Oswalt traded to Philadelphia, approval needed

[southernNYYfan]

From mlbtraderumors

The Astros and Phillies have reached an agreement on a Roy Oswalt trade, reports Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston. Berman says the Astros are now waiting for Oswalt's approval, having hammered out the players and money with the Phils.

Rumor is J.A. Happ and two low level minor leaguers for Oswalt

Original Berman story:

Houston - Major League baseball sources told FOX 26 Sports the Houston Astros have a deal in place to trade pitcher Roy Oswalt to the Philadelphia Phillies if Oswalt agrees to waive his no-trade clause.

Sources told FOX 26 the Astros have approached Oswalt. He is aware of the deal that is on the table and the club is waiting for his response.

MLB sources told FOX 26 the Astros and Phillies have agreed on the amount of money Houston will take back in the deal and the two teams have agreed on the players Philadelphia will be sending.

Oswalt is owed about $5 million for the rest of this season.

He will make $16 million next season and his contract has a team option for 2012 worth $16 million with a $2 million buyout.

Oswalt asked the Astros earlier this season to try and trade him to a contender if it is in the best interest of the club.

He is scheduled to start for Houston against Milwaukee Friday at Minute Maid Park.

Oswalt is one win shy of tying Joe Niekro's all-time record for victories in an Astros uniform (144).

In 2010 Oswalt is 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA in 129 innings. He has struck out 120.

For his career Oswalt is 143-82 with a 3.24 ERA and 19 complete games.

He had back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2004 and 2005.

[flymick24]

good luck to him... houston getting hosed yet again

[DontHateOnNumber2]

good luck to him... houston getting hosed yet again

Seriously. Yet another reason I hope they don't make the playoffs.

[JohnnyDamonfan]

J.A. Happ? I believe this guy is who the Phillies said no to trading for Halladay mid season last year.

[ober0n98]

Uhhhhhhhh makes trading cliff lee the dumbest move ever

[Tyler Durden]

good luck to him... houston getting hosed yet again

It really is amazing how many terrible moves they've made in the 5 years since their World Series appearance.

[JavyVazquezIsSick]

I don't think that's a bad haul for Houston. Depends on who the prospects are too, could be very nice for them.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

I don't think that's a bad haul for Houston. Depends on who the prospects are too, could be very nice for them.

And how much money is exchanged. Hard to know at this point.

[Yankeeah]

How has this taken so long? It really should be 5 minutes.

[BRNXBMRS]

Why did they trade Cliff Lee?

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

Why did they trade Cliff Lee?

It's a plot to make Cashman look really good

[BronxYanks45]

this should help the Phillies, though I hope not too much. Phillies are the only NL team that could give us trouble in the WS

[BRNXBMRS]

It's a plot to make Cashman look really good

One would think.

[BRNXBMRS]

this should help the Phillies, though I hope not too much. Phillies are the only NL team that could give us trouble in the WS

Rather face Oswalt than Lee

[kan_t]

this should help the Phillies, though I hope not too much. Phillies are the only NL team that could give us trouble in the WS

The Cards.

[NelsonMuntz]

The Cards.

Over-rated, at least IMHO.

[NelsonMuntz]

Why did they trade Cliff Lee?

Seriously, can someone explain this to me? The rationale I kept hearing from Phillies fans was that "they needed to re-stock their farm system". But then they traded for Halladay, and now again for Oswalt. Can they possibly be better off now than they would have been if they would have just kept Lee and traded for Halladay? I'm thoroughly confused on this one.

[TheGameEpisode2]

Over-rated, at least IMHO.

Carpenter, Wainwright, and Garcia are overrated? That would be killer in a seven game series.

[Sixty one]

I think the Phillies are desparate to try and catch the Braves for another division title but their time may have past them for being one of the elite teams in the NL. Oswalt may only be a temporary fix for this team.

[snarkerella]

this should help the Phillies, though I hope not too much. Phillies are the only NL team that could give us trouble in the WS

You're stuck on last year/the year before, I think. Phillies ain't that good this year. There's a chance they make the WC but eh. I'd be more worried about the Braves or yeah, even the Padres. Maybe the Cards. Though Halladay/Hamels/Oswalt is a very nice front three for the playoffs.

[GirouxGiroux]

Seriously, can someone explain this to me? The rationale I kept hearing from Phillies fans was that "they needed to re-stock their farm system". But then they traded for Halladay, and now again for Oswalt. Can they possibly be better off now than they would have been if they would have just kept Lee and traded for Halladay? I'm thoroughly confused on this one.

I think Phillies ownership was pulling the strings and refused to budge on a budget number. Amaro was told he couldn't have both pitchers, not because they have the faintest idea what a prospect is or how many we have, but because these are still the same tight-fisted morons that hamstrung the club for years and have only recently allowed us to compete.

