| Roy Oswalt | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Oswalt with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2010 | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1977-08-29)August 29, 1977 (age 48) Weir, Mississippi, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| May 6, 2001, for the Houston Astros | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| September 29, 2013, for the Colorado Rockies | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 163–102 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.36 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 1,852 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Roy Edward Oswalt (/ˈoʊzwɑːlt/; born August 29, 1977) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. Oswalt played for the majority of hisMajor League Baseball (MLB) career with theHouston Astros. He also played for thePhiladelphia Phillies,Texas Rangers, andColorado Rockies.[1]
Oswalt was selected by the Astros in the1996 MLB draft.[1] He made his MLB debut with Houston, in2001, finishing his rookie season with awin–loss record of 14–3.[1] Oswalt was a back-to-back 20-game winner in2004 and2005. He helped lead the Astros to their firstWorld Series appearance in2005, and was namedMost Valuable Player of the2005 National League Championship Series (NLCS). When Oswalt left the Astros in 2010, both his wins (143) and strikeouts totals (1,593) ranked second in franchise history toJoe Niekro (144) andNolan Ryan (1,866), respectively. Oswalt was a three-timeAll-Star, selected from 2005 to 2007.[2]
Oswalt was born and raised inWeir, Mississippi, the son of Billy Joe and Jean Oswalt. Billy was aVietnam War veteran andlogger. Oswalt grew up with his older brother, Brian, and their older sister, Patricia.[3] Jean was an avid baseball fan and taught her kids about the game.[4] Oswalt grew up rooting for theAtlanta Braves.[3]
Oswalt joined theWeir High School football team as a quarterback and the baseball team as a pitcher. He could throw in the mid 80s with good control, but his relatively slight stature (5'10", 150 lbs.) scared away scouts.[4] Oswalt reflected, "I always heard that I was too small."[3] Weir itself was very small in size, making it difficult for scouts to hear about Oswalt. Nonetheless, he was recruited to join the baseball team atHolmes Community College.[4]
At Weir High School, Oswalt playeddefensive back andwide receiver on the football team, which won a state title his senior year. He graduated in a class with 32 students. Oswalt attendedHolmes Community College inGoodman, Mississippi, for two years.
Oswalt was spotted by only one MLB scout, James Farrar of the Houston Astros. Convinced that Oswalt's anonymity kept him hidden from other teams, the Astros allowed him to drop into the 23rd round of the1996 MLB draft. By this point, Oswalt had drawn the attention of theMississippi State Bulldogs, for whom he had long wanted play. The Astros enticed Oswalt with a $500,000 signing bonus,[4] and he signed with the club on May 18, 1997.[1] Oswalt would eventually become the latest-drafted player to lead his draft class in careerBaseball-ReferenceWins Above Replacement as of 2019[update].[5]
In 1997, Oswalt played rookie ball in theGulf Coast League, where he gave up only two runs in five starts. He was then called up to theAuburn Doubledays of theNew York–Penn League, where he went 2–4 the rest of the way.[4][6]
Oswalt split 1998 between the same two teams. In 16innings of work with the Gulf Coast Astros, hestruck out 27batters and walked just one. Oswalt was promoted again to Auburn, where he recorded the league's fourth-lowestERA (2.18).[7]
During the 1999 season, when Oswalt was with theClass AMichigan Battle Cats in theMidwest League, he began suffering pain in his upper shoulder. A month after the season was over, he was still suffering pain. Team doctors diagnosed the pain as tendinitis earlier in the year, although Oswalt was convinced that his shoulder was torn. A few days after returning home, he was checking thespark plug wires on his pickup truck. He touched one of the spark plug wires, causing the truck's engine to start. The truck'selectric current flowed through Oswalt's body, and consequently the muscles in his hand tightened on the spark plug wire. Unable to let go of it, Oswalt grasped the wire for what he said felt like two days, but was probably just a minute. He claimed his foot finally slipped off the truck's bumper and which threw him off the truck. Oswalt told his wife, "My truck done shocked the fire out of me, and my arm don't hurt no more."[8][9] He finished 1999 with 143 strikeouts and a club-high 13 wins.
