.
Lohse has already said he would invoke his NTC. Don’t know about what Westbrook would do.
Go Nats!!!
Why Not the Orioles? Top Ten Reasons
David Letterman eat your Heart out ! =P
Let Me Pre Answer the Answer that some bloggers might post.
1.)The Orioles are Too Cheap to sign Oswalt.
2.) It would make too much sense for the Orioles to sign him.
3.) Roy Oswalt doesn’t like Crab Cake.
4.) Dan Duquette doesn’t even know who Roy Oswalt is.
5.) Oswalt said in an interview last year that the drive to Baltimore is too far.
6.) Oswalt doesn’t like Birds (Cardinals or Orioles) or Squirrels for that matter (Cardinal series). Baltimore has a lot of them.
7.) Oswalt doesn’t like the cut of Angelos’s gib.
8.) Too much stress in stress in Baltimore, wouldn’t be able to stand all that pressure to win.
9.) Oswalt is not a fan of Lefty and would not sign just to spite him.
10.) Oswalt doesn’t like bricks. He was told at his first job a long time ago to hit the bricks and hasn’t been a fan of that saying or of brick since then. There’s a lot of brick at the yard for those who don’t know.
I have a problem with #6. Oswalt wanted to go the Cards before he got traded to the Phillies, and the cardinals still might sign him.
Wheres the love for the Nats?!
It’s a bit of a curveball, but I wouldn’t rule the DiamondBacks out of this one if the price drops enough. If Oswalt’s price drops to $6mm or $7mm for a year, then it’s possible. I think he would enjoy himself there and may have a chance to participate on another winning team. Hard to say, but I feel he’d get beat up and over-used in the AL East and I don’t think he’s a great fit for Boston. I’d say Royals or D-Backs.
I agree. Towers seems like he wants to go for it this year. And signing Oswalt for your number 4 starter would make this rotation elite while giving Skaggs and Bauer 1 more year to develop. However, I think they will have to go to 10 million to sign him.
That doesn’t seem that far-fetched; I am thinking that Oswalt will be best suited for a National League team.
And that rotation (or even pitching as a whole) is pretty young so it couldn’t hurt to have that veteran presence. I remember last year the bullpen coach had to come in and manage and Heilman was the veteran most pitcher and took over bullpen duties
And that rotation (or even pitching as a whole) is pretty young so it couldn’t hurt to have that veteran presence. I remember last year the bullpen coach had to come in and manage and Heilman was the veteran most pitcher and took over bullpen duties
He’d look great sporting the old English D! Make it happen, Dom!
If Darvish goes back to Japan, then the Rangers seem the most logical. Otherwise the Tigers are my guess, no real reason other than I can find some better excuse for every other team.
If the Red Sox get either Kuroda or Oswalt (preferably the latter), I will be satisfied. I don’t know why they’re so worried about the luxury tax. They’re a big market team with a good ownership group; if $15mm is what they need to win, they have to try. We’d still be a really good team without another starter, but adding one of those veterans solidifies our rotation.
Lester-Beckett-Buchholz-Oswalt/Kuroda-Bard please.
Why they’re so worried about the tax: with arbitration raises/contract backloading, they’re very close to the tax right now. If they signed Oswalt to a $15 million deal for one year, it’d put them about $13 or $14 million over. They have to pay a 40% tax on that, which adds $5.2 to $5.6 million. Effectively, then, they would be paying $20-21 million to sign Oswalt. It IS only for one year, but that’s still a heck of a lot of money for an injury risk guy.
don’t forget everyone we have one of the richest man in the world as an owner
Rich owners mean less than operating income. He still wants the team to be profitable.
lackey will start the year in the rotation. when a team spends that much on a guy they give him every chance they possibly can. Now that I think about it…with Lester, Beckett, and Buchholz already filling spots and my theory on Lackey there is only one spot left
Lackey had Tommy John surgery and wont pitch at all next year.
I would really like to see the tigers sign Oswalt. It would help them with the ‘win now’ window and help them for the future by keeping Turner and not mortgaging an already pretty wiped out farm. Sign Oswalt and keep the talent.
I think that the Miami Marlins will make a push and sign him—the reason is that he can provide leadership and mentoring in that clubhouse.
The Washington Nationals could do the same thing too. Also it should be noted that Oswalt has pitched his entire career in the National League; I would be wary if I were an American League executive.
