Let's make a deal: Beerleaguer deadline thread

1:20: Person close to Oswalt confirms to CSNPhilly.com that he will go to the Phillies for Happ and two others.

1:00 p.m.: Oswalt plans on accepting deal, according to Jayson Stark. Happ is clearly the centerpiece of the deal, Stark says. Dollars believed to be $11 million range from Houston to help cover Oswalt's contract, he says. The deal is still pending.

12:58 p.m.: Trying to Photoshop Oswalt's head into Brad Lidge's uniform and cap. Oswalt's lightbulb-shaped head is presenting a problem. Unsuccessfully tried using the liquify tool to bubble out Lidge's cap to accommodate Oswalt's melon. "It's like an orange on a toothpick."

12:25 p.m.: Rosenthal hears that Singleton is not in the deal.

ESPN accidentally publishes Stark's notes: Here they are before they're taken down: "Confirmed that Houston would get three players back -- J.A. Happ and two prospects. Nobody is revealing names of the prospects, but Houston has pressed hard for Phillies' best hitting prospect now that Domonic Brown is in the big leagues, Class A first baseman Jonathan Singleton. Also heard from an excellent source that the Astros offered to pay $12 million of the $23+ million left on Oswalt's contract through next year. Can't confirm that's the final number agreed on, but again it's from an excellent source who would know, even though he wasn't directly involved." [Link]

11:00 a.m. "Oswalt has been asking questions about the lay of the land in Philadelphia, has received texts from Brad Lidge, people close to situation say," according to Salisbury.

Bautista report: The Philadelphia Phillies are interested in Toronto Blue Jays OF and home run leader Jose Bautista. According to respected baseball scribe Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, the Phillies have scouted eight of the Jays' last nine games. The 29-year-old journeyman came out of nowhere to hit .256/.366/.585 with 30 homers and 75 RBIs this season. He's a jack of all trades in the field, but a master of none....[+]

10:30 a.m. CSNPhilly's big gun, Jim Salisbury, says the signs point to the Phillies acquiring Oswalt. "Baseball officials with knowledge of the Phillies’ thinking said the club was carrying itself as if it had an agreement," Salisbury writes. Click here for trade details.

10:05 a.m. Ken Rosenthal tweets that his source says the deal is 3-for-1 with J.A. Happ as part of the package. Astros would reportedly pay a "very significant" part of Oswalt's remaining salary, which is over $23 million. Earlier, SI's Jon Heyman mentioned that as many as four pitchers, including Happ and Vance Worley, could be part of the package.

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Comments

[aksmith]

Happ Worley and Gose is not nothing. But for Oswalt and cash? I'd say Rube/Monty have done a good job as along as Oswalt doesn't crumple to the ground after his first Phillies pitch screaming "I can't feel my legs!"

[philsinfive]

Maybe Cole Hamels should offer to share his chiropractor.

[baxter]

Oh no this means we'll have to sacrifice speed for power in CF in 2014.

[David W]

I'm thrilled-- for me, this takes about 80% of the sting out of the Lee fiasco. And next year, when Lee would be gone anyway, it's all good.

Love Happ, but he's not the sort of guy you worry about when you have a chance to get Oswalt.

As for the prospects, when you're contending for a WFC, deals like this are largely what prospects are for.

[Sophist]

aksmith - just like Oswalt is not Lee, Happ, Worley and Gose is not Happ, Mathieson, Singleton, and Worley.

If that report is true, it's the best of all deals reported.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

I'm envisioning denny b somewhere doing the Nancy Kerrigan "WHYYYYYY???" b/c Happ is gone.

[NEPP]

This is a HR for Rube if true.

[CJ]

Happ, Gose, Worley for Oswalt and $11M plus we add $1M to the 2010 buyout?

Can someone, anywhere, find a way to quibble with this?

I'll wait.

[GBrettfan]

Doesn't it sound like the Astos just paid $11 mil. for Happ, Gose and Worley?

[jerry]

Thank you, Ed Wade. We're not even yet, but thank you.

[Sophist]

Too good to be true

[NEPP]

****Too good to be true****

Well, it is Ed Wade we're dealing with.

[Jbird]

Amaro midseason GM >> Amaro offseason GM

[curt]

Well, for whatever reasons the Phils have never much liked Happ, and they have demonstrated an ability in recent years to hang on to the right guys (Utley, Howard, Hamels, Brown(?)) and trade off the rest.

[CJ]

Folks on the Astros blog I'm reading went from very excited about getting Singleton to very disappointed about getting Gose.

[aksmith]

Sophist - I actually like Gillies as a prospect. He is a very similar player to Gose. So I'm not too broken up about losing him.