Oswalt began 2000 with the Class AKissimmee Cobras of theFlorida State League, going 4–3 with a 2.98 ERA before a player injury onClass AARound Rock Express of theTexas League led to his promotion. Oswalt was only expected to pitch a few games and had been given a round-trip ticket. But after striking out 15 batters in his first start with the Express,managerJackie Moore tore up his ticket.Nolan Ryan, owner of the Express and Oswalt's idol, admired his calm demeanor and his aggressiveness so much that he successfully lobbied to keep Oswalt on the roster, where he would go 11–4 with a 1.94 ERA, and record 141 strikeouts over 19 games (18 starts). It was in Round Rock that he met pitching coachMike Maddux, who counseled the young Oswalt to be economical in his pitch selection by throwing more breaking balls and inducing groundouts early in the count.
As a result of his success at Round Rock, Oswalt was selected to play on the U.S. Olympic baseball team at the2000 Summer Olympics. InOlympic baseball competition, Oswalt pitched in the semi-finals againstSouth Korea, a game that the U.S. won with a walk-off home run byDoug Mientkiewicz en route to theirgold medal finish. Oswalt struck out ten and allowed two runs (1.38 ERA) in his two starts.[10]
In 2001, Oswalt started the season with theTriple-ANew Orleans Zephyrs, where he went 2–3 before being called up to the MLB when left-handerWayne Franklin was optioned down.[6]
On May 6,2001, Oswalt made his major league debut in a relief appearance atOlympic Stadium to work the ninth inning of a 13–7 Astros win over theMontreal Expos. He retiredVladimir Guerrero on a strikeout for the first of his major league career. Oswalt yielded two hits, including arun batted in (RBI)double to former AstroGeoff Blum, but limited any father scoring to close out the game.[11]
From August 30 to September 18, 2001, Oswalt tossed 24consecutive scoreless innings before giving up a home run atPacific Bell Park toAndrés Galarraga of theSan Francisco Giants. During that streak, Oswalt earned his first major leagueshuout on September 9, tossing it at home against theMilwuakee Brewers and striking out a career-high 12.[12]
Oswalt finished hisrookie campaign with a 14–3 record and a 2.73 ERA, including a 12–2 mark with a 2.82 ERA in his 20 starts. He finished second in voting forNational League Rookie of the Year, losing unanimously toAlbert Pujols. He also placed fifth inCy Young Award voting, which was won byRandy Johnson. He won theSporting News NL Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award.
Oswalt was unavailable to pitch in theplayoffs due to a groin strain.[13] TheAtlanta Braves swept the best-of-3National League Division Series (NLDS), eliminating the Astros and ending their season.[14]
The2002 season was another step forward for Oswalt, who finished the season with a 19–9 record, striking out a career-high 208 batters and finishing with an ERA of 3.01. He tied withÉric Gagné for fourth in Cy Young voting, losing once again to Johnson.[15] From July 27 to September 8, he won a then-club record 9 straight starts before getting a no-decision in an extra innings' Astros loss to theSt. Louis Cardinals.
Injuries plagued Oswalt in2003, but he still recorded a 10–5 record over 21 starts. He started a teamno-hitter against theNew York Yankees on June 11. Oswalt left after one inning, and 5 more Astros continued to no-hit the Yankees.
He rebounded in2004 with the first 20-win season of his career, the onlyNational League (NL) pitcher to do so that year. He went 20–10 despite a career-high 3.49 ERA, and struck out 206 batters. He finished third in Cy Young Award voting, behind his teammateRoger Clemens and, once again, Randy Johnson.[16] He also made his first postseason appearance, going 1–0 with a 4.19 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance. He threw two complete-game shutouts during the season, both against theMilwaukee Brewers. He led all NL starters with the fastest average fastball, at 94.0 miles per hour (151.3 km/h).[17] He won theDarryl Kile Award.
In2005, Oswalt threw a career-high 2412⁄3 innings, striking out 184 batters and only walking 48 on the way to his second consecutive 20-win season – the first Astro to do so sinceJoe Niekro in 1979–80. He notched a 20–12 record, including a career-best 10-game winning streak from April 10 to July 26, with a 2.94 ERA, and was named to his firstMajor League Baseball All-Star Game as the National LeagueAll-Star Final Vote winner. He was fourth in Cy Young Award balloting, won byChris Carpenter. In the postseason that year, Oswalt started 4 games and went 3–0. His two seven inning one-run performances netted him theNLCS MVP award, including a three-hit seven strikeout game in Game 6.
