Is Roy Oswalt's Career Over? Does It Matter To You?
by David Coleman on Jun 24, 2011 11:26 AM CDT
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Last night, Roy Oswalt was pulled after two bad innings against the Cardinals with more back problems. It looks like he's headed back for the disabled list for the second time this season.
Now, he's not currently an Astro, but since he spent so many years here, I thought it appropriate to discuss what this all might mean. Back injuries are nothing new for Oswalt and there's a chance that last night was his last start as a major leaguer. I don't anticipate that to be true, but there's a chance it is.
Part of the reason for that is that Oswalt may just retire after the season either way. If he's got a back problem that keeps recurring, would that hasten his thoughts of retirement? We heard a couple of years ago that Oswalt was already thinking of retiring at the end of his contract.
The question is what does this do to his legacy? Oswalt will fall short of the Hall of Fame, but I'd also wager he'll be remembered more for his contributions to the Astros than to the Phillies. If the "Big Four" turn into a Big Three with Oswalt out, does that still become part of his legacy?
More importantly, if his time in Philly and career are both over after this season, does it color your memories of him?
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astros or philly
still one of my most favorite pitchers to watch, when he was on.
roy will always be 2005 post season roy to me.
"That's funny. You like Samurai Swords, I like Baseball!"
-Hatori Hanzo
Roy Oswalt is a Houston Astro.
Barring a World Series title, his time with Philadelphia will just be a footnote in his career.
E-5-1-50
Who in Houston Hates Roy? Also, credit to Wade!
Seriously, the guy was a gamer and responsible for much of the team’s success over the past decade. He also pitched on some pretty bad teams too, but you rarely (if ever) heard him complain about it.
I agree that he’s going to be remembered as a one of the Astro greats and, while he may not quite be a HOF’er, I think it should be retiring his number should be discussed when he finally does retire.
It’s time to say something nice about Ed Wade too. The guy sold on Oswalt before the wheels fell off. (Can you imagine if we had held on to Oswalt another year and this career-ending injury situation had fallen in to our laps? What a nightmare!) Sure, you could say that Wade waited a year or two too long to make a deal, and that he had to pay too much money to the Phils, but he still sold high on the considering Jonathan Villar is a top prospect in our system and Brett Wallace is more than contributing at the big league level.
They let the team fall apart around him
It sucks that Drayton just let the Astros crumble around him but we did get a good return and hopefully he can get a ring this year
The Wizard will always be an Astro!
"Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat."
by MexicanTitanFreak on Jun 24, 2011 12:13 PM CDT reply actions
Oswalt is a real country boy
When he said he felt like retiring after his current contract was over, I kinda took that for his word. This injury is probably another thing adding on to that pile, but you have to consider Philly is a much better environment than Houston. They have great fans, a great team, and a great legacy. He’s probably in a different mindset pitching there.
Oh and yes Oswalt will always be an Astro to me
by Its Gonna Happen on Jun 24, 2011 1:18 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Are you serious? Great fans in Philly? They booed HOFer Mike Shcmidt and Santa Claus.
They threw snowballs at Cowboys players that had batteries in them. Yea those are some great fans there in the city of brotherly love alright.
by StrosSouth on Jun 24, 2011 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
They have reputation for turning very fast on there teams
They booed Mcnabb, Shcmidt and I am sure there are a few more in there
Say what you want
But go to a game against the Cubs Phils Yankees Red Sox Cards Braves Reds ect. and see how many of those fans are in our house! Go to a Phils game in Philly and see how few fans are there for the other team. Houston’s fans, overall, suck! I would take an unclassy but passionate fanbase over a dull two faced fanbase any day of the weak. You know why? Because at least the passionate fans show up for their team.
by Its Gonna Happen on Jun 24, 2011 3:18 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Houston teams have given us nothing to show up for
Texans, Rockets, and Astros are not competetive. Houston loves them some Astros but there is not a winning atmosphere here and will not be for a while. Why are you going to pay to watch this product?? I stil buy hats and shirts so I am still investing in the team. I know plenty of people that would go to the game or watch more if the Astros would do something exciting. Philly fans are known for being bad fans they are in the same class as Mets fans
I don't disagree with you
but I think a good deal of that is because the team is good now.
There were certainly some years in the late 90s, and even early 2000s, when Veterans Stadium looked a whole lot how Minute Maid now looks for a typical Astros game.
No different in Philly than other places
I’ve been to Philly for several games and was amazed at how nice the fans around me were. This is in stark contrast to a place like Boston where I not only saw fights between opposing fans but fights amongst drunken friends and liberal use of racial epithets that I’ve yet to hear at any other park.
Yes, they have a few knuckleheads like everyone else and YES, they have a few historical cases of some highly memorable episodes of tasteless behavior but it isn’t what the media portrays.
I’ve heard boos from the home team in Houston too….and there might’ve been 1 or 2 HOFers on that team too….
in regards to the Roy- O question
I also think that Roy will always be viewed as an Astro, and that his Philly tenure will just be a footnote in his career.
As far as the do I care part, I would feel bad if his career was ended do to an injury. I always liked it when players like him who had a successful career and brought something special to the game were able to go out on their own terms like Biggio.
With that being said the way Roy ended his Astros career left a sour taste in my mouth. I understand being frustrated about losing, and if he wanted to be traded to a competitive team then that’s fine, but there were better ways that could have been handled. I don’t know if it was Toys doing or Wades doing but it seemed like that situation could have been handled better if it was kept out of the media.
Then there were also some comments that he has made this season about the Astros that didn’t really sit well with me. He got his wish and was traded, so why add insult to Astro fans by talking about how bad it was when he was here. I am referring to comments he made early in this season about how he couldn’t recall pitching with a lead last year.
by conroestro on Jun 24, 2011 3:42 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Who can forget.....
…Roy and Drayton and the bulldozer bonus ? Good times….
Hopefully the injury doesn’t finish Oswalt for good, but the fact is that he’s not likely to get any healthier as he ages….
….I don’t bear Oswalt (or Berkman) any animosity for leaving, considering how the front office let the team around them disintegrate……Given the contributions they made for the Astros, I hope they both get at least one more shot at the postseason that never would have come in Houston…..
Finally, Oswalt should be remembered as one of the lightly regarded/lower round draft picks the team used to find and develop when the front office was staffed by professionals…..as opposed to the embarrassing dreck polluting the farm system today.
New to SB
Why would you have any animosity for Berkman anyways? They traded him and he talked about wanting to come back. Ooops. That car still has tread left on the tires. He’s at least more productive this year than anyone currently on the team, including Pence.
Berkman?
As strange as it sounds, Berkman could have been even better in his career. He blew out his knee playing flag football and never was the same player after that. He never was a hard worker to begin with. His laziness made it hard to overcome/rehab that injury. When Milo Hamilton who has nary a bad word to say about any Astros player calls you out for being lazy….you must be pretty darn lazy.
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