As anyone who watches shows like Pawn Stars and other public haggling matches can attest, declaring your intentions before the deal is concluded is terrible form. Almost as bad as stealing Jobu's rum.
Which is exactly why Roy Oswalt has put himself in a terrible position, seemingly sticking by his declaration that he will pitch only for the Rangers or Cardinals this upcoming season. This is starting to resemble one of those slit-eyed retirees who stumble into the shop and simply must sell that Colt .45 under orders from their fire-breathing hag of a wife. Well, it does to me anyway.
The problem is, it's a tight squeeze for both teams. Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports that "the Cardinals, perhaps trying to exert their leverage, have not made Oswalt a financial offer that the pitcher deems anywhere close to sufficient, according to one major-league source." Which means Boston still might have a chance if they swoop in with a big offer, especially considering the Rangers don't have a spot in their rotation for him.
Roy Oswalt can still pitch. Roy Oswalt also has a giant head. These are both facts. Yet aside from that, no one, not even the 34-year old righty knows which color the the size nine cap he sports will encircle his head in 2012.
Showing posts with label Roy Oswalt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roy Oswalt. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Jon Lester: Cy Young Any Time Soon?
After sifting through Josh Beckett's numbers following a Red Sox loss, I clearly had to come up with Lester's totals as well. This time, Boston's ace doesn't inspire as much confidence, as his record in games after a Boston loss stands at 4-4. Yet, he is 3-1 in his last four decisions in such games, with a chance to add another W in today's series finale with the Royals.
Just for a quick reference, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the most similar pitchers to Lester through age 26 (which would be through the end of last season for Lester), to see what kind of company he keeps and what we might expect from him in the future. Here's the list:
1. Tim Hudson
2. Johan Santana (2)
3. Cole Hamels
4. Jack McDowell (1)
5. John Smiley
6. Andy Pettitte
7. Bobby Shantz
8. Roy Halladay (2)
9. Steve Busby
10. Roy Oswalt
Comparison thanks to baseball-reference.com
Numbers in parenthesis indicate # of Cy Young Awards
The trophy cases of the men on that list hold five Cy Youngs (so far), along with a slew of all-star appearances. Lester won't get there this year the way Jered Weaver and Justin Verlander are going, but #31 is clearly heading in that direction. The curious thing about the guys on this list, is that Halladay had the highest ERA through age 26 at 3.84. His adjusted ERA+ has him faring a little better, while his current teammate Roy Oswalt is the leader of the group with a 141 ERA+. The former Astro also had the best traditional ERA through this point, at 3.11. As you might imagine, Lester falls somewhere in the middle of each category, with only Oswalt, Tim Hudson, and Johan Santana topping him in ERA+.
Also. The caveat here with Lester, as always, is that the man survived cancer--which makes his appearance on the above list that much more impressive. It's a testament to his skill that in 2011, the C-word barely gets a mention, and rightfully so. He's on the verge of becoming a great pitcher, and the focus should be on what he does, not on what might have gone wrong. But still, in any overview of a player's career, something like this has to get mentioned--to his credit.
Going by his stuff, and his spot atop a perpetually competitive squad, Lester looks like he's trending towards the likes of Halladay, Santana, and Black Jack McDowell, as opposed to the failed comedy stylings of Shantz & Busby.
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This Week's Most Encouraging Sign: Sox pull first triple play since 1994; A.J. Burnett pulls a Kevin Brown in Yankees clubhouse; Ryan Lavarnway picks up his first hit, RBI.
The Week's Worst: Alex Rodriguez returns to the Yankees lineup, while Boston is without Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, and Kevin Youkilis; Adrian Gonzalez still has just one homer since the break. Ouch.
Just for a quick reference, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the most similar pitchers to Lester through age 26 (which would be through the end of last season for Lester), to see what kind of company he keeps and what we might expect from him in the future. Here's the list:
1. Tim Hudson
2. Johan Santana (2)
3. Cole Hamels
4. Jack McDowell (1)
5. John Smiley
6. Andy Pettitte
7. Bobby Shantz
8. Roy Halladay (2)
9. Steve Busby
10. Roy Oswalt
Comparison thanks to baseball-reference.com
Numbers in parenthesis indicate # of Cy Young Awards
The trophy cases of the men on that list hold five Cy Youngs (so far), along with a slew of all-star appearances. Lester won't get there this year the way Jered Weaver and Justin Verlander are going, but #31 is clearly heading in that direction. The curious thing about the guys on this list, is that Halladay had the highest ERA through age 26 at 3.84. His adjusted ERA+ has him faring a little better, while his current teammate Roy Oswalt is the leader of the group with a 141 ERA+. The former Astro also had the best traditional ERA through this point, at 3.11. As you might imagine, Lester falls somewhere in the middle of each category, with only Oswalt, Tim Hudson, and Johan Santana topping him in ERA+.
Also. The caveat here with Lester, as always, is that the man survived cancer--which makes his appearance on the above list that much more impressive. It's a testament to his skill that in 2011, the C-word barely gets a mention, and rightfully so. He's on the verge of becoming a great pitcher, and the focus should be on what he does, not on what might have gone wrong. But still, in any overview of a player's career, something like this has to get mentioned--to his credit.
Going by his stuff, and his spot atop a perpetually competitive squad, Lester looks like he's trending towards the likes of Halladay, Santana, and Black Jack McDowell, as opposed to the failed comedy stylings of Shantz & Busby.
----------------------------------------------------------------
This Week's Most Encouraging Sign: Sox pull first triple play since 1994; A.J. Burnett pulls a Kevin Brown in Yankees clubhouse; Ryan Lavarnway picks up his first hit, RBI.
The Week's Worst: Alex Rodriguez returns to the Yankees lineup, while Boston is without Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, and Kevin Youkilis; Adrian Gonzalez still has just one homer since the break. Ouch.
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