Oswalt went 15–8 in 2006 and was named to his second consecutive All-Star team and his final ERA led NL (2.98), and also struck out 166 batters while walking 38. On August 9 of that year, Oswalt hit his first and only career home run in the second inning in a game against thePittsburgh Pirates, hitting a two-run homer off ofShawn Chacon.[18] On August 29, 2006, Oswalt's 29th birthday, he signed a five-year extension with the Astros totaling $73 million with an option for a 6th year.[19] He again finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting, won byBrandon Webb. On September 18, while pitching against theCincinnati Reds, Oswalt recorded his 1,000th strikeout, becoming the eighth player in Astros history to reach the milestone.
Before the 2007 season, Roy Oswalt received the second-highest Pitcher Player Value Ranking fromSports Illustrated Baseball Preview Edition. He was rated the best in the NL ahead of Brandon Webb and Chris Carpenter, and was only below the 2006Triple Crown winnerJohan Santana. On July 5, 2007, it was announced Oswalt would replace an injuredJohn Smoltz on the National League All-Star team, making it Oswalt's third consecutive All-Star game appearance. He did not pitch in theAll-Star Game, however. On August 13, 2007,Sports Illustrated named Oswalt as one of the top five pitchers (along with Santana,Roy Halladay,Jake Peavy, andJustin Verlander).[20] On September 26, 2007, it was reported that Oswalt was suffering from pain in his left side and it was decided to shut him down for the remainder of the season so as not to risk a more serious injury.[21] He finished the 2007 season throwing 212 innings, his fourth consecutive year of 200 or more innings pitched, a 14–7 record, an ERA of 3.18 and 154 strikeouts.
Although he started off the 2008 season slowly (0–3, 9.00 ERA), a solid second half helped Oswalt reach his highest win total since 2005. Oswalt was able to accomplish this despite landing on the disabled list on July 19 for the first time since 2006. He also set an Astros team record with 321⁄3 scoreless innings.[22] He finished the 2008 season throwing 2082⁄3 innings, his fifth consecutive year of 200 or more innings pitched, a 17–10 record, an ERA of 3.54 and 165 strikeouts.
Oswalt is one of 10 major league pitchers who won at least 11 games in each year from 2004 to 2008.[citation needed]
In 2009, Oswalt played for the United States in theWorld Baseball Classic, appearing in two games. He was the winning pitcher in the contest versus the Netherlands, but was pulled from the semifinal against Japan in the fourth inning after giving up 6 runs.
On July 29, Oswalt was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies forJ. A. Happ and two minor league players, center fielderAnthony Gose, and shortstopJonathan Villar, playing for Class-A Advanced and Class-A, respectively.[23][24]
On August 24, Oswalt became the first Phillies pitcher to field in a non-pitching position in 39 years. In a game against the Houston Astros, Phillies' first basemanRyan Howard was ejected after arguing achecked swing to end the bottom of the 14th inning. Out of offensive reserves, Phillies managerCharlie Manuel moved left fielderRaúl Ibañez to first base and sent Oswalt to play left field. Oswalt acquired oneputout in the outfield, but later hit into the final out of the Phillies loss by grounding out in the bottom of the 16th inning. The previous Phillies pitcher to play a position wasBill Wilson, who played third base for one-third of an inning on August 6, 1971.[25]
On September 12, Oswalt pitched his first complete game as a Phillie in a 3–0 win against theNew York Mets, allowing four hits and striking out six.
In the2010 NLDS, Oswalt pitched Game 2 of the Phillies' three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds; he gave up four runs in five innings, but the Phillies came back to win 7–4. In the2010 NLCS against the San Francisco Giants, Oswalt won Game 2 by allowing only one run in eight innings, which was his ninth postseason start without a loss.[26] Oswalt entered Game 4 in the bottom of the ninth inning, attempting to preserve a tie game. However, he could only get two outs in the inning as Oswalt allowed two hits beforeJuan Uribe drove the winning run from third base on a sacrifice fly. In Game 6, facing elimination, Oswalt allowed two runs in six innings but left with the game tied; the Giants later broke the tie to win that game and the series.
Going into the 2011 season, the Phillies' top four pitchers (Roy Halladay,Cliff Lee, Oswalt, andCole Hamels) were widely touted as constituting one of the beststarting rotations in history.[27]
After a strong start to the 2011 season, Oswalt took a leave of absence from the Phillies on April 27, 2011, citing "personal reasons", namely to check on his family and home after a series ofdevastating tornadoes in Mississippi.[28] He later spent several weeks on thedisabled list due to a back injury. Overall, his season was considered to be disappointing, perhaps due to his back problems.[27]
In the2011 NLDS, Oswalt started Game 4 with the Phillies leading theSt. Louis Cardinals while needing only one more win to advance. Despite being spotted with two runs by the offense in the first, Oswalt allowed five runs in six innings and took the loss. The Phillies also lost Game 5 and were eliminated from the playoffs.
