Offense or Oswalt?
The question is hypothetical, because we do not yet have an indication that the Phillies are serious players for Roy Oswalt, who is still back home in Mississippi gearing up to play some ball. But we know that the team has seen the veteran righthander pitch, and we know that Roy Halladay is headed for a doctor's appointment today, and we know that Roy Halladay does not tend to make doctor's appointments and leave games early for minor ailments. So there is plenty of reason to believe that Ruben Amaro Jr. might have interest in bringing Oswalt back for another go-around.
Offense or Oswalt?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The question is hypothetical, because we do not yet have an indication that the Phillies are serious players for Roy Oswalt, who is still back home in Mississippi gearing up to play some ball. But we know that the team has seen the veteran righthander pitch, and we know that Roy Halladay is headed for a doctor's appointment today, and we know that Roy Halladay does not tend to make doctor's appointments and leave games early for minor ailments. So there is plenty of reason to believe that Ruben Amaro Jr. might have interest in bringing Oswalt back for another go-around.
The tricky variable is the offense, which has shown some signs of life over the last month but still has yet to prove that it is anything more than a middling unit that does most of its damage against middling pitchers. And the two biggest variables for the future of the offense are Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, neither of whom are likely to have returned by the time Oswalt picks a team. All of that could be related if the Phillies have a limited amount of payroll that they can take on between now and the trade deadline.
Maybe the offense does not need any help. Maybe Utley gives you what he gave you after his return last season, and maybe Howard can at least get himself back to the point where he is the batting order's top power threat and RBI producer. And maybe Ty Wigginton rotates in at first base against left-handed pitchers and Laynce Nix and Juan Pierre rotate with John Mayberry Jr. in left field and all of it works to produce a cohesive unit. And maybe Jimmy Rollins breaks out of a funk that has been going on two months and maybe Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence get back to the levels they were playing at for the bulk of last season.
But that is a lot of maybes, very few of which will be sorted out before a decision on Oswalt is due. I don't get the sense that the Phillies will allow themselves to be hamstrung by finances at this point. But I don't know that for sure. Left field is the one clear opening where they can slot a potential difference-making bat -- think Josh Willingham of the Twins, although it is not certain that he will be available. Boston's Kevin Youkilis could also be available at third base. Point is, the Phillies need to have the flexibility to make such a move if July arrives and the jury is still out on the offense. Which is why I'm not sure that spending a sizeable chunk of money on Oswalt would be a prudent move.
I think RAJ should trying to get a 3b or of with power , because H onward and Utley the would come back after the all star game if everything goes well and still it will be a while before they' re back to normal..— Plc- Has any other team shown any interest in Owsalt? I haven't heard of any. That seems odd.— rjw817
- If they sign Oswalt and make the playoffs, you will have to sit Worley again in the rotation. That was the difference last season. Worley would have won Game 4 and the series against the Cards.— Clt Philly Fan
- That front page reminds me of the old quote, not sure if it was Schmidt or Bowa, where athletes can enjoy the "thrill of victory and the agony of reading about it the next day."— hunsinator
- Youklis can't play 3rd anymore.— HandNik
- Did anybody notice that Andres Torres was at the game after his wife gave birth at 6:30 am the same day (Memorial Day)? Jimmy, take notice.— EL Zorro
- I love people who say 'look for'. You know nothing. Stop embarrassing yourself.— seaonasdad
Roy was 6-9 3.78 ERA and 1.41 WHIP after he came off the tractor last year. So he didn't really dazzle. I believe he can still pitch, but he doesn't seem to want to. Plus, I doubt that he's gotten better by not playing. IMO.— zubzub- Can someone explain to me why this is posed as an either/or question? Phils need BOTH if Halladay is on the shelf for more than a start or two.— Baggio
- There's a reason Oswalt doesn't have a job.— ej610
- Yesterday the Phils had Victorino, their cleanup hitter, bunting, although not successfully. I think Kevin Youkilis is the best insurance policy that you can have against Howard not returning or not being a day-to-day player and is a good option hitting cleanup in the short term. He could bat against starting lefties and fill in occasionally at third. Blanton and Jon Pettibone to the Red Sox for Youkilis and the Phils can decide at the end of the year if they want to pick up an option on Youkilis for next year. The difference in luxury tax cap between Youkilis and Blanton is the pro-rated portion of $2,125,000, which is slightly more than $1 million. Then you turn around and sign Oswalt for say $4 million. He's already gotten $2 million from the Phils' decision not to pick up his option so pay him a little more to actually pitch. In a month when Oswalt is ready, Kendrick goes back to being your fill in starter and he might keep busy with the tender health of the Phils' starters. Then you've improved both the pitching and the offense.If these moves are too expensive for one's blood, dump Rollins at the trade deadline and move Galvis to short and use Utley, Fontenot and Wigginton as your second base options, Polanco, Youkilis and Wigginton as your third base options, and Howard, Youkilis and Nix as your first base options with Pierre and Mayberry in left.— Claudio Vernight
- We'd have bragging rights to the only third base platoon with a combined age of over 100. I think Youkilis is done. Even if he's not, why on earth trade for another aging, often ailing player? — s
- If Doc is heading to the DL for an extended stay, they could sign Oswalt then make their moves for bats at the trade deadline. Worley is still an unknown really. He'll try to pitch through it and that should work but it's hard to say until we see him start pitching again. The first step is to see what the diagnosis is for Halladay.
— s - Oswalt doesn't even want to come back to the Phillies. Let it go.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- Sign Oswalt for $1M.
Trade useless leadoff clown batting 225 J-Pop. Truly embarrassing.
Bullpen help is needed. Chad Qualls is almost as bad a Danys Baez.
Resign Cole Hamels for whatever he wants. He's our #1 for many years to come.— Bruno Sammartino
