Roy Oswalt Needs A Home

What’s the deal, Roy?

That may be what Roy Oswalt is thinking, too, at this late date, if he talks to his agent. What’s the deal? Man, does he need one and pronto. Once upon a time Oswalt was viewed as pretty much the best starting pitcher available in the free agent market. Now everyone has been in training camp for weeks and Oswalt still doesn’t have a team.

This is not a good thing for a baseball player when the NCAA tournament is starting. March Madness good for college basketball. March Madness not so good for unemployed pitchers.

It’s not as if there aren’t teams out there who couldn’t use Oswalt. Pretty much the same teams that could have used him in January can use him in March with opening day just a few weeks away. What’s going on here? Did Oswalt get the measles? Tear a rotator cuff? Go into the witness protection program? Sign up for an unlisted phone number? Actually, Oswalt did have back problems during his 2011 season for the Philadelphia Phillies, missing several weeks of play. Maybe teams are worried about his aching back, though in the earlier days of free agency that didn’t seem to be the case.

Could be Oswalt and his representation asked for too much moola spread over too many years and all his favorite teams went out and spent their budget limit. Still, there is no such thing as having too much starting pitching, so somebody has got to be willing to pay the price to add Oswalt to the rotation.

These are the Oswalt facts: Lifetime the right-handed thrower is 159-93 with a 3.69 earned run average. He once led the National League in wins and he once led the National League in earned run average. He has twice won 20 games in a season. He seems to still be capable of taking the mound every fifth day.

Oswalt will turn 35 in August, so some teams are likely hesitant to fork over millions of dollars for a multi-year contract. But if I had an window to Oswalt’s brain I’m thinking he would be getting a little bit edgy along about now. They are shoveling coal into the engine and the train is warming up to leave without him.

A month or so ago Oswalt was being choosy about his suitors. But he’d better be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a team, not alone in a place called Murphy’s Irish Pub. Roy, boy, it’s time to ink a deal so you can play for someone in 2012, not be worrying too much at this point on the calendar about where you’ll be playing in 2014.

It wasn’t so long ago (was it Valentine’s Day?) that Oswalt was telling certain teams who showed interest in him that he didn’t feel like pitching for them? It was only a few days ago that Oswalt went public with his latest outlook: He said he is open to suggestions from any team.

This change of perspective might indicate panic mode. Supposedly, Oswalt was down on the Red Sox, and preferred a deal with the Texas Rangers or St. Louis Cardinals. No contract was forthcoming. Oswalt waits much longer and he will be calling Richmond of the International League to see if there’s room for him.

We all think Oswalt can still pitch. Unless he has lost it overnight, it seems he could be a difference maker in the pennant race or in a bubble team trying to capture a wild card slot. It doesn’t make sense for the season to start without Oswalt committed to a team, but time is running short.

Remember, a couple of years ago Jermaine Dye kept holding out for more money in free agency when teams viewed him as a late-career addition at a lower pay rate, and Dye talked himself right into retirement.

You can follow Call to the Pen on Twitter at @FSCalltothePen or like us here on Facebook.