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.
Happ & Worley and prospects for a backache pitcher ! NONONONONONONONO— mick314- Either Ruben or ownership must come clean on who's call it was to trade away Lee. Not only is Oswalt inferior to Lee, he costs more and you are giving up Happ and more prospects (better than what you got for Lee). I'm starting to feel like Amaro is in over his head and the farm system built by Gillick is more bare.— ResponsibleAmerican
- In the 48 comments posted here, Cliff Lee's name was mentioned in 37% of them. I don't mean to be rude but don't you think it's time to focus on who we have now as opposed to who we don't? milk....spilled....crying. If the adage fits, please temper your fanaticism with reality.— tmq
They better not have given up too many top prospects along with Happ. Jayson Stark reports the Phillies may well have been the ONLY team left that was interested in Oswalt. Pretty stupid to bid against yourself but Ruben has proven he's capable of such idiocy.- The only positive thing I can say about Rube is that when he targets a player, he seems to be able to get the deal done. Now the smarts associated with each move is very questionable. Oswalt is going to have pitch exceptionally in order to fit in.....his comments all along this process didn;t endear him to the fan base......this is why the talk about Lee will not go away unless this team wins a WS.— SidGM
- Jon Heyman saying it's Happ, Worley, and two other pitching prospects. Trevor May, certainly, and possibly Jarred Cosart? I hope it's Joe Savery instead of Cosart. Either way, great trade for Ruben, and an even better job keeping Singleton (and Gose) out of the deal.— stormrider
Comment removed.- i don't understand why everyone completly ignores happs 13 and 4 record in the majors so far all he does is win. i don't like this at all. all he is doing is giving away what's left to make up for the lee mistake.— deatheater
- i don't understand why everyone completly ignores happs 13 and 4 record in the majors so far all he does is win. i don't like this at all. all he is doing is giving away what's left to make up for the lee mistake.— deatheater
- Happ projects as a #3 starter at best in the majors, his stuff isn't that great, he is just a real smart pitcher. The prospects are the issue but the team is built to win now and they can't do that without Oswalt. I would rather have Lee but those who are saying Oswalt is going to cost more are just stupid. We would have paid Lee 9 million this year, and would have never resigned him for less then 20 million next year. We get Oswalt for 5 mil this year and 16 next year.— lundy12
- I actually understand Cliff Lee angst. But...to see how this organization has changed/improved/grown you need only look at the malaise that affected this franchise from 1994 to 2006. Who would have thought we would have Championship in 2008 and then return in 2009? Bottom line- this team is built to win now. Is this team better with Oswalt then without? Of course. Would you rather have Happ starting game 3 of the World Series in NYC or Oswalt? Guys, that is a no brainer....you need a veteran for a legit post season run. Happ is a good pitcher; but he is not Roy Oswalt.— Nigel#1
- yea, i'm sure cataldi and those other clowns are privy to what myers and oswalt say to each other..myers and cataldi must be so tight after cataldi killed him over the whole wife-beater thing...you dopes will believe anything..and the only reason oswalt gets labeled a wuss for SUPPOSEDLY saying he didn't want to come to Philly is because of these hacks imagining it..— spittooncj
- I say give them Blanton and keep Happ. I only hope they toss in Charlie Manuel.. He stinks.. plain and simple...— dedhed
- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Should have kept Lee you BOOB!!— F. Harry Stowe
- What people DONT get....and to be fair to Rube, would you rather have ONE year of Cliff Lee or 2.5 years of Roy Oswalt and Roy Halladay. Just sayin.....— NJSikk
