Time to get Oswalt - Too late, he's a Ranger (pg 7)

[Fat Strat]

Really? We didn't sign Oswalt over 5m? I didn't care all that much until reading that. We should have signed him.

I agree. But I'm sure the front office didn't think we needed to pay a starter even $5M when we have 4 starters right now with an era+ over 100 (and 2 of those over 130), and the 5th is named Adam Wainwright. Sometimes it is about money.

[Vidor]

Little bit of a downer to have this happen the same day Westbrook gets slapped around again.

[Schlich]

isnt $5 mil for only half a season kinda pricey?

[JL21]

isnt $5 mil for only half a season kinda pricey?

Not necessarily, especially since the Cardinals have wiggle room in their payroll. It's all about leverage. $5M for a non-contender is ridiculous. For a team whose ace might not return at all and whose second ace (Wainwright) is pitching like Jake Westbrook... and one of their other pitchers is the real Jake Westbrook... signing Oswalt for $5M makes a lot of sense.

I honestly admire the front office's dedication to patience but this is a case where I think they messed up. If the patience pays off around the trade deadline- via Carp returning triumphantly, Wainwright becoming Wainwright again, or Jake Lohsecia holding on to health and/or league average- I'll gladly eat my words.

[docellis]

he did this fast

[BW23]

I really didn't see the need to get Oswalt, and that's even counting on Carp not coming back at all. I thought that the current group would be fine. I'm becoming less inclined to believe that about Westbrook, I guess, but I still think it would have been a tough fit. I guess with Philly and LAA now needing SP, the ante for Oswalt went up enough that he got an offer he wanted from the team he really wanted to go to. Good for him.

[pioneer98]

It will be interesting to see if he has any rust. If he's good, the Rangers just made a great team a tiny bit greater.

[TimeForGuinness]

isnt $5 mil for only half a season kinda pricey?

Not necessarily, especially since the Cardinals have wiggle room in their payroll. It's all about leverage. $5M for a non-contender is ridiculous. For a team whose ace might not return at all and whose second ace (Wainwright) is pitching like Jake Westbrook... and one of their other pitchers is the real Jake Westbrook... signing Oswalt for $5M makes a lot of sense.

I honestly admire the front office's dedication to patience but this is a case where I think they messed up. If the patience pays off around the trade deadline- via Carp returning triumphantly, Wainwright becoming Wainwright again, or Jake Lohsecia holding on to health and/or league average- I'll gladly eat my words.

This is spot on.

But this...this is gold...I have coworkers asking why I'm laughing so damn hard.

...whose second ace (Wainwright) is pitching like Jake Westbrook... and one of their other pitchers is the real Jake Westbrook...

I can't decide if I'm laughing because it's hilarious or sad or both.

[Hungary Jack]

There is no comparison between Waino and Westy. The former has an actual repertoire of pitches that he is gradually regaining his feel for coming off TH. The latter has an assbag full of sinkers that don't sink and he has absolutely nowhere to turn.

Waino's primary problem is the meatball. His xFIP is 3.22, while his ERA is 4.45. He'll be fine.

[JL21]

Yeah, when I said "pitching like", I didn't mean he was throwing a bunch of flat dick high sinkers. Just that he's getting beat up.