I happen to think Worley is going to be a good major league pitcher. Very likely a #4 guy. Good arm. Developing secondary stuff. I think his floor is Durbin and that's not bad. And Happ? I'm not sold on his health. So, yeah it's a good deal. And keeping a high ceiling guy like Singleton out of it while getting a chunk of cash makes it a very good deal.

I just wish I was more of an Oswalt fan. Maybe coming to a winner will recharge his battery. But he hasn't looked good lately. The advantage of having the baseball package is that I can watch just about everyone I'm interested in. And if Oswalt has become what he's looked like lately, I'm not impressed. Maybe that line drive altered his motion. Hopefully that's in the past.

[CJ]

I'm not going to get my hopes up...

Worley, Gose, Happ for Oswalt and $11M sounds like it's too good to be true.

I'm going to continue to assume that Singleton is in that deal and I'm fine with that.

[NEPP]

****Folks on the Astros blog I'm reading went from very excited about getting Singleton to very disappointed about getting Gose.****

"But my baseball people loved Anthony Gose's bat. They kept saying 'Anthony Gose, Anthony Gose.'" -Ed Wade

[Jbird]

We draft 6 Goses every year.

[Greg S. in Lancaster]

Sly Art Woo!

[Edmundo]

If it's Happ, Worley and Gose, then Wade got snookered. The over-under of all-star game appearances for that group is 0.5.

[NEPP]

Is it too late to swap out Gose with Anthony Hewitt? They're both toolsy CFs named Anthony afterall.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Oswalt and Happ have physicals pending...Gillick instrumental in making this happen. Per Gargano.

[Conshy Matt]

CJ - dennyb could but he's either:

a) been banned by JW for being a negative nancy

or

b) committed suicide

[Sophist]

aksmith - I'm not saying those players are chopped liver, but there are much better prospects in our system. I actually like Gose too. Being an out-of-towner, I have the package too and watch baseball while I'm doing pretty much anything (watching the Braves game right now while getting some stuff done). That said, Oswalt has looked very good this year. What about him worries you?

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Gargano saying Singleton IS in.

[Kutztown Fan]

aksmith - Maybe a change of scenery will motivate/re-energize Oswalt.

[MaDubbs]

AGAIN!

The only thing that I am concerned about his Oswalts Health!! Why else would this deal sound so sweet, does Houston know something that we don't?????? They are paying half his salary next year, just to get rid of this guy???? I am very happy just worried that he might be injured.

[Conshy Matt]

bb - where's gargano getting his info from? this is anthony gargano you're talking about, right?

[RSB]

Gose is the key to this deal for Houston, not Happ. But didn't Wade already get Michael Bourn a few years back?

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Plain and simple: Oswalt wanted out-BIG TIME.

[NEPP]

I pray Gargano is wrong.

[bay_area_phan]

If this rumored deal is true, I'm guessing that even dennyb will find little to complain about.

[J.R. King]

I think Gargano is entertaining, but I trust Rosenthal and Randy Miller much more for information.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Yeah, he's calling into 610 (off today, I guess) I know it's 610 and I don't know who he's talking to, but he said something that "the word is" or whatever.

[Call me Ishmael]

Jason Churchill just tweeted "Phils prepare to move Roy Halladay for three middling prospects to clear paroll space for Oswalt" I almost wept until I saw he tagged it as #fakenews

[Willard Preacher]

Happ was slated to start tomorrow. Does the Oswalt era start tomorrow already?

[Sophist]

Preacher - Oswalt is also supposed to start tomorrow.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

About to get my Phils-nats Friday night tickets!

[Bay Slugga]

jbird: Very funny on multiple levels.

[clout]

Not to contradict Rosenthal, who is accurate at least 40% of the time, but I'm hearing the reason the 2012 option isn't being exercised is because there's an agreement in place to extend him through 2013 with much of the 2012 option money being deferred to 2013 (when Hamels' contract comes off the books).

[Bedrosian's Beard]

610 Update is saying Gose. Who knows, but I wonder if gargano mispoke.

[Willard Preacher]

Let's not give Amaro too much credit here. By all accounts, this was ownership negotiating this deal (Gillick, too???).

Oh, and no quibble about this deal today, but that's only because the offense is hitting again, so I'm good with improving the pitching now. ;)

[chstk of suffrg]

Tweet of the day on #phillies:
I am sorry for Happ (such cute lips) but I'm thrilled to get another Ace on the team.

[Willard Preacher]

clout, that would be pretty nuts. Oswalt has talked retirement, now they're thinking extension?

[Jbird]

Clout: I thought the Phillies didn't do deferred money.

