Another Roy in Philly?…

The Houston Astros agreed in principle to trade their ace Roy Oswalt who has only played for the Astros since coming to the majors in 2001.  He has a career 143-82 record with a 3.22 ERA.  Over his ten big league seasons he has been one of the most consentient starting pitchers, although he has been pretty much plagued by lack of run support his entire career.

In 2010 Oswalt has a 6-12 record with a 3.42 ERA.   He has pitched better than most pitchers in the league, but has had the lowest run support.  I am sure during the off season after Roy Halladay left Toronto where he was plagued by some of the very same issues Oswalt has in Houston, it got Oswalt to thinking about playing for a contender.

I know most people want to sit back and admire Cal Ripken Jr. for the fact that he stuck with the Baltimore Orioles for as long as he did.  Although Ripken did have an amazing career with 19 consecutive All-Star appearances in his 21 big league seasons.  The one thing that I have to say about him sticking with the team for his entire career is that the Orioles won the 1983 World Series.

So even though he played 21 seasons, he had a ring from his third season and granted I can sure bet he wished he would have had a second ring during his tenure in Baltimore, he still stayed there.  I would bet that with his talent if he wouldn’t have won a world series so early in his career he would have moved on.

I don’t care what anyone says, the main goal of a baseball player is to be the last one standing in October or sometimes November.  The All-Star selections are great, the MVP’s are great, the Cy Young awards are great, but a personal achievement does not mean anything when your team plays its last game of the year in September.  No player wants to be sitting at home watching the playoffs.

In some ways I am a little surprised that Oswalt ended up in Philadelphia.  For starters, the team was in love with Halladay and traded away Cliff Lee to the Mariners to acquire Halladay stating they couldn’t float both players on the payroll.  I am glad they traded away Lee though, because now he is a Ranger and should help them deep into the post season.

I am sure Lee probably feels a little lied to because 8 months ago they told him, sorry but you gotta go, and then they pick up Oswalt who is owed a lot more money than Lee was.  Lee is still young in his career and unlike Oswalt he does have a Cy Young underneath his belt and once both careers are said and done Lee could end up being a better pitcher than Oswalt, but only time will tell.  Wit all the times that Lee has been traded I am sure he understands the business of the game more than anybody.

The Phillies face off against the Nationals tomorrow night at Nationals park in D.C. and instead of the hype being put on Stephen Strasburg (who is currently on the D.L. with shoulder stiffness) it will be on Oswalt’s first start as a Phillie.  The Phillie’s do have a pretty good rotation with Halladay, Oswalt and Cole Hammels and hopefully the Rangers do not have to face them in the World Series.