Reports: Oswalt deal pending his approval
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Reports: Oswalt deal pending his approval
Daily News staff
All that stands in the way of the Phillies' acquiring Houston righthander Roy Oswalt is his willingness to waive his no-trade clause, according to multiple reports in Houston this morning.
The Phillies would send lefthander J.A. Happ and prospects to the Astros in exchange for Oswalt, the reports say.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Oswalt has been told of the deal on the table and the terms. Of course, it is not a certainty that Oswalt approves the deal, even if he was the one who asked the Astros to move him to a contender.
Houston's Fox 26 had the initial report late last night.
The trading deadline is 4 p.m. Saturday.
Oswalt told reporters Wednesday that he would like to have some time to decide before the deadline, perhaps increasing the urgency for the sides to come to an agreement.
"You do need a little bit of time," Oswalt said, according to MLB.com. "I don't want it to be two hours before the Deadline and have to make a quick decision. I would rather have a little bit of time to think about it."
According to the Fox 26 report, the sides have agreed on how much salary the Astros are paying, and ESPN is saying it could be a "significant amount." Oswalt is owed about $5 million for the rest of this season and $16 million next season.
It is unclear whether the Phillies have agreed to pick up Oswalt's $16 million option in 2012. He has indicated a willingness to restructure his contract in the right situation. Of course, that option year would put a major dent in what is already shaping up to a big payroll for 2012. The Phillies have $40 million combined due to Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay alone.
Phillies officials were not available this morning for comment. Houston GM Ed Wade has declined comment.
Foxsports.com reported earlier this week that Oswalt was unwilling to come to Philadelphia and did not want to pitch on the East Coast.
Oswalt told the Houston Chronicle, in response, "That's not an issue. Like I said from the beginning, it's going to have work for both of us."
Oswalt is 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA in 129 innings with 120 strikeouts this season. His arrival would give the Phillies a strong 1-2-3 punch at the top of their rotation with Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels.
The Astros are off today and Oswalt is scheduled to pitch Friday night at home against Milwaukee. If the deal happens, Oswalt would leave the Astros franchise one shy of the team record for wins (144) held by Joe Neikro.
Initially, reports indicated that the Phillies and Astros were looking for a third team, possibly Tampa Bay to be involved in the deal. That no longer became the case when the Phillies could not trade rightfielder Jayson Werth, following Shane Victorino's injury earlier this week.
Happ, who returned to the big leagues Sunday after missing most of the season, was drafted by the Phillies in the third round in 2004, when current Astros GM Ed Wade was still the Phillies' GM. He is scheduled to make $470,000 this season and is still several years away from free agency. The Astros have scouted Happ twice over the last week and a half.
The Phillies have talent at the lower levels of the minors and the Astros have scouted Lakewood, including a visit from Wade himself. The package figures to be heavy on pitching, rather than position players. Speculation has that Vance Worley, who was with the Phillies over the weekend and started at Triple A Tuesday night, could be included.
Interestingly, the Phillies keep saying that you can never have too much pitching and they keep ending up with less depth than they started with each move.
Tomb- actually, Lee made it clear that he wanted to stay here after last season. More importantly, Lee NEVER told the Phils he wanted to test free agency, that's just media speculation. He told the INDIANS that he wasn't going to sign with them and will rather become a FA so they should trade him, which they did. But he never said anything about FA with the Phils. The Phils offered a contract, Lee made a counter offer and instead of negotiating, which is what GM's are supposed to do, they traded him.— awl- Given the outstanding job Ruben has done with this team, there must be some unspoken issue with Cliff Lee. We'll never know, but my guess is that it could be as simple as something like his agent being a jerk. How else do you explain the fact that the "best pitcher in baseball" keeps getting traded?— Lockyer
- Good thing we got those "prospects" for Lee. Oswalt and 3 Mariner prospects for Lee, Happ and prospects. Good Job Ruben, way to have the foresight to anticipate an injury in a MLB pitching staff could occur and we would need pitching. Great Job!!! Healthy stud proven WS pitcher Lee, for Oswalt, who IS damaged, ie cortisone shots in back. Happ and Lee for Oswalt, basically for current team. What a f'n JOKE!!— philscheapowners
- jas - and you believe Caltaldi???— M60tanker
- I love reading endless Cliff Lee comments. Even though they're completely useless and inane, keep 'em coming!— philliefan99
- You people are never happy.— Philly Phanatic
- "We can't leave the cupboard bare"...unless a worse pitcher than the one I gave away becomes available. At a higher cost in both money and prospects.— Bunns
- http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/if-phils-want-oswalt,-why'd-they-deal-lee%3F-072810— philscheapowners
- Getting sports insight from Caltaldi is like getting hairstyling tips from a bald man. He may still be involved with sports but he has turned into a day to day reactionist looking for one-liners. He hasn't gotten over the Cliff Lee trade, so no matter what Amaro does, it will fail in his mind. And seriously Brett Myers is a spurned lover. He has a problem with authority, so why would Oswalt take his advice over Roy Halladay? If Oswalt wants to go to a winning team, then here is his chance. Halladay, Hamels, Oswalt sounds pretty good to me. We all would rather have Cliff Lee, but it is not going to happen now or at the end of the season. The Phils are not going to pay another player $20+ mil which Lee is going to get from the Yanks or the Sox.— bugsyhawk
- Brett Myers is still a punk - too bad he's still harming us by talking in Oswalt's ear. I remember seeing him cursing at Dubee in front of my kids at spring training 2 years ago (and we're talking real bad cursing that was he was shouting in front of all of the fans - some how he thought he was being funny), so I can understand why Dubee doesn't like the underachieving wife-beater. While I'd hate to see Jon Singleton be traded, we could use Oswalt.— Dish
- Negadelphia! You're gettin the best pitcher possible! U should be thrilled!— KannonWithaK
- phillieFan99 and Philly Phanatic- is your summer internship with the phillies going well????— philscheapowners
- Lockyer - You have to be kidding. Amaro made one good move, trading FOR Lee. Otherwise, he has signed guys to contracts 30% more than anyone else would pay, killing his payroll, forcing trades that are unnecessary, etc. He has been a disaster and he should be shown the door at the end of the season— ccheung
- Why are people blaming Ruben for the Lee trade? Did you people not hear the part where Montgomery TOLD HIM TO TRADE LEE? How many people here would quit their dream job rather than tell their boss, "No"? Um, I'm guessing...ZERO. You're blaming the wrong guy in the front office.— jsk123
- is it me or does it seem like happ never really got a chance?— lowthrowmcblow