[jerry]

No, 610 is reporting a contentious battle for the backup right safety position

[Old Phan]

It has to be depressing to get traded to Houston.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

"Let's not give Amaro too much credit here. By all accounts, this was ownership negotiating this deal (Gillick, too???)."

Ridiculous. yes, spread the credit around, but for god's sake, don't let blind hatred of RAJ get in the way of giving him some credit.

[Bridoc10]

The comedy surrounding this Ed Wade deal is pure gold!

From Twitter:
@kierankelly: I'm glad that Ed Wade is still working hard to get the Phillies back to the World Series.

[Bridoc10]

@Old Phan: Houston really sucks. I was there in April. Great ballpark, but it's in the middle of a smoggy, ugly city.

[chstk of suffrg]

It has to be depressing to get traded to Houston.

That sound you just heard was Jayson Werth's Beard breathing an enormous sigh of relief.

[Willard Preacher]

Dear God. Dom Brown, Roy Oswalt AND Greg Gross, all actively involved in tomorrow night's game?? Clearly the apocalypse is upon us!!

[dlhunter]

Nats just took the lead again, up 4-2 on the Bravos.

[Willard Preacher]

I'm just glad that Lake Fred can follow the Phils locally now. Bourne, Myers, Happ, Pete Happy, Jason Michaels. Oh, and Ed Wade.

[NEPP]

If this trade goes through, is Wade eligible for a playoff share?

[aksmith]

Sophist - Oswalt's last two games have been pretty bad. Maybe you can do your stat magic and calm my fears that he's having a worse season than Brett Myers up til now.

[Sophist]

Nats beating up on Lowe a bit too

[Heather]

LOL If this is true, how do you even do this deal if you're the Astros?

KEN PHELPS, KEN PHELPS!

[Petey Pablo]

Per Amy K. Nelson, the Phils are negotiating with Oswalt around a $1mm addition to his buyout and permitting the FNTC to remain in place after he is traded to the Phils.

[Sophist]

aksmith - I could easily do that. Probably save it for when/if the deal is official, though. His curve has been nasty this year. Apparently he's using his changeup more often/differently as well. His best season statistically in a few years (and his relatively down ERAs of late are a bit misleading).

[cjp]

About the involvement of Monty and McLane, a safe guess is that RAJ and EZ Ed worked out the players end of things and came to some tentative agreement about the dollars, but one or the other is not in a position to make a definitive commitment above a certain dollar level. As soon as one guy says, "You'll have to shore that up with my boss," it seems likely that the boss in question will only deal with someone at the same executive level. Thus you have Monty and McLane manipulating each others' schwantz to hammer out the last details of the deal.

No way Monty made this deal, he only was the suit required to put the finishing touches on it.

[MaDubbs]

Gase and Happ are definites according to Jim Salisbury

[chstk of suffrg]

Dear God. Dom Brown, Roy Oswalt AND Greg Gross, all actively involved in tomorrow night's game??

Which one of them can pitch the ninth?

(Well, hopefully Roy 2.0 could still be in then ...)

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Any credit to Amaro for the Kendrick demotion/Worley promotion to show he's "Major league ready"?

[CJ]

Let's say the deal is Happ, Worley and Gose... doesn't that sound familiar?

Happ-Ramirez
Worley-Aumont
Gose-Gillies

I'm not saying all of those players are equal... but the comparison isn't that far off.

[bay_area_phan]

"Let's not give Amaro too much credit here. By all accounts, this was ownership negotiating this deal (Gillick, too???)."

I'm actually keeping a tally. The first Cliff Lee trade was because of Gillick's American League connections. The Halladay trade was because of Gillick's Blue Jay connections. The Polanco signing was because Polanco was still friends with many of his old Phillies teammates. The Ibanez signing was because of Gillick's Mariner connections, except Gillick wanted it to be a one-year deal & Amaro insisted on a 3-year deal. The 2nd Cliff Lee trade, though, that was all Amaro.

[chstk of suffrg]

Hmmm, doesn't seem to do very frequent updates:

http://twitter.com/royoswalt44net

[NEPP]

****but I'm hearing the reason the 2012 option isn't being exercised is because there's an agreement in place to extend him through 2013 with much of the 2012 option money being deferred to 2013 (when Hamels' contract comes off the books).
****

That would be terrible actually...I really hope its not true.

[Bubba]

Kendrick outlasted Happ as a Phillie, who would have guessed?

Good luck JA- Don't listen to Myers about any Japan rumors.

[Old Phan]

"Either I retire today or pitch 3 more years." That does sound strange.

[Heather]

If the deal as reported is true, which deal is more moronic? The Haren trade for the Dbacks or the Oswalt trade for the Astros?

