Oswalt encouraged by bullpen session
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Oswalt encouraged by bullpen session
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CHICAGO -- There is a fourth ace and he has remained dormant until Tuesday when some four hours before the Phillies played the Cubs, Roy Oswalt picked up a baseball and stepped on a mound for the first time in 26 days.
Trade deadline? Forget about that. The most important player the Phillies could "acquire" is Oswalt.
And after throwing about 50 pitches at Wrigley Field, Oswalt was as optimistic as he's been throughout this whole ordeal.
"I actually felt great," Oswalt said. "Probably felt as good as I did in spring training."
Spring training, of course, was before Oswalt tweaked his back in an April start against Florida; before a tornado ripped through his hometown in Mississippi; before two injections in his back and weeks of inactivity.
But now there is promise. Oswalt will throw another bullpen Friday and could pitch in a minor-league game next week if all goes according to plan. A return to the majors in early August is not out of the question.
Oswalt revealed he had an injection April 28, two days after his start in Arizona that lasted three innings. He flew to Houston on his way home to help his family and received the shot.
But that one did not work as effectively as the injection he received two days before the All-Star break.
"The first one really didn't help," Oswalt said. "After I got the shot the first time, it never went away. I don't know if it didn't hit the right spot or what. This one, within five days after the shot, I had no pain in my legs."
And now Oswalt can actually do work in between starts, something he had not done with the bad back.
"That's what is encouraging about the whole thing," he said. "I feel like I could still go out and compete, pitch through pain, but at least I can get myself ready to pitch now. I did a little workout yesterday. I responded well today."
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Awesome!!!! We need a healthy and motivated Roy #2.— shawnmac- With a healthy Oswalt, the Phils rotation would have Halladay,Lee, Oswalt, Hamels and Worley; that would be a starting staff that is unstoppable. If they could get one more hitter, you'd have to love their WS chances!— drbob1
- Hmmmmm, does that mean Vance could be possible trade bait?— M60tanker
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- Vance isn't going anywhere. The Phils have already claimed insurance $$$ due to Blanton's injury and Blanton will be gone after this year.— Citizenc92
- I don't see them trading Worley. Oswalt has an option year next year, so that would most likely be his last year before he retires. I hope the Phils pick up that option and that he wants one more year.— phillyinsd
- Blanton and Oswalt will be gone after this year— scootch
- Oswalt is the man....the Media has been tryin to knock him down! Losers....we should buy him out then try to sign him to a three year deal for a cheaper rate...Trade Blanton and Singelton for Hunter Pence!— DavezMental.Com
- THE BIG PIECE.. CAN'T GET A TINY PIECE— stoky
- PHILLIES ARE DOWN TWO ZIP AND HAVE ONLY ONE MORE SHOT AT THE CUBS. I THINK THAT ITS TIME EVERYONE TAKES A HARD LOOK AT THIS ANEMIC OFFENSE AND CONCEDES THAT SINCE ITS BEYOND THE HALF WAY MARK OF THE SEASON, THE PHILLIES ARE STILL AVERAGING APPROXIMATELY 3 RUNS A GAME OR 4 AT BEST. MANUELS PREDICTION OF THE BATS COMING ALIVE "IN THE WARM WEATHER" IS A PIPE DREAM. YES, THE PHILS ARE ON TOP, AND YES THEY HAVE THE BEST RECORD IN BASEBALL, BUT FOR HOW LONG? THE STARTING PITCHING HAS BEEN THE ONLY WEAPON THAT HAS SEPARATED THE PHILS FROM BEING A TEAM 8 GAMES OUT OF FIRST VERSES THERE CURRENT STATUS OF BEING 2.5 GAMES UP AND THAT HAS BEEN A THIN SHEET OF ICE TO TREAD ON. IF THE STARTERS FALTER, EVEN A LITTLE, AND THE OFFENSE REMAINS THIS INCREDIBLY INEPT, THE PHILS WILL NOT WIN THE DIVISION. THEY MIGHT STILL MAKE THE WILD CARD BUT WITHOUT ANY OFFENSE, DOES ANYONE THINK THEY WILL EVEN SURVIVE THE FIRST ROUND? HALLIDAY, HAMELS, LEE, OSWALT AND WORLEY CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO THROW SHUTOUTS FOR EVERY SINGLE PLAY OFF GAME. ITS FAIR TO SAY, THERE WILL BE ENOUGH PRESSURE ON THEM! I DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWER AND UNLESS THEY TRADE FOR MATT KEMP, UPTON OR MAYBE THAT CASTRO MONSTER WITH THE CUBS WHO IS PUNISHING PHILS PITCHING WITH A VENGEANCE, I DOUBT ANYTHING ONE PIECE WILL TURN AROUND THIS OFFENSE OF THOROUGHLY UNDISCIPLINED HITTERS. THE PHILLIES HITTERS NEED TO HAVE THEIR BUTTS KICKED AND CONCENTRATE. THERE IS NO EXCUSE. THEY CAN BE "TRAINED" TO BE MORE SELECTIVE AT THE PLATE. THEY ARE MAKING THE PATHETIC CUBS LOOK LIKE THE DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPIONS AND I THINK, THAT IS AN OMINOUS PORTEND OF THE REMAINING SEASON. NO NASTY RESPONSES PLEASE, IF YOU FEEL COMPELLED, THAN EAT A LARGE ITALIAN SUB WITH A GOOD CHIANTI.— daystrum
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- Night strum: 4-2. Take it easy on the All Caps. Makes you seem like a bigger a-- than you probably are.— Philalawyer
- Report Braves after Beltran. Braves have done less hitting then Phils. According to reports only thing holding up deal is injury to Braves minor league player. With Prado in left and Heywood in right I guess they would play him in center. He would add a tough bat.— Don w
- RAJ's montra has been pitching and defense...pitching and defense. Adding Oswalt to an already tough rotation would make the #5's. With Sir Vance A Lot as the #5 (5-1 folks), this is a solid 1-5 rotation IF healthy. Blanton will NOT be back this year. Kendrick is gone next season as well as he will NOT be offered arbitration. IF Oswalt is healthy and the Phillies do go deep into the playoffs/World Series, Roy #2 will excercise his 2012 option to remain in contention. Lots of $$$ off the books next year. Pitching and defense.— drhoffman
