Reports: Your move, Roy
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Reports: Your move, Roy
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
And now we wait. Apparently. Maybe. Possibly.
Multiple outlets are reporting what KRIV-TV in Houston first reported early Thursday morning: The Phillies and Astros have agreed upon a package of players to be exchanged for righthander Roy Oswalt. The trade has been presented to Oswalt, who has a full no-trade clause, for his consideration.
The two teams have also reportedly agreed on a way to handle the remainder of Oswalt's salary. ESPN is reporting the Phillies have asked the Astros to pay a "significant portion" of the $5 million Oswalt is due for the remainder of this season plus the $16 million Oswalt is due in 2011.
Then, of course, there is the $16 million club option for 2012.
That has been the sticking point all along, a baseball source told The Inquirer earlier in the week.
"Oswalt has [Astros general manager] Ed Wade and everybody else at his mercy because of that no-trade clause," the source said. "I know the Phillies thought they were close to having it done last week, but I think the difference was that option year."
The Phillies and Astros could think they are close to a deal again, but it's all in Oswalt's hands now.
If Houston is to pay a "significant portion" of the money due to Oswalt, that would require the Phillies to surrender better players in return for the pitcher. Lefthander J.A. Happ would go in a deal. So too would righthander Vance Worley, whom The Inquirer first reported was a Houston target.
Beyond that, one or two of the Lakewood pitchers could go: From Jarred Cosart to Brody Colvin to Trevor May or Josh Zeid. Jonathan Singleton has been mentioned as a possible player to move, but the Phillies have insisted before he be kept out of talks.
Initially, the Phillies had hoped to move Jayson Werth, a free agent at season's end, to another contender in return for prospects. Those prospects could be flipped to Houston in a deal for Oswalt.
But now, since Werth is not likely to be traded with Shane Victorino out at least three weeks, the Phillies would have to take on the additional payroll in an Oswalt deal and also surrender some of their prospects.
There are so many things to consider with a possible deal. One: If the Phillies agreed to guarantee Oswalt's $16 million option year, they will have committed $100.45 million to eight players for the 2012 season. That's just not going to work, unless management is committed to expanding the payroll.
That is likely why the Phillies have asked the Astros to pay some of Oswalt's salary.
Two: Cliff Lee? OK, we said it.
At this point, it would be shocking if Oswalt put the kibosh on the trade. No, he may not want to play in Philadelphia. But he demanded a trade back in May. If his monetary demands can be met (by both the Astros and Phillies chipping in cash), how could he reject the deal? He would have the chance to play for a contender.
And so we wait.
ONLY phillies fans could complain about having 3 number 1 starters on their team. In one of the other threads on this deal of 115 comments 40% are about LEE. So angry so pathetically stupid is the HATRED over the lee deal that you have NUMEROUS fans asserting that Oswalt in 38 years old... he is 32... that he is Injury prone... he has been on the DL one tiume in 10 years.., and that Happs is BETTER than Oswalt even thought Oswalt has been stuck on a crappy astros teeam for years.— wxdavid- Come on Oswalt approve the rtade so we can go for it this october. Ruben is trying to conpensate for Lee and if we get Oswalt that would for me compensate for Lee— Bob65S
- Come on Oswalt approve the rtade so we can go for it this october. Ruben is trying to conpensate for Lee and if we get Oswalt that would for me compensate for Lee— Bob65S
save the cash to sign Werth— Mr. Underhill- first of all - wxdavid - what the f are you talking about? you have diarrhea of the mouth (or the keyboard i guess). shut your pie hole. people in this town have a right to be upset about cliff lee. we had him and he's better than oswalt. but the organization made a decision and now we can get oswalt for at least a year and a half. i like the move. and yes, oswalt has only been on the Dl once, but has very well publicized back problems, which is very scary for a pitcher who throws like him. do your homework before you start spouting off.
- remember when Ed Wade wouldn't pull the trigger on any deal.Thank God we have Ruben.At least he keeps the season interesting.— youwish
- wx david - no one likes being lied to - yeah we had lee, and when we traded him we were fed some BS about restocking the farm teams. money, as always, rules the day...so...the team that has sold out CBP so many games in a row, and made all that playoff and ws cash, couldnt afford lee...so now, as a make up move the clueless GM gets fleeced by his old mentor ed wade (who himself is clueless) and we r gonna trade happ (who for some reason charlie manuel dont like) and pay oswalt a LOT more money then lee would have made and hes older and has a bad back, and yeah, we want lee back— lowthrowmcblow
- and yeah, one more thing. what happens when/if Oswalts fickle back goes out which it could at any moment?? Nice trade. I would have rather seen them use prospects to get a Scott Downs to shore up the pen. They are trying to hide the pen with top notch starters. Problem is at some point, regardless of how good the starters are, you need a strong bullpen, especially closer. Thats how they won the WS in 08, a lights out bullpen and solid starting. All those nice starts will be in vain when Lidge blows up. Ditto Madson. I just dont understand, though I do appreciate thweir aggressiveness to get an ace type pitcher. I hope this works.— Big D phillies fan
- I would love Lee, but as we will see when the yanks sign Lee next year he'll sign for 20+ a year, Oswalt is only 1 year older and more seasoned then Lee but I agree his back will need to be monitored, make the trade and playoff would be worth it, I don't think the Phillies will make it to the World Series, too many good teams this year— PHILLY76
Idiots......you are not getting Lee back. You have a right to be angry about the Lee deal, it was incredibly stupid, but its done and over with. Evaluate this deal on its merits, not on what might have been with Lee. If Oswalt is healthy enough to pitch consistently well over the next year and a half this is a good deal. For whatever reason the Phils are not enamoured with Happ, they have been trying to trade him for 2 years. Lets get Oswalt and then work on the closer spot, which seems to me to be the bigger need right now.— blaqjaq- Isn't Ed Wade the GM there? Dont do it. Don't let Ed Wade take the phillies down again!— hyperkell
- this is a mistake— coloradoeagle
- This trade makes me ill. RAJ butchered the Lee trade and now he's in recovery mode, chasing trades forever trying to make up for that one. As thin skin as this Oswalt seems to be, I'd make sure his first few starts are on the road.— dlivesay
- I really don't understand people's fascination with Happ. He is the definition of mediocre. Only Ed Wade would take back an average, 5 inning pitcher for a guy of Oswalt's ilk.— MS16
GET A CLOSER!!