Amaro's company line about restocking the farm is/was total BS and he never sounded convincing saying it. I can only hope he has found a way to explain how stupid and out-of-touch they are. Hopefully at some point in the distant future (distant because I hope the Phils contend for a while and he keeps his job) Amaro will be able to set the record straight.

[YankeePride1967]

According to XM, there is money coming from Houston to the Phillies in the trade.

[GirouxGiroux]

I think the Phillies are desparate to try and catch the Braves for another division title but their time may have past them for being one of the elite teams in the NL. Oswalt may only be a temporary fix for this team.

Our offense has been on the DL all year. All you need to know is that Wilson Valdez, Juan Castro, Greg Dobbs and Ben Francisco have a combined 563 at bats.

If we get Utley back and healthy, we'll see you in October.

[Yankeeah]

Our offense has been on the DL all year. All you need to know is that Wilson Valdez, Juan Castro, Greg Dobbs and Ben Francisco have a combined 563 at bats.

If we get Utley back and healthy, we'll see you in October.

Try telling that to Red Sox fans

[southernNYYfan]

Seriously, can someone explain this to me? The rationale I kept hearing from Phillies fans was that "they needed to re-stock their farm system". But then they traded for Halladay, and now again for Oswalt. Can they possibly be better off now than they would have been if they would have just kept Lee and traded for Halladay? I'm thoroughly confused on this one.

Lee wouldn't sign an extension until after the season and his representatives were saying he wanted $20+ mil per so Philly dumped him.

[GordonGecko]

It really is amazing how many terrible moves they've made in the 5 years since their World Series appearance.

It's been 2 years since they won, which is when Pat Gillick retired and it shows. Any word on Oswalt's option year being picked up?

[Norge]

It's been 2 years since they won, which is when Pat Gillick retired and it shows. Any word on Oswalt's option year being picked up?

The poster was referring to the Astros, not the Phils.

[teknetic]

The Phillies actively pursued Halladay at the trade deadline, but balked at parting with lefty J.A. Happ. The Phillies could have made this deal with Toronto and kept Lee to form a formidable 1-2 Cy Young punch at the top of the rotation.

Idiocy at its finest.

[Yankeeah]

Lee wouldn't sign an extension until after the season and his representatives were saying he wanted $20+ mil per so Philly dumped him.

And it was a dumb move. Whether it is the owners fault, the GM's fault or whoever, it was dumb. They should have either traded for Halladay and not traded away Lee or just not traded for Halladay at all and kept Lee.

[teknetic]

Stark says Houston is sending over $12mil. What?

[GirouxGiroux]

And it was a dumb move. Whether it is the owners fault, the GM's fault or whoever, it was dumb. They should have either traded for Halladay and not traded away Lee or just not traded for Halladay at all and kept Lee.

Halladay
Lee
Hamels

And all they had to do was nothing.

[BRNXBMRS]

Source: Oswalt plans to OK trade

The Astros will pay $11 million of the approximately $23 million that the 32-year-old right-hander has guaranteed through 2011, sources said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5420095

[BronxYanks45]

anyone know if this is 100% official yet? I mean press conference official or will it fall apart like the Lee Yankees deal

[1970cs]

So Houston sends $12m of the $23 million owed Oswalt for the next year and a half?

For $11m they could keep Oswalt at the top of the rotation for 18 months, it's difficult to see how Happ and prospects equal that value thru 2011

[GirouxGiroux]

anyone know if this is 100% official yet? I mean press conference official or will it fall apart like the Lee Yankees deal

Not yet, but the breaking news is that a source says Oswalt is giving the ok.

[flymick24]

I don't think that's a bad haul for Houston. Depends on who the prospects are too, could be very nice for them.

i suppose, but happ should in no way be the centerpiece to the deal... he's one bad pitch away from TJS

[flymick24]

anyone know if this is 100% official yet? I mean press conference official or will it fall apart like the Lee Yankees deal

it will take some time because a lot of money is exchanging hands and the commissioner needs to approve it (which he will)

all the names are probably agreed upon though

[NYYDragoon]

Apparently Oswalt also dropped his desire that his 2012 option be exercised. Wow. The Phills get the anti-Yankee tax.

[snarkerella]

Per Rosenthal, the deal is done.

Not saying anything too original here but Halladay/Lee/Oswalt/Hamels would've been one HELL of a playoff rotation... though it's not like they probably try to do this trade if Lee is still on the Phillies.

[GordonGecko]

Once again the do-nothing Mets fail. Omar Minaya is peeing his pants in the corner while everyone passes him by

[Yankeeah]

Roy Oswalt's last 13 starts against the NL East

0-6, 7.46 ERA, .305 BAA, 12 home runs.

Yeeesh

[flymick24]

can't wait

[hed]

He's on the mound against the Nationals tonight.