Roy Oswalt to the Braves? Great idea. Won’t happen
There’s this All-Star player, see? And he wants to be traded, see? And he has apparently told folks one of the places he’d be willing to work would be Atlanta, see?
Too bad it can’t happen.
Our story so far: Roy Oswalt, the fine Astro hurler, last week requested that Houston deal him away, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. (Apparently Oswalt has watched the Astros play this season.) Back in April, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reported that a friend of Oswalt’s claimed the pitcher’s preferred destinations would be Atlanta, St. Louis or Texas.
Sounds promising, huh? It’s not, alas.
Oswalt is under contract through 2012 (the final year is a club option) for roughly $16 million per annum. That’s Derek Lowe money. And what did the Braves spend most of December trying to do? Trade Derek Lowe because he makes too much money. (As we know, they wound up trading Javier Vazquez instead, thereby treating us to the inspired outfield play offered up by Melky Cabrera.)
A decade ago, the Braves would have been all over Oswalt. Rule 1 in the Baseball Manual: You can’t have too much pitching. But the Braves and Frank Wren just told us that, with this club and its finances, you can have too much pitching.
The Braves believed shedding Vazquez wouldn’t hurt their rotation. And it’s true that he has been terrible as a Yankee. But he’s also pitching in the American League, which is a whole ‘nother ballgame. Ask Roy Halladay if switching to the NL is like going to pitching heaven.
Regarding the Braves, the reality has been rather different. Only Tim Hudson, who’s 5-1 with an ERA of 2.09, is having a big season. As for the other starters:
• Tommy Hanson is 3-3 with an ERA of 4.18.
• Jair Jurrjens is 0-3 with an ERA of 6.38 and is hurt.
• Lowe is 6-4 with an ERA of 5.30.
• Kenshin Kawakami is 0-6 with an ERA of 4.98.
Taken together, the Braves’ starters are 14-17. (Kris Medlen has had three no-decisions as a starter, though he has pitched well.) Could this team use Oswalt? Oh, yes. Will it happen? Oh, no.
Watch him wind up in Philly.
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203 comments Add your comment
Joey
May 25th, 2010
1:13 pm
Actuall, kurula, the Braves farm system last year was rated the 2nd best in all of baseball, behind the Yankees (and we got their top pitching prospect, Vizcaino). Don’t know where it is this year, with Hanson and Heyward in Atlanta now, but it’s still pretty loaded with highly rated pitching prospects, Freeman, Schafer and others.
Kentavo
May 25th, 2010
1:15 pm
Let’s see: Oswalt and Berkman for Lowe, KK and Escobar…that will about do it.
Bobbi Dud
May 25th, 2010
1:16 pm
If McCutchen came to the Braves…Tp would have his batting average down to 200 and Bobby would never let him steal bases!
NORRIS
May 25th, 2010
1:16 pm
Well, we all know that the braves are going to make a move. They will pick someone up. So the question is who and when not if.
Looking at the lineup we all agree that we need more pop but there is no one in this lineup that they plan on doing away with. So the only thing left is to get a pitcher. I say if your going to get one you might as well get the best available. We are going to have lots of money freed up next year. we need to think about the team next year as well.
Kentavo
May 25th, 2010
1:20 pm
Er, Norris, where’s the freed up money coming from next year?
Glaus and Hinske?
Tomahawkin
May 25th, 2010
1:23 pm
NORRIS
“We are going to have lots of money freed up next year. we need to think about the team next year as well.”
So who is coming off the books? Because I know we have several guys who are gonna get Nasty raises next year due to arbitration
Mark Bradley
May 25th, 2010
1:25 pm
There’s a possibility Chipper Jones comes off the books.
kurula
May 25th, 2010
1:25 pm
joey, i overlooked some folks to be sure. i guess i’m lamenting the loss of so many players for rentals. like the rangers starting line up and closer and adam wainright in st. louis amongst others. the point i was really making was that other than the handful of really good prospects, the farm system isn’t as deep as a few years back. oh, and i think that mcclouth will be designated for assignment or traded and schafer will be here at or just after the all star break.
NORRIS
May 25th, 2010
1:25 pm
Kentavo,
odds are that chipper wont be back. If he does come back then he has already said that he would look at the money and he wouldnt hamstring the organization.
Glauss is gone, hinske was a one year deal, and wagner was a one year deal. but the majority of the big money is chipper.
david
May 25th, 2010
1:27 pm
He will end up going to the Yankees or Red Sox
NORRIS
May 25th, 2010
1:29 pm
saito comes off the books, Ross is a free agent, and infante.
There is no way they keep Melky. He will be traded. \
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/04/2011-contract-issues-atlanta-braves.html
this website lists the contract issues…
Tomahawkin
May 25th, 2010
1:30 pm
“Glauss is gone, hinske was a one year deal, and wagner was a one year deal. but the majority of the big money is chipper.”
