Roy Oswalt going to Phillies, and Braves need to respond (UPDATED)
Roy Oswalt joined a Phillies' starting pitching rotation that includes Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. (AP photo)
(UPDATED: 4:45 p.m.)
When rumors began to heat up the other day that the Philadelphia Phillies were pursuing Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt — the gem of baseball’s trade deadline — I mentioned that such a deal could put pressure on the Braves to make a move.
Well, it just happened
After reports surfaced late Wednesday that the Phillies and Astros had specifics of a trade in place, ESPN and Fox Sports now are both reporting that Oswalt has waived his no-trade clause and signed off on the deal. The Astros will get pitcher J.A. Happ and two prospects in return.
Oswalt will start for the Phillies in Washington Friday night.
What does this mean for the Braves? Simple. They need to do something.
The acquisition of Oswalt doesn’t guarantee Philly will overtake the Braves in the National League East. But it’s a significant and aggressive move by a three-time defending division champion, one that should madate a response by Braves’ management.
General manager Frank Wren said the other day he was uncertain if the team needed to make a move before Saturday’s non-waiver traded deadline, but can there be any doubt now?
Everything Wren has done of late has been about setting the Braves up for a pennant run in Bobby Cox’s final season as manager. Most notable: The recent trade of shortstop Yunel Escobar to Toronto for Alex Gonzalez — a deal more about this year than the future — and the demotion of center fielder Nate McLouth to the minors.
With Oswalt joining the Phillies, it would be risky, at best, for the Braves to settle for what they have. The team needs offensive help, preferably somebody who plays center field. They also may need a reliever, with Eric O’Flaherty on the disabled list, Jesse Chavez just plain awful and Kenshin Kawakami having apparently been lost in a black hole.
Is it panic time? Not at all. But worry time, maybe.
The Braves lost to Washington today. They’re 6-7 since the All-Star break and their lead over Philadelphia in the East is down to three games (pending the Phillies’ game tonight at Arizona). The Phillies are only 8-6 since the All-Star break, but they have won seven straight and scored 41 runs in the last six games. They’ve hung around despite being wrecked by injuries most of the season (second baseman Chase Utley and center fielder Shane Victorino currently are on the disabled list).
Now, Philadelphia has Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Oswalt at the top of its starting rotation.
If Wren doesn’t respond with a deal, he will be playing a dangerous game.
♦
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♦
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501 comments Add your comment
James
July 29th, 2010
6:40 pm
@joemoedee Yes Andruw and Frenchy is better than Melky and Nate.
Bwill54
July 29th, 2010
6:40 pm
Before the Oswalt became a Phillie I felt as thought the Braves couldn’t move foward with World Series Dreams with this line up as currently constructed…. Glaus who has always been a streaky hitter has hit a cold streak…. In order for this team to get anywhere in October he has to hit. So we could bet that HOPEFULLY when late September & October roll around that Glaus will be in a hot streak. The Braves bullpen is plenty good, and with Jair pitching well since his return the Staters are pretty good too. But the offensive line up obviously needs more pop. The Ideal thing would be a right handed hitter with pop and can play some CF/ or LF and let Melky play CF everyday…. The Yankess won it all last year with Melky in CF. This lineup is 1 run producer away from being able to achieve something special here… Because being 31 in On-base % is great, but you can’t drive in runners from first and second with walks! And come October when you have to consistently face teams 1,2 &3 starters runs will be at a premium and sometimes you need a player to be in scoring position when they’re in the batter’s box if you know what I mean…
But whatever we do make sure we dont for some reason trade away Eric Hinske…. he is our good luck charm! He’s been in the last 3 World Series with 3 different teams! The Braves could be the 4th with one good deadline deal…. Get it done Wren!
Greg Brady@ Johnny Bravo
July 29th, 2010
6:42 pm
dang….you are are a genious….you are correct sir nobody wants jesse, lowe , kk, or mcout….nor can I sell the 4 broken down rusty cars in my yard…..this aint “Pickers” the tv show on the History channel…this is baseball….
James
July 29th, 2010
6:42 pm
@Keith Frency needs a change of scenery he can come back to Atlanta and shine again I think he will prove alot of people wrong if he makes a return to Atlanta.
Bwill54
July 29th, 2010
6:42 pm
I meant 1st in On-base percentage not 31 clearly haha
kirkinga
July 29th, 2010
6:43 pm
There would ber less pressure on the Braves to make move had they not given away a couple of games since he break. The first thing the Braves need to do is recover from those losses or else any new player is just going to be stuck in the same funk.
