Roy Oswalt Rumors: Rangers Not Planning on Signing Oswalt
By Editorial Staff
Yesterday we discovered that the Cincinnati Reds indicated that they are not interested in free agent starting pitcher Roy Oswalt. Today we find that another team believed to be in the Oswalt sweepstakes continues to lack interest in the right-hander. While speaking with the media yesterday, Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said that his club still has no plans on signing Oswalt. Beyond the Rangers and the Reds, the other clubs most closely tied to Oswalt this offseason have been the Red Sox and Cardinals.
Over the past week it’s looked as if the Rangers may still have a few moves to make before the 2012 season begins. They have been shopping reliever Koji Uehara for some time now and are reportedly looking for prospects in return for the veteran right-hander. This has caused rumors to swirl regarding what the Rangers will do with the additional budget room they free up by dealing Uehara.
Two free agents have been tied to Texas; Oswalt and left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez. Some sources believed the Rangers would target Oswalt while others thought Gonzalez would be the resulting acquisition.
However, at this point it’s no sure bet that the Rangers even trade Uehara. Daniels said that he has no trades planned right now and that the Rangers are heading into camp with the idea that Uehara will be on the team. If Texas keeps Uehara, the chances of an Oswalt signing, which already appear slim, get that much more unlikely.
So we continue playing the guessing game, where will Roy land? It’s pretty impossible to predict at this point, as no team seems overly interested in bringing in the veteran. I think the longer this thing drags on, the more likely Oswalt is to end up in a Red Sox jersey.
For more on the Rangers, be sure to check out Nolan Writin’.
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