So If all that happens, that thats about 22 mil off the books combined per se? That Money will be used to pay the raises due to all the players on the team that are gonna recieve Arbitration raises next year, unless . L Media bumps up the payroll and I’m not gonna bank on thatespecially after how cheap they went last offseason
Tomahawkin
May 25th, 2010
1:31 pm
We Gotta keep Rossy, He’s the best backup catcher in the league! He is a starting catcher on half the teams in baseball
Chris
May 25th, 2010
1:32 pm
Dear Liberty Media,
PLEASE SELL THE BRAVES TO SOMEONE WITH DEEP POCKETS AND A LOVE OF BASEBALL!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
EVERY SINGLE BRAVES FAN!!!!
kurula
May 25th, 2010
1:33 pm
chris- not gonna happen until the collective bargaining agreement expires.
Chris
May 25th, 2010
1:36 pm
kurula, consider my first drink tonight as a toast to 12/11/11.
Joey M
May 25th, 2010
1:37 pm
Lowe is proven in big games. He has beaten the Yankees before. The Red Sox need pitching too. Is there any possible way Lowe goes to the AL East and take on most of his salary? The Yankees have Vazquez in the bullpen. If we were able to get Vazquez back for Lowe and get Oswalt, I would love it. I hate how signing Lowe has crippled us. (At least we don’t have Jason Bay, right?) I know my ideas are dreams and the only way I can make it happen is on my Xbox but it would sell tickets and increase revenue.
Walker, Texas Ranger
May 25th, 2010
1:39 pm
Same people that want a trade of Oswalt are the same that said the Tex deal was a good deal. Only way is to trade Lowe and 1 prospect with a couple of mid level prospects thrown in. Trade contracts and give up 1 top guy which is good for both teams. And by the way, where are the goof balls that said Yunel was better than Elvis. That trade gets worse everyday even with Salty sent to the minors.
Fire Frank Wren
May 25th, 2010
1:41 pm
Mark, you know better than that. Wife, former wife and kids won’t let him walk from $28 Million. You are dreaming or smoking something good there. There is 0 payroll coming off next year. Point towards 2012 and make all decisions around that. Braves have a chance starting in 2012 unless Frankie stays and then all bets are off.
Chris
May 25th, 2010
1:44 pm
Here’s to 12/11/2011 (end of the current CBA).
freshd
May 25th, 2010
1:45 pm
I’LL take Micheal Bourn for Nate Mc-Popup straight up and solve two problems. The Braves would have a real leadoff hitter with speed, and Nate can hit all the homeruns he want in the ASTROS bandbox stadium.
Braves Fan 84
May 25th, 2010
1:46 pm
Ownership will spend money if you go to games. We average in mid 20,000 per home game. That will never land us a top player. Stop complaining and show support.
kurula
May 25th, 2010
1:49 pm
braves fan 84- i don’t think the corporate ownership cares how many people show up. i honestly don’t think it would matter. conversely, no one wants to show up to see mediocre baseball. it’s a catch-22.
Oswalt is God
May 25th, 2010
1:50 pm
I’d give them Freddie Freeman AND Kris Medlen AND Craig Kimbrel if they would just take Lowe off our hands.
Tami
May 25th, 2010
1:52 pm
I have to admit that I allowed myself the luxury of daydreaming about the possibility of Oswalt joining this year’s Braves pitching staff, wondering if they’d take Yunel & Kawakami in exchange. Then, reality slapped me in the face. The epiphany: There’s no way that the Astros would take anything less than a Hanson, a Freeman, a Heywood, or 2 of the 3, are ALL 3 before the Braves could land Oswalt. So, I guess we’ll just continue daydreaming since it’ll never be reality.
Baseball guy
May 25th, 2010
1:54 pm
Don’t need him anyway, article is pointless. We need a legit bat.
Baseball guy
May 25th, 2010
1:55 pm
Oswalt is God- thank the good Lord you aren’t running things.
Tomahawkin
May 25th, 2010
1:55 pm
BREAKING!
Gregor Blanco just Called Up! There’s our leadoff hitter and our savior at the top of the lineup! (Sarcasm)
Captain Lou Albano
May 25th, 2010
1:55 pm
Why would Houston want Lowe? If they trade Roy, it means they’re rebuilding. Which implies they want young players to help them rebuild, and to be honest we don’t need Oswalt. We need a center fielder and a shortstop that can bring their bats to the game on a regular basis.
Tami
May 25th, 2010
1:57 pm
In short, I’d be happy if Oswalt went to an AL team (if the Braves can’t have him). But NOT the Yankees or the BoSox. Those 2 teams get every good player! Some have said this already, and they’re right: Even if we got Oswalt, he’d be gone within a year or so. I’m still pinching myself because I can’t believe we STILL have Hudson!