Just look at the guy they picked up in the Escobar giveaway. Where is all the power he was supposed to have? He might have been hot in Toronto, but he has come here and not distinguished himself offensively.
If the Braves want a bat, Houston would give them Carlos Lee is they picked up his salary. We see they didn’t extract a very high price for Oswalt, so Lee might be had for an even lesser price.
Keith
July 29th, 2010
6:43 pm
This might be narcissistic to quote myself but oh well…..
“I’m not wanting a trade due to a knee-jerk reaction from Oswalt going to Philly, but we will need one more bat to win the World Series.”
James
July 29th, 2010
6:43 pm
@coach smith Yes you are exactly right Andruw Jones has lost weight and he got pop back in his bat he has 14 homers he can provide some power in the braves lineup.
kirkinga
July 29th, 2010
6:44 pm
sorry for the typos
Keith
July 29th, 2010
6:44 pm
Oswalt was actually pretty expensive, Kirkinga. They had to hand over Happ, a good prospect, and 11 or 12 MILLION DOLLARS…can’t remember which one it was.
Harry the Hat
July 29th, 2010
6:48 pm
Really… who cares.
joemoedee
July 29th, 2010
6:49 pm
@coach smith – .222, .158, .214, and .207. Andruw’s batting average over the past 4 years. Since May 1, he’s been good for .189/.280/.384 line. During that same time Melky has been good for .292/.339/.416. How would that be even REMOTELY an upgrade?
Andrea
July 29th, 2010
6:50 pm
Obama and his jerkoff left wing America haters have pretty much destroyed this country. Does baseball matter any more?
mikeDW
July 29th, 2010
6:54 pm
Of course it does.
JOD
July 29th, 2010
7:01 pm
Yes, you are right. But what in WWOS does it have to do with base ball?
michael
July 29th, 2010
7:02 pm
Does anyone really think the braves will do anything?
912 Dawg
July 29th, 2010
7:03 pm
@michael, yeah i think they will
michael
July 29th, 2010
7:04 pm
Jeff what is the most logical productive scenario via trade? Is Gary Matthews Jr worth a shot?
Theo
July 29th, 2010
7:05 pm
Dunn to first, Glaus to third, JH to center, Platoon RF. Recall Blanco.
Cut KK Chaves and McLouth.
Sends a message to the players and fans.
JOD
July 29th, 2010
7:05 pm
I hope they will not do anything stupid, but with the moves so far, I would not be suprised ( i.e. Escobar)
michael
July 29th, 2010
7:05 pm
912 Dawg your prediction?
Bob Horner
July 29th, 2010
7:06 pm
me too 912 Dawg…side note..I remember when Georgia had 2 area codes 912 and 404…I’m old….
912 Dawg
July 29th, 2010
7:12 pm
@michael, I think the Braves will try to bring in Bautista from Toronto, i don’t know if i would do it though. They were talking to the Jays about him when they made the Yunel trade. He is a guy that they like and have interest in. that’s just what i think.
Tazz2293
July 29th, 2010
7:14 pm
Its time for football! Braves are toast.
dawg4u
July 29th, 2010
7:18 pm
Let’s face it if any of us had to live in Philly we would probably be miserable jerks also. Their whole lives are about the Phillies and Eagles and being negative unless their professional sports teams are in the playoffs. I still think the Braves win the division even with Oswalt. The Astros should have gotten Jayson Werth and Happ for Oswalt plus one prospect. Great deal for the Phillies and a real steal against the obviously overmatched Houston GM.
extremus
July 29th, 2010
7:18 pm
If an everyday-caliber outfielder isn’t available immediately, I’d turn my attention to bringing Freddie Freeman up to get some actual production out of first base. Right now our starting pitching, outside of Hudson, is suspect at best, but not much can be done about that; the Braves need to shore up this anemic offense ASAP or they’re going to be a .500-class team the rest of the year.
And mediocrity only wins in the NFC West, not the NL East.
Ed
July 29th, 2010
7:19 pm
I think the solution is Larry Wayne (Chipper) Jones.
Late 30s and early 40s may seem old for an athlete, even ancient, but as Bonds and Big Mac proved, it’s actually possible for a guy to achieve his athletic prime even while his hair is graying and his libido is waning. Bonds was scary enough in his mid-20s and early-30s, but that version pales in comparison to the 41 year old version who had power, bulk, bat speed, and hand-eye coordination not seen since Roy Hobbs.