After the 2011 season for the Phillies, the team declined his option, thus making him a free agent.
Oswalt was regarded as one of the top starters on the free agent market and was courted by several teams.ESPN'sJayson Stark reported that Oswalt, only 34 years old and up to that point an elite pitcher, was holding out for the hope of a large salary from a team relatively close to his hometown ofWeir, Mississippi.[29] However, several of the teams on Oswalt's list were not interested, and Stark reported that Oswalt's performance in 2011 prevented other teams from offering the money he expected.[29]
On May 29, it was reported that Oswalt had signed a minor league deal with theTexas Rangers.[30]
To get back to form, Roy started four games in the Rangers' minor league system; three games for the Triple-ARound Rock Express and one for the Double-AFrisco RoughRiders. Throughout the four starts, he went 1–1 with a 5.87 ERA.
On June 20, the Rangers announced that Oswalt would make his first start with the major league club on Friday, June 22, ahome game against theColorado Rockies. In his debut with the Rangers, Oswalt pitched 62⁄3 innings. He collected 6 strikeouts, while surrendering 9 hits and one earned run. He received an ovation from the crowd as he exited.
On July 31, the Rangers moved Oswalt to the bullpen after the acquisition ofRyan Dempster.[31]
On August 23, Oswalt made a spot start against theTampa Bay Rays to giveMatt Harrison an extra day of rest. However, he was removed after two innings with soreness in his elbow. On September 11, he was diagnosed with a right forearm strain and did not throw for several days. His first appearance since the injury was on September 24 in a game against theOakland Athletics. He pitched two scoreless innings of relief. The next day, he pitched 1.1 innings.[32]
Oswalt agreed to a minor league deal with theColorado Rockies on May 2, 2013.[33] He made his Rockies debut on June 20 against theWashington Nationals, pitching 5 innings and giving up 4 earned runs on 9 hits with 11 strikeouts.
Oswalt retired after the 2013 season and went to work for his former agent.[34][35] Oswalt, along with former teammateLance Berkman signed a one-day contract with Houston to officially retire as an Astro on April 5, 2014.[36]
Oswalt was first eligible for theBaseball Hall of Fame in 2019. He received 4 votes, or 0.9%, which is less than the 5% threshold and thus became ineligible for further consideration.[37] Oswalt was inducted into theMississippi Sports Hall of Fame on August 3, 2019.[38]
Oswalt threw the following five pitches:[39]
Oswalt's repertoire and approach evolved over time. His changeup was originally a rarely usedcircle change. However, in 2010, he changed the grip to make it more similar to a "fosh" grip. Originally a fastball-curveball pitcher, Oswalt made his changeup part of his standard repertoire.[40][41] He threw it only 4% of the time in 2008, but that jumped to 19% by 2011.[39] He says it also helped compensate for slightly reduced fastball velocity as a result of his age.[41]
His curveball was a common 2-strike offering, and his changeup was frequently used in those counts to right-handed hitters. He also often used the change as a substitute for a fastball when he was behind in the count.[39] He liked to work his fastball high in the strike zone: "It's often the best pitch for me to throw to a guy who is sitting on a fastball. If I throw it high, a lot of times he'll swing and not catch up to it."[41][42]
Oswalt had good control throughout his career. He appeared in the top 10 in the National League inBB/9 rate seven times, as well as six times instrikeout-to-walk ratio. He also finished four seasons without making anerror. He finished his career with a .982fielding percentage, committing only nine errors in 487total chances over 2245.1innings pitched.[1]
Oswalt was known as one of the faster workers in baseball in terms of time between pitches.[43][44]
Oswalt is married and has three daughters.[3][45] They reside inStarkville, Mississippi.[46] In 2021, he opened a steakhouse in Starkville named "44 Prime."[47]
Roy Oswalt wears long pants on days when he's not pitching, but always displays his high socks on the mound.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | National LeaguePitcher of the month August 2002 September 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | No-hit game June 11, 2003 (withMunro,Saarloos,Lidge,Dotel, &Wagner) | Succeeded by |
|
