The Phillies are in desperate need of immediate help.
No one who has watched this team recently can disagree with that. With a record of 1-6 since the All Star break, the Phillies have fallen even further out of the playoff picture.  They are 7 games behind the Atlanta Braves, and 4 games out of the wildcard picture.
With a line up that is arguably the most talented in the NL, it easy to look at this team and say that pitching is the main need. Maybe Rueben Amaro Jr realizes the mistake he made by trading Cliff Lee, and thinks that by acquiring another star pitcher, the season will be what it was supposed to be: another smooth run to October baseball.
While it can be debated what the main need for this team is, and they certainly have a lot of holes while being back to back NL champions, but one thing is clear: Roy Oswalt is not the answer for the Phillies.
Oswalt by the numbers is not overly impressive. 1 All Star appearance in his career. His ERA has not been under 3 in 4 years. In the playoffs, his ERA was close to 4. He has not won double-digit games in the last 2 years, and has more losses than any other pitcher in the NL this season.
The win/loss numbers can be rationalized: the Houston Astros are a horrible team. But one number cannot be: 39 million.
That is the amount of money the Phillies will have to pay Oswalt over the next 3 seasons (its assumed Oswalt will force any team he is traded to pick up his option for 2011-2012.) When you compare Oswalt’s (3.16) ERA to players already on the Phillies roster, such as Cole Hamels (3.63) or Jamie Moyer (4.84), it becomes even clearer that Oswalt is not the option. Hamel’s ERA is under 2 in his last 4 stops.
Is it worth paying Oswalt 15 million a season to be the third best pitcher on this team?
Oswalt is being paid ace money, but is not an ace. Is it worth it for the Phillies to risk holding on to Werth and hoping they can resign him in off season? Could they take the money they were going to pay Werth and turn it into fan favorite Lee? Will the season turn around if no move is made?
The answer to those questions are unclear. But one answer is clear: Oswalt is not what this team needs right now.
Excellent point and article Elliot..
They do need to move Werth since they will not be able to re-sign him and OSwalt is not the answer,
He’s older, has pitched a lot of innings and is on the downside of his very good career .
I would rather they move Werth for some young players ( Pitchers and OF) since making the playoffs this season is extremely unlikely, I think the Phils should re-tool and re-stock and get ready for next year.. If they want to add an Ace to their staff, maybe they can sign C Lee after this season since he will be a free-agent and won’t sign a long-term deal with the Rangers.. Lee wants the big stage in the Northeast..(if the Phils don’t sign him, watch for Mets or Nationals to sign him)
The ironic thing is that to get Oswalt you have to pay him money that you would have had to pay Lee and Lee is better. Irony at it’s finest.
yes scorp and sadly enough amaro will still try and rationalize this move
There’s no sense in getting Oswalt at all
He salary is way too much $$$ at his age and all the wear and tear that he has and time left as an effective Pitcher.They are better off building for next year and go out and get some younger players
who are at the majot league level now..
Don’t be too surprised if you see a deal with the Cubs
Werth,JA Happ to the Cubs for Pitcher C Zambrano and OF X Nady and a Shortstop prospect…. .
cant see zambrano here
that stuff wouldnt fly in our dugout
Another bad move by Amaro was to extend and add $$ to Joe Blanton’s contract…
He’s a 5 maybe a 6 Inning Pitcher at best.. He’s an average 4th/5th Pitcher on a staff but not at the $$$ they have committed to him
I still get back to the Bullpen, the only reason Manual had Balnton bat for himself in a close game last
night is because he has no confidence in his Bullpen to close a game out.. This has been occurring the last 2 months and Starters are kept out an inning or 2 longer than they should be because of this
poor bullpen and then they tire, get the ball up and then it’s batting practice for the other team..
Look at how many games the Phils have lost from the 6th Inning on..They owned the last 3 Innings.
of ballgames the last 2-3 seasons ,but not this year, in fact they may be one of th worst in the league at coffing up leads or letting a close game get away from them in the last couple of innings of a ballgame..
I don’t like him myself and the Cubs are looking to unload him big time and are even willing to eat some of his Contract, but Amaro and Zambrano do know each other pretty well from I’ve been told and that’s what I am afraid of.. I think Amaro if he can’t make a good deal, will end up make any deal just to show
that he tried to do something.. I don’t agree with this, but feel that this may occur…
Only Paulman can post 4 out of 7 responses and still make no sense. scorp is the only one who makes sense on this board anymore.
i know reid very sad
Thanks Reid..
3 out of 7 isn’t bad, It’s a .428 % and still puts me in the Hall of Shame..(I mean Fame)