Ted M
May 25th, 2010
2:00 pm
Houston does not want Lowe, all these people are just dreaming. However I’ll say it again…all Lowe needs is a few good, not great, starts in row and Boston will take him and his contract off our hands.
Oswalt is God
May 25th, 2010
2:01 pm
Baseball guy – You’re right. Throw in Jordan Schafer, too. That should just about get it done.
Ted M
May 25th, 2010
2:02 pm
or the Angels.
The Dude
May 25th, 2010
2:02 pm
Lowe for Oswalt…get real…the only reason the Astros would trade Oswalt would be to cut payroll and an aging starter. A Lowe trade would not only keep the payroll the same, it would add more contract years the Astros would be on the hook for…plus Lowe is not in the same league as Oswalt. Please understand that Baseball is a business, it’s not like our government…these guys like to stay within the budget.
Wes
May 25th, 2010
2:03 pm
Gregor couldn’t start for my beer league softball team.
Brian G.
May 25th, 2010
2:03 pm
Minor correction: The Braves tried to trade Lowe because he makes too much money AND he sucks.
The Dude
May 25th, 2010
2:04 pm
Ted M, let’s hope you are right. Sounds pretty smart.
Ted M
May 25th, 2010
2:05 pm
Oswalt is God – I’m sure you’re being sarcastic otherwise we’d have to question your intellect.
bob
May 25th, 2010
2:07 pm
we need oswalt.
we have a bunch of pitchers but not enough pitching.
wren spent too much on lowe and kk because of the glavine smoltz situation…wren had to make a splash and give some hope for last season.
this season we have some hope. heyward is slowly becoming the team leader with contributions by prado and hinske and conrad. chipper is in a funk because he knows he does not deserve to be playing third and batting third.
oswalt would mean another great rotation addition (this year and next) so we need only score 3 or 4 runs to win a game and not score seven runs in the bottom of the ninth to win a game. he is worth an extra 8 to 10 wins taking the braves from an 80 win season to a 90 win season.
give houston kk and melky and a minor league player plus cash and add oswalt. can you imagine a rotation of hudson, oswalt, hanson, lowe and jj? top to bottom the best in either AL or NL.
meh
May 25th, 2010
2:09 pm
I think McLouth is still not over getting traded. He started thinking “I must really suck if the pirates would rather have Charlie Morton” and messed him up mentally. Once he gets the expletive over it, he’ll start hitting.
KSU Student
May 25th, 2010
2:09 pm
We could get Oswalt, just get Houston to agree to eat half his salary, like Colorado did with Mike Hampton so many years back.
Shane
May 25th, 2010
2:10 pm
like the rangers starting line up
Who in the Rangers starting lineup is a former Brave?
One. Elvis Andrus. Every other single player we gave up in that deal has been a bust. Salty cant even throw it back to the pitcher anymore.
Ted M
May 25th, 2010
2:10 pm
The Braves have a lot of pitching in the minors, apparently Chris Resop is tearing it up so much some are kinda comparing him to Strasburg, if we can unload Lowe’s contract 2011 is looking really good.
Ted M
May 25th, 2010
2:13 pm
unless McLouth gets really hot for a month no will want him and then we would.
Juan
May 25th, 2010
2:16 pm
Hey..i think it’s posible to get Oswalt..With a Minor league Pkg and Melky …let say Mike Minor /Betancourt/Melky, then we trade KK to some team in LA and re-negotiated Chipper Contract.Also Houston pay some of Oswalt salary.
fifthbusiness
May 25th, 2010
2:19 pm
Hi Frank Wren here. We will give you Derrick Lowe, Melky and Jo Jo for Ole Roy. Don’t laugh now I’m serious.
The Dude
May 25th, 2010
2:23 pm
How great would it be to have Elvis Andrus back? .300+ avg., .400 + OBP, 17 stolen bases. Sounds like he’d be a pretty good lead off guy. Still can’t believe we gave up that much talent for a rental.
Ted M
May 25th, 2010
2:29 pm
Yunel Escobar is the quintessential enigma of baseball players.
The Dude
May 25th, 2010
2:30 pm
Shane
Neftali Feliz has 12 saves now and people say he has the best stuff in baseball. We’ve already mentioned Elvis. Matt Harrison hasn’t been dominant by any means, wouldn’t quite label him as a flop though, but I’m willing to bet his numbers would look a lot better in the NL. Salty is a switch hitting catcher who was great trade bait…we would have traded him anyway. Truth is we traded 2 all stars for a rental.
Ted M
May 25th, 2010
2:34 pm
The Dude – You’re absolutely right and Wren’s logic that it cost us nothing because they would not have made our lineup is flat out ridiculous. We could have traded them for a full time outfielder.