My point: It’s time for Chipper to stop this old-school schtick of his and start juicing, big time. That’s the Braves pennant-run solution. Forget his futile chase to get to 500 homers – Chipper can have a Bondsian revival and shoot for 600, maybe even 700. He could be the first big leaguer to break the 80 home runs in a season barrier. Easy ticket to the Hall. It’s all there for you, Chipper.
Herschel Talker
July 29th, 2010
7:25 pm
Schultzie:
Realistically, based on budget, who is your preferred choice? If Wren doesn’t pick up anyone, then he should be fired. Standing pat is not an option. We are at DEFCON 2.
HT
CECIL UPSHAW
July 29th, 2010
7:25 pm
IF WREN DOES NOTHING WE ARE DONE,PERIOD!! AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY BLANCO HAS EARN THE RIGHT TO BE THE CENTER FIELDER!! HE HUSTLE’S & TEAM CHEMISTRY WISE IS KNOW AMONGST THIS GROUP OF PLAYER’S SO YOU WON’T ROCK THE BOAT!! TROY G. NEED’S A LOOOOOONNNNNG BREAK ON THE BENCH B/C IT’S OBVIOUS THAT HE’S A HURTIN’!!! DUNN WOULD BE A EXCEPTABLE CHOICE @ 1ST DUE TO THE LINEUP AROUND HIM!! MR. WREN THE CLOCK IS A TICKIN’!! YOU’D BEST BE ON THE PHONE MAKING A MOVE THAT MAKE’S SENSE & ONE THAT DOESN’T COST AN ARM & A LEG THAT WILL GET US TO THE PROMISE LAND ,BUB!!!
Bob Horner @ Hershel
July 29th, 2010
7:30 pm
Hershel please tell me I don’t have to put my on MOP level 4 gear….if so…I’m going to the can so I can take off my gasd mask…I can’t breath or smoke in it….
BravefaninPA
July 29th, 2010
7:32 pm
@FactsareFacts- First of all I live in Pa now and I will say that what sillie fans call passion I call rude- I have never been to a stadium where fans of another team are treated the way they are- I will not take anything from what Philly has done- WIN 14 in a row then talk to me- don’t talk about only one WS don’t care….Budget wise the phillies are done-if you don’t do it this year the ship has sailed and don’t compare Brown to Heyward…..Brown is not in the same League with Jason- Not saying he can’t be a player- but the kid is what 150lbs or something- Oh yeah and you guys even throw snowballs at Santa- come on!!!
Steve
July 29th, 2010
7:32 pm
How many times have the Braves been to the playoffs under Wren? Can we trade for a new GM?
FactsAreFacts
July 29th, 2010
7:33 pm
JeanE – Awfully bold prediction from you there. Not sure what you are basing it on, however, Please objectively state your case. I mean, empty, baseless bluster makes people call into question your intelligence. Whereas, if you can intelligently, objectively state your case with, ya know, some sort of facts, people will show you a smidgen of respect, as opposed to laugh at you. Seriously. Tell you what, this Phillies fan will be back on this board in no more than 2 weeks. We’ll see who’s in first place at that time.
Tim
July 29th, 2010
7:36 pm
I agree that Blanco has earned the right to be the everyday center fielder, but Medlen could anchor this rotation for the next decade. The kid is still learning and he is just fantastic. If you are gonna ship someone off, get rid of Lowe. The guy is supposed to be a seasoned veteran workhorse and he flat out sucks. When was his last quality start or win? Dude lost today to the worst team in the division. If Lowe is still on this team next year then I am no longer a Braves fan.
Carlton
July 29th, 2010
7:37 pm
Would it be possible for the braves to trade for billy butler/jose gullien of the royals. both are power guys and play the outfield. Also what if in the deal the braves got zack grienke? The royals have made it known he is available. If the braves traded medlen,vizcaino, and mclouth for butler and grienke. It would deffinitly make them better this year. Grienke could come in as the number 2 or 3 guy and we wouldnt even have to make a change to the rotation just move hanson and lowe down. He has a bad win/loss record because he pitches for the royals, lets not forget he was the best pitcher in the AL 2 years ago. Butler or gullien would add more power to the team and they would probably bat either 5th or 6th. I think if the braves were to make this move they would be the favorites to win the National League this year
Braves20
July 29th, 2010
7:42 pm
(The trade of five players for Tex was not bold. It was stupid.) From an earlier blogger, just had to repeat before saying yes, we need another bat but only if we want to be in the playoffs. Trading one mediocre shortstop (although one with a brighter future) for another is not the kind of move that will get it dunn, pun intended.
Why can a bunch of nimrods like we bloggers see that the Phils would launch a serious challenge as soon as they got healthy and not Mr. Wren?
