Oswalt Heading to Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies recently sent starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick down to Triple-A ball after a rather disappointing season: a record of 5-4 with a 4.82 ERA, but it's been particularly bad as of late. In the past five games, he's 1-2 and has given up 20 earned runs on 34 hits with 15 strikeouts. It's not the kind of pitching the Phillies need, especially with how quiet their bats have been in July, hitting .235 as a team.
On Tuesday, the Phillies also lost Jamie Moyer to an elbow injury and will be spending at least 15 days on the disabled list. This leaves the Phils with just three starters right now, which leaves the feeling that a trade may be coming.
Well, it appears that may just be the case. On “Daily News Live,” Comcast Philly's version of SportsCenter, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro hinted that the starter for Saturday's game may not be with the team yet. Reporters later pressed the issue before Philadelphia's game, and it didn't seem as if that pitcher would be coming from the minor leagues.
"I view us as buyers and I view us as a team that's still going to be a contending team, but it depends on the guys that are in this clubhouse," Amaro said. "Listen, our team can get as hot as anybody. But they're not going to be able to just turn the light switch on and have it happen; they're going to have to work to get there."
Oswalt the answer?
Now, FanHouse is reporting that two sources close to the Phillies' and Houston Astro's situations believe that Astro's starting pitcher and ace Roy Oswalt may be on his way to the Phillies, with a couple of prospects and maybe even starting left fielder Jayson Werth on their way out of Philly. ESPN reporter earlier Wednesday that it's likely Werth will be involved in any trade for a pitcher, partially because he can be a valuable piece to a lineup in need of a right-handed hitter, but partially because the Phillies would want to dump some cash before they took on even more, and Werth's $7 million contract would give them some nice breathing room.
Also, Werth has not been performing as hoped in his contract year, hitting just .283 with 13 home runs and 50 RBI, and there has been a movement within Philadelphia fans, and reportedly Phillies staff as well, to move him before they lose him in the off season. Jamie Moyer is off the books next year as well, clearing up about $9 million extra in space.
Oswalt has a full no-trade clause and has previously said he would rather pitch in the South or Midwest, so he can shoot down any trade whenever he feels like it. Still, there haven't been many callers for him and his $16 million contract in 2011, and the Phillies are only seven games out with a lot of baseball left. This could be the only choice he has. He has two years left on his contract after 2010, which fits a stipulation the Phillies have about any pitcher they acquire.
Oswalt's record this season is nothing special at 6-11, but the Astros are also at the bottom of most offence stats: 29th in batting average, 26th in home runs, 28th in RBI and 29th in hits. He gets little to no run support each game which is the reason for most of his losses, since his ERA is solid at 3.12 and his average against is .220.
Happ could fill a spot
It's almost certain that J.A. Happ will be called up from the minors to fill one of the weekend starts — both Kendrick and Moyer were slated for starts — but there is no saying where the other starter will come from. Amaro said Happ was a likely candidate, but that was also before Moyer's injury. No doubt now that even if Oswalt isn't the answer, someone from outside the franchise will most likely be starting this weekend for the Philadelphia Phillies.
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