Oswalt

[Tommy John]

I guess this is more of an update than an injury (I hope). Just wanted some opinions on which direction Oswalt will go the second half. He has already walked more guys than he did all of last year. His WHIP is something like 1.4 (career high is 1.24) and his ERA is now rapidly approaching 4. Are all the innings in previous years starting to catch up to him? He is also missing fewer bats than he has in the past. Anyone else think that he will stay consistent, but his numbers are going to continue to stay around the 3.8 ERA and 1.35 WHIP range?

[Houser33]

Sounds like hes got a lil Halladay-itis.

[Ursa]

He's in a major slump for sure. Basing this on nothing but my own instinct, I really don't see him improving much in the second half. The most optimistic thing I can imagine is that he'll get no worse (though his last start was little short of catastrophic).

[p32bars]

I just traded for him. I believe their is a strong chance he will be traded within the next two weeks to a contender.

[BALCO All-Stars]

Sounds like hes got a lil Halladay-itis.

Actually...looking at Oswalt's splits, he has "Ervin Santana-itis"...he BLOWS on the road, but he is his normal stud self at home. I've benched playing him on his last couple road starts (forgot about this little nugget though over the ASB and paid for it by starting him at CHC) and I will continue to only start him at home until proven otherwise (or if it's a dandy of a road matchup like @ WASH or @ PIT).

Studs like him usually turn it around, just look at Zambrano this year, everyone thought he had some type of injury (yours truly included and traded him for Bush and Furcal), and he's been one of the best pitchers in the last month and a half.

[Roberto Clemente]

I would trade Oswalt in a heartbeat if you get decent value in return.

His last 10 starts have been fairly bad. I say this because his Era has went from 3.36 to 3.91 in his last 10 and in 4 of his last 10 games he has given up 4 or more E.Runs incluing his last start which was against the Cubbies where he gave up 8 E.Runs and 10 Hits in just 5.1 Innings.

As far as the Stros trading Oswalt...I would be surprised. He has a nice contract and a no-trade clause. The below copy and paste was taken from the Houston Chronicle.

>If the Astros approached Oswalt and told him it would be better for the franchise's future to trade him, he told the Chronicle two weeks ago he would consider waiving his no-trade clause. During the Astros' four-game series against the Mets, Billy Wagner told Oswalt that playing in New York isn't that bad.<

[d18Mike]

Oswalt has been getting very unlucky lately. His BHIP rate over the last month has been 40% -- and 50% in his last start. That's brutal. If you normalize that BHIP number for the season, he would have an ERA around 3.50. Not quite the pitcher he was in '06, but not bad.

[x_Momentum]

The thing with Oswalt is if you look at his stats @ home, he's 6-1 with a mid-2 ERA and if you look at his stats away he's like 2-5 with a 6.00+ ERA. He's a stud @ home but away, he needs to find his groove. That's all.

[bcb]

I was able move Os and Valverde for Santana in a keeper after one of those all too rare occasions when Os threw 10ks and Santana approached near-human levels. Not a bad move so far.

[NYYANKEEZ25]

Why was he just in for relief?