Comments on: Phillies decline 2012 options on Roy Oswalt and Brad Lidge

By: sportsdrenched.com

sportsdrenched.com — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:23:09 +0000

but if Oswalt is committed to playing

I think this statement is being overlooked. His commitment has been questioned before by Phillies fans. And I don’t know the guy, or even his B-I-L’s brother who teaches my neighbors kid at the local CC. But reading his public comments I wonder if he’s committed too.

Of course, paychecks with seven figures can make me committed to a lot of things if I don’t want to be.

By: bobulated

bobulated — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:08:36 +0000

Always a sellers market for starting pitching and even more so for a guy with Oswalt’s track record. I think he gets more than 8-10, less than 16 per but the Phillies are happy enough with their young arms to let him go elsewhere and not regret it.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:04:35 +0000

Ah, the Phillies infestation is heard from.

By: chiefagc5675

chiefagc5675 — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:43:09 +0000

The Phillies don’t have pinstripes.

By: dmccarrie

dmccarrie — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:46:46 +0000

I don’t know if they’ll sign Lidge simply for the fact that they still have another year of Contreras and I would think they want him to fill that 8th Inning Role. If not him then Bastardo.

By: deepstblu

deepstblu — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:21:27 +0000

Also Danys Baez, who was helpful to the younger guys this year. But like Moyer, he probably still thinks he can pitch.

By: phillyfrank

phillyfrank — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:03:56 +0000

I’d love to see Jamie Moyer back in Phillies pinstripes.

By: leftywildcat

leftywildcat — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:44:53 +0000

Keep Oswalt — whatever it takes. Need the Fab Five intact. Let Blanton go.

Let Madson and Lidge go. Bastardo and Stutes and Savery close. Kendrick for long relief.

Jaime Moyer for Pitching Coach and Jim Thome for Hitting Coach?

By: gallaghedj311

gallaghedj311 — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:10:46 +0000

No way Oswalt is back. Roy cliff Cole Vance sloppy joe. Kendrick too. Cole gets a raise. Gotta figure out SS…. No way u spend on Oswalt.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:36:45 +0000

And why would the Yanks want him?

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:30:33 +0000

Gotcha. It’s one of the smart ways the Yanks have done business the last few years [save Soriano, who wasn't a Cashman signing]. Cheap bullpen arms, guys with lots of strikeouts are huge. Spend money on starting pitching and offense at premium positions which if you guys keep everyone you have a lot of.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:08:26 +0000

Why would he go to the AL for 8 million a season, when the Phillies will likely offer more than that?

By: airedale1950

airedale1950 — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:07:06 +0000

Yankees with scarf up Oswalt, guarantee him 16.5 for 2 seasons with incentives.
He can pitch in the A.L….maybe a number 3 on yanks, or a #4

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:51:54 +0000

They like Bastardo….they also like Savery as a lefty out of the pen. Furthermore, they believe Schwimmer and Stutes will come good and Aumont will close in the future.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:20:57 +0000

If you let Madsen go too, who do you have to close? And I don’t mean established closer either b/c you don’t need one, I mean a relief pitcher in general? The ones on the market (Papelbon, Krod, Lidge, Bell, etc) are all going to command a ton of money.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:14:26 +0000

I don’t see them adding anybody significant at 3rd this year. Really, who is out there that would present a significant upgrade? I think Rollins will be back. They will overpay for him. I can see them giving him a 4 year deal. I also see Rollins moving to 3rd base eventually.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:14:05 +0000

Yes Phillies, move Lidge back to closer. Pretty please with sugar on top.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:11:17 +0000

Agreed. My guess is that they will make one more run at the championship with the current core. Though there may also be changes at SS (unless Rollins backs off his demand for 5 years) and 3B (Cholly has already said he’d like to upgrade there).

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:11:09 +0000

My prediction is the offense won’t look dramatically different at all….insert Mayberry Jr. in LF or possibly 1B depending upon Howard. Some different bench players but that will be all.

By: hansob

hansob — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:01:11 +0000

I’m having a hard time with the Oswalt decision being a “no-brainer” unless you think he’s significantly more likely to miss starts next year than John Q Pitcher.

$14M (which is the additional amount the Phillies would have to have paid for his services vs the buyout) doesn’t seem like that much for a proven starter. Especially since it’s just the one year commitment.

But like I said, the fact that it’s a back injury may be scaring away the Phils. I just wonder if it were a number of other big market teams who didn’t have 3 aces, Worley, and Blanton, if the decision would have been the same.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:00:54 +0000

I can’t see Oswalt going anywhere else either. What interests me more right now is what moves the Feelies make to rejuvenate the batting order and stave off another late season offensive flameout, especially considering that Ryan Howard probably won’t be one hundred percent ready to go by April. Which of the core guys might be sacrificed for some youth and additional athleticism afield and on the basepaths? How different will that lineup look in the spring? Clearly, they need to do something.

By: halladaysbiceps

halladaysbiceps — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:39:35 +0000

2 for 16mil, 2 for 20mil. I’m sure the Phillies are good with that. The point is no one in their right mind will give him 16mil a year. I think he comes back to the Phillies if the numbers are in the general ballpark to give it another go with Doc, Lee and Hamels. I think he enjoyed his time with those guys this year and has something to prove to them.

By: flapjack3285

flapjack3285 — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:38:27 +0000

That seems a little low for Oswalt (Jake Westbrook and Carl Pavano got that much last year). I would think that they would have to start with at least what Carpenter got from the Cards (2/$21M) and then add incentives on top of that.

By: prionogenic

prionogenic — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:35:42 +0000

There is no way Oswalt would take that little (salary or years). 2yrs/20Mil or 3yrs/25Mil is much more reasonable

By: halladaysbiceps

halladaysbiceps — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:30:33 +0000

I’m not in favor of bringing back Madson at the type of money he wants, being a Boras client. I do not think they bring him back for that type of change. Don’t get me wrong, I like Madson, but not to the tune of 3-4 years at 35-40 mil.

Out of the (3), I would do everything to bring Oswalt back. I take my chances with his pedigree. I think, if healthy, Oswalt can win the Phillies 15 games.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:27:24 +0000

Was going to say 2 years for Oswalt, then I remembered that he’s not as old as I thought he was. He’s actually younger than Halladay (by like 4 months).

Think you guys re-sign Lidge but have him swap with Madsen who closes and lets Lidge be the 8th inning guy.

By: halladaysbiceps

halladaysbiceps — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:20:13 +0000

Lidge 1 year, 2.5 mil. (if the Phillies want him back, which I would prefer not).

Oswalt 2 years, 16 mil. with incentives (I want Oswalt back).

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