After all the rumors and all the talk of no-trade clauses and club options and cash and prospects and this and that, it’s finally done. The Houston Astros are sending Roy Oswalt to the Philadelphia Phillies for JA Happ, outfielder Anthony Gose and shortstop Jonathan Villar.
Initial reports are that the Astros will pay some $11 million of the $23 million that Oswalt is owed over the next two years. As for that 2012 $16 million club option? It’s actually a mutual bonus and, with this trade, it jumps from $1 million to $2 million for Oswalt if the team picks it up and he declines.
As for those Phillies prospects, the 19-year old Villar is hitting .272/.332/.358 with two bombs, 36 RBI’s and 38 stolen bases with Single-A Lakewood.
Anthony Gose is hitting .263 in 103 games this year with Clearwater to go with 20 RBI’s and four home runs. Doesn’t sound like he was ready for the big league club any time soon. He was a second-round pick in 2008.
Oh, and just FYI, that pretty much does it for the Phillies’ farm system. The team did a terrific job of building a strong farm in the last few years and has transferred it into win-now players (Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Oswalt). That’s all well and good if you win now. With the way the lineup has picked it up, they might just need one more bullpen arm (Chan Ho Park is on the block) to have a real shot at another championship.
Right now, Oswalt is scheduled to start in Washington against the Nationals on Friday night. Of course this is all pending the commissioner’s approval of the money exchange, but no one out there seems to think that it will be an issue.
Could have kept Lee for 9 million and be in 1st place in the division. But I guess this is better than nothing. And the prospects that got for the trades last years stink anyway.
So does this mean that Hamels, who been picking it up a bit recently, now gets pushed back into the 3 spot behind Oswalt? How do you think that will do for his confidence that he appears to be getting back?
We wouldn’t of been in 1st place even with Lee scorp.
And you can make the arguement that having Oswalt for the rest of this year and all of next year for $12 million is a wash with having Lee for one year at $9 million.
Either way you look at, this is a good deal. It’s about time the Lee thing is let go.
WellWellWell…..How do you figure?
The rotation will be Halladay – Hamels – Oswalt…..Right, Left, Right. Exactly what you want it to be.
Best top 3 starters for any MLB with the Giants a close second. Hey Paulman so much for your dumb trade rumors huh
Yes it’s a good deal financially but it’s not a wash because Lee is a better pitcher. We would have 5 more wins as a team if he was on the team and I think we would be leading the division because of that. And I don’t have to let the Lee thing go. Can bring it up as much as I want. They look like idiots for trading Lee for a bunch of garbage propects and then still have to go out and get a pitcher and pay the same money when you could have had the better pitcher here the whole time. Obviously, this is a good move now, still doesn’t make them not idiots for signing garbage blanton and moyer to stupid deals and trading your best pitchers for peanuts. You can forget it, but I won’t. And when they get bounced out of the playoffs early, let’s see how brilliant of a move it was.
Phils will still need a closer though…
Lidge cannot handle the role full time any longer..maybe by committee with Contreras/Lidge..
Continue to use Romer/LIdge as 8th inning Pitichers in which they excel in and use Durbin/Baez in
middle/long relief.. Does anyone think that come Playoff time, that Blanton could be used as late inning/potential closer..His control is pretty good, he works fast and if only going to pitch 1 Inning, should be able to increase his velocity into to low-mid 90’s and he at least appears to have the confidence/mental toughness to handle the pressure..
Your bitter man. EVERYONE hated the Lee deal. But it happened. Yes, it shouldn’t of happened I agree 100% but it did and that’s just the way it goes. Same thing with Dawkins, it happened, that’s the way it goes….move on. And I think it would of been 3 wins more. He would of took Kendricks place, and he has 6 wins. Lee has 9 wins I think.
As for Oswalt vs. Lee. Lee is considered the better pitcher. But I think Oswalt also gets a bad rap. If you look at career numbers Oswalt actually has better career numbers. But if you take last year and this year, Lee has been better. The fact of the matter is you don’t know what’s going to happen from here on out with either Oswalt or Lee. But right now at this moment in time this is the best deal the ball club could of made to help them reach another WS, and for that you have to applaud them. You can’t say this deal is bad just because they didn’t keep Lee.
Even if they were to get bounced this year, it sets up your rotation for next year. You now only need to solidify 2 back end starters. The rest of the work can be done to retool the bullpen. So this move is more than just about this year.
Oh and…when I’m watching the Phils reach another NLCS I expect to hear from you.
“Does anyone think that come Playoff time”
mr mancicni dont u dare utter a word about phitans and playoffs
u’ve been killing them all yr just leave phitans posts alone
and pepper cheese fried onions please
chip chip hooray phitans going back again
This deal greatly improves their chances and especailly by still having Werth for the rest of the year..
I still think they need to address the Closer Role or handle it internally by committe by who they
have already (Contreras,Madson & Romero) before crowning them NL Champs..
u were talking playoffs in your other posts
this isnt eagles brass we need a player they make it happen
now i know trading was a mistake but still they man up to it and get oswalt it takes andy yrs to man up to a mistake reno mahe will just return punts for us forever we’ll play with no wr for 5 yrs
i wonder how long kolb has be4 eagles management isnt afraid to say hey u know what we f’d up
if birds had gillick or even amaro as gm 10 yrs agao we’d have 2 chips
and they would have given TO 3 more mil to keep em quiet and keep a sb team intact
he was makin 7 left us and signed with big d for 10
3 mil unreal
andy wish he was charlie ruben or pat
The Braves just got better again with todays Trade
The picked up 4th OF/PH R Ankiel and Set-up Reliever K Farnsworth from the KC Royals solidifying
their team as the best 25 man roster in the NL.
Their defense,bench and Pitching Staff is superior to the Phils which is why they will win the NL East