The Royals will land him for a one year deal with a mutual option for 2013 and he will be their ace.
I think Roy Oswalt wants to play for a ligitimate condender in 2012. I think he would take a paycut to pitch for the Tigers if it came down to the AL Central anyway. Would love for the Twins to pursuade him to come to Minnesota though!
If Roy signed and was healthy all year I think the Royals can win the division. People keep thinking we are the old crappy Royals but things are about to change soon. Our biggest problem will be if our cheap skate owner is willing to keep them come free agency time in the next four to five years. I am guessing not but you never know, maybe pigs will learn to fly.
Twins please.
Twins please.
The plan if the Nationals want him: if you’re convinced about his health, sign him to a one-year deal worth $14 million. That leaves you with 7 starting pitchers: Strasburg, Zimmermann, Gonzalez, Oswalt, Lannan, Detwiler, and Wang. Detwiler is out of options, so sending him to AAA is a no-go. You trade Lannan and/or Detwiler for a mid-level rotation prospect (4/5 starter upside, but high floor) that’s close to the majors that you can stick in AAA. You’re left with a rotation of Stras, Zimmermann, Gio, Oswalt, and Wang, which, if healthy, is really good. After 2012, if he has a good-ish year, the probable Type-A Oswalt walks and you pick up 2 draft picks, along with $14 million cash to spend on a younger long-term pitcher like Cole Hamels, Matt Cain, or Zach Greinke (or maybe a centerfielder, such as Hamilton/Victorino/Bourn). If you’re out of contention at the deadline and Oswalt pitches healthily and well (which seems an unlikely scenario, but in a division as tough as the NL East, who knows), you can flip him to a contender, where his return might be higher than two draft picks. The AAA starter is important because the Gio trade left the Nationals with little pitching depth in the upper minors; the earlier health problems of nearly the entire staff mandate a backup candidate, and someone who can eventually man a rotation spot.
Finding a match for Lannan/Detwiler will be hard though. Maybe the Yankees? They need pitching, especially if Oswalt is off the market. I could see Lannan and/or Detwiler for David Phelps and/or Adam Warren, both of whom are . But a soft-tosser like Lannan might get eaten up in the AL East.
The plan obviously hinges on Oswalt performing at a #3-ish level, but I think it’s worth the risk. The Nats have a good rotation without a healthy Oswalt; they would have a great one with him.
I think Nationals, Tigers, or Marlins would all be good fits. All already have pretty solid rotations and the addition of Oswalt would make good into great.
As a Mets fan he’s been on my wishlist. Give him a one year contract with a mutual option and try to flip him at the deadline. That Jose Reyes money has got to be going somewhere. Yea I know…crazy Mets fan with crazy ideas. Oswalt might not bite on this offer but theres some pitcher somewhere that will (ie: Harden, Webb, Garland, Young, Saunders, Vazquez, Piniero)
im calling the pirates will be a frontrunner for oswalt. signs a 1 year deal and then if the pirates arent competing at the deadline then they can swap him in a deal for a few prospects. build up their already top 10 system. i very well see huntington in on Edwin Jackson and Roy Oswalt for some reason. he has something up his sleeve because hes said he is looking to acquire one more starter. i think a Jackson/Oswalt, Bedard, Morton, Karstens, McDonald would be very solid
that’s not solid…Bedard at #2 which proves the point the pirates suck…..
im calling the pirates will be a frontrunner for oswalt. signs a 1 year deal and then if the pirates arent competing at the deadline then they can swap him in a deal for a few prospects. build up their already top 10 system. i very well see huntington in on Edwin Jackson and Roy Oswalt for some reason. he has something up his sleeve because hes said he is looking to acquire one more starter. i think a Jackson/Oswalt, Bedard, Morton, Karstens, McDonald would be very solid
you need to put into perspective that the pirates will never be in contention for big name free agents until they start contending. no matter how much money they have to spend. those guys just dont want to go to the pirates because they want to be with contenders with money obviously. and did anyone expect their starters to be as solid as they were this past season??? NOPE NOT AT ALL. everyone predicted for them to have a dreadful rotation and be last in baseball. but guess what, at the all star break they had a better team ERA than the almighty phillies rotation and finished off the year with a team era of 4.04 (yeah not the greatest but still didnt finish like people said they would)