Tim
July 29th, 2010
7:46 pm
The Phillies have been in the World Series the past 2 years, and they are just as good now. They are going to win the division. The Braves cant even play .500 ball on the road. Not even close. And we can’t beat the teams that are worse than us, like the Marlins and Nats. I dont care what kind of home record you have, when you have those problems, and they dont change, you arent winning anything.
2nd Half
July 29th, 2010
7:46 pm
@ BravefaninPa “win 14 in a row then talk to me”. Win 14 in a row of WHAT? division titles ?
1 WS in those 14 yrs. Phila. alrerady won one in the last two years. The Phillies just made a steal of a deal. The Astros pay 11 mil of Oswalt salary for next too. While our G.M. makes a trade for a
so-so shortstop. And you want to talk about our 14 years in row of failure except for ‘95. The old saying “nobody remembers who finished second”.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
July 29th, 2010
8:01 pm
Braves need to do something, not just sit around. BTW, has anyone seen the Braves offense around lately???
Herschel Talker
July 29th, 2010
8:10 pm
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater at 8:01:
I know where the Braves offense went. Blame the nose-picking, wife-beating, waddling turd that manages our team.
HT
Chip Caray's Eyebrows
July 29th, 2010
8:10 pm
The Braves need a bat, and it has nothing to do with what Philly did today. Look at the dang stats for this series offensively. Horrible. People saying “stand pat” and “sometimes no trade is a good trade” don’t get it. This team is flawed offensively. Maybe you make it to the postseason as is, maybe you don’t. Why not fix the dang flaw now? If you can’t see the flaw then you have had your head in the sand this past week. This team needs a guy to provide some power and drive in runs.
o-me
July 29th, 2010
8:15 pm
Braves have to many holes to fill. 1b, rp, cf, power hitter, lowe, kk, etc….get the picture?
Jim
July 29th, 2010
8:23 pm
The Braves have to many easy out in there line up. It appears the newspaper in philly were right the Braves are not as good as they seem, they just is not a very good team.
Steve
July 29th, 2010
8:26 pm
6 runs in 3 games vs. Washington sucks. The Phillies and their owner are active, the Braves and their owner are re-active, which is better, well, who are the defending champs? Wren will screw up again.
Kyle
July 29th, 2010
8:34 pm
They need to make a move or two or three after Washington had their way with them but they won’t. Real winners like the Phillies make the moves that teams that want to win make and the cream rises to the top. Meanwhile, we will sit there with Nate, Melky, and Troy and say garbage like that will get better and it will be okay. Yeah right…. At least football starts up now.
woodie
July 29th, 2010
8:48 pm
Bobby Cox blew the chemistry of this team when he inserted Nate McClouth into the line-up….If it ain’t broke don’t fix it !!!
Adairsvile Dawg
July 29th, 2010
8:50 pm
I pray Aurthur Blank or someone buys the Braves so we can actually do something, watching these last 2 series has been painful, too many wasted oppurtunities with runners on it seems like all we can do is ground out, no matter who is up at the plate…Chipper i’m sorry its time to hang it up or come off the bench, YOU cost us the first game with your shoddy Dfence, I know McCann had a bad throw as well but at least hes been hitting as of late, And Glaus, well ur clean up hitting first baseman should not be having to go up and work the count for a walk, he should be driving in runs period, If this team was not supposed to compete anyways as a few of you have said, why not bring up the young kids from AAA and see what they can do cant hurt, I am sick of going to ESPN.com and every other divison contender making deals why will sit here on our hands and watch out lead shrink, heres a prediciton we make no trades, get swept by the Reds and are behind the Mets in third within a week, Thank God the Dawgs are coming in a month this is killing me.
NolesmanJax
July 29th, 2010
8:51 pm
Just an observation, but let’s put the phillies little run they are on perspective, their last 2 series have been against the worst 2 teams in the National league.
jfreak13713
July 29th, 2010
9:05 pm
The Braves are not going to give up the farm to land a high paid bat for the rest of the season and I don’t believe they should! I think Wren will try to put a deal together for an outfielder like Cody Ross or someone like him and if that allows Heinske to more time to play first base then Glaus will get some rest and hopefully be healthy the last month of the season??
This Braves team is solid and they will be at least as wild card player if their pitching holds up?? Everyone needs to relax and let the season play out.
kjohnson
July 29th, 2010
9:06 pm
ok… gonna get a lot of hate here
weeks and capauno from milwaukee
or gallardo and fielder
get two of the four, u can trade freeman and medlen and someone
in return get gallardo, fielder, braun, capauno, combination of two