[NEPP]

****I'm not saying all of those players are equal... but the comparison isn't that far off****

The cash and the multiple years make it different.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

I don't really want to play in Philadelphia, but I will happily play an additional year in Philadelphia.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Mathieson and not Worley?

[NEPP]

Anyone else find it odd that we seem to do 90% of our trades with the following clubs:

BlueJays
Astros
Mariners
Indians

[clout]

sophist is correct about Oswalt's season so far. It is a solid bounceback from last year, which was the worst of his career. I'll let him post the peripherals, but there are no flies on it.

[NEPP]

And the Pirates.

[sb]

Remember when the trade was supposedly Colvin, Aumont, and Gose? Is Happ, Worley, Gose even more Phils friendly?
Happ=Colvin (possibly. Colvin's upside is higher, but he is only in single-A)
Aumont>Worley (again, only possibly. Worley is probably a 6th starter while Aumont has potential to either be a 1 or 2 starter, closer, or a complete flameout)
Gose=Gose.
Thoughts?

[chstk of suffrg]

Heh. Sigh.

@Dawkblitz
Roy Oswalt said he was super excited to have Brad Lidge blowing saves for him again like the good ol days #Phillies #Astros
Tweeted 12 minutes ago via Echofon

[Bridoc10]

More Twitter awesomeness:

@Rev215: Paul Simon, Phillies soothsayer? "..don't need to be coy, Roy...just drop off the key, Lee". #50waystoleaveyourglover

[Petey Pablo]

Heather,
IMO the Haren deal is more idiotic, given the team-friendly contract he has and the health concerns surrounding Oswalt. This is assuming that the Phils can't figure out a way to get Oswalt for, say, Happ, Hewitt, and Rizzotti, which would make Houston's trade a strong contender.

[CJ]

NEPP: Right... I'm not comparing the deal itself. I'm just saying the prospects aren't that far off.

If the prospects were equal, it'd be like dealing a season of Lee for a season and a half of Oswalt plus $11M.

[Willard Preacher]

Sophist, any concerns on that changeup should be rectified once Jaime gets a hold of him.

And then any excitement about his curve will be rapidly diminished once Dubee gets a hold of him and insists on that damn cutter instead.

[CJ]

Yo, new thread. Let's move the premature celebration over there...

[Bridoc10]

@NEPP: That happens a lot in hockey, too. Hell, most of the Flyers trades are with Tampa or LA.

[Petey Pablo]

NEPP,
The only question I have is why we don't limit our trades strictly to the Astros as long as Ed Wade is GM down there.

[clout]

BAP: "I'm actually keeping a tally. The first Cliff Lee trade was because of Gillick's American League connections. The Halladay trade was because of Gillick's Blue Jay connections. The Polanco signing was because Polanco was still friends with many of his old Phillies teammates. The Ibanez signing was because of Gillick's Mariner connections, except Gillick wanted it to be a one-year deal & Amaro insisted on a 3-year deal. The 2nd Cliff Lee trade, though, that was all Amaro."

You are beginning to understand Beerleaguer, where prejudice and ignorance trump reality.

[aksmith]

I used to suffer from premature celebration. Amazing what a rubber band and an Amaro press conference will do for the condition.

[JJG]

BAP,
And I understand that Amaro talked Gillick out of giving Freddy Garcia a complete physical, ordered him to dump Vicente Padilla for no return, and assured Gillck that CJ Henry would step in for Bobby Abreu the following season -- only if we threw in Cory Lidle to the Yankees.

(Amaro also insists that Gillick wear Tommy Bahama shirts every day, because he says they look "distinguished")

[clout]

Bubba: "Kendrick outlasted Happ as a Phillie, who would have guessed?"

Certainly no one who reads Beerleaguer posts.

[Willard Preacher]

clout, could you elaborate, if at all possible, on this extension stuff? For a team with so many "on the wrong side of 30," and a pitcher with back issues that had him contemplating retirement, I can't comprehend why there is a need to discuss any extension right now? I realize it would be a big selling point for Roy 2.0, but I can't imagine why the Phils would consider that now.

Also, you allude to Hamels' money coming off of the books. Are you implying that they've already decided to extend a 34 (then 36) year Oswalt over re-upping King Cole?

[clout]

BedBeard: "Any credit to Amaro for the Kendrick demotion/Worley promotion to show he's "Major league ready"?

Assuming the Houston Astros don't employ scouts, your post is right on the money.

[c13]

Is anyone else un-happ-y about including Happ in the deal? I feel he never got any respect around here from the FO and all he did was be effective and get outs. Secondly, I'm not on BL enough to know what this stuff is about Werth making moves on other guy's wives ... where did that come from? Is that like the taller 3b thing?