After struggling with back problems and taking a leave of absence to be with his family in the wake of a tornado last year, many assumed Roy Oswalt would leave in free agency. After all, the Philadelphia Phillies have Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Joe Blanton each making significant money in 2012, plus 2011 surprise Vance Worley in the mix.
Oswalt was 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA in 23 starts last year, seeing a significant drop in his strikeout rate and posting the first losing record of his 11-year career. Those aren’t the kind of numbers that make teams want to sign Oswalt, but the 14.5 wins he averaged since 2001 show he’s been a force in this league.
Oswalt is 34 years old and at just six feet tall, 190 pounds, he’s small in stature, but he can still be a number two or three starter for a contending team. Oswalt is probably the top free agent still unsigned, and reports have linked Oswalt to many teams this offseason.
Teams have inquired about whether Oswalt can be utilize...
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