<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>All-Star pitcher Roy Oswalt has decided to retire, and plans to work with his agent, Bob Garber. 163 wins, 102 losses.</p>— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/statuses/433289284570066945">February 11, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
His bulldozer story is one of my favorite stories of all time. Not the one Drayton bought him; the one that zapped and healed his elbow.
I thought he would have had more than 163 wins. I figured he'd end up over 200 or so. I guess the injuries really slowed him down.
He was a horse early on, but he was never fully healthy for the last 5+ years of his career, and I think that took a toll on him mentally as well as physically.
Loved watching him pitch. Favorite memory was shutting down the Cardinals in game 6 and closing the doors on Busch stadium after the Pujols moonshot.
I remember his rookie season, back when Sammy Sosa was still a thing, and he struck Sammy out and stared him down as he went back to the dugout. Rookies just don't do that, but Roy got away with it because he was a badass out of the gate. Loved the way he pitched. Moved fast, challenged hitters. Very much a no-nonsense kind of guy. I'm gonna miss him.
I loved the pace of his game when he was on. You could always tell when he was going to dominate because it was moving quickly. I remember guys like Adam Everett saying they loved it because they knew they had to be ready to go. He was simply awesome for a lot of years and my favorite Astro pitcher in the 2000's.
Probably not enough for the baseball HoF based on his last years and the injuries that affected his numbers. Definitely one of the most dominant pitchers of his time during his peak, with a nasty fastball and curve. One of my favorites of all time but I don't think his numbers would let him in to the HoF, sadly.
I'll never forget the memories that Roy and Lance gave me. They should retire at the same time as Astros. I'll for sure be at that game.
Good thing they reversed course. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Roy Oswalt on plans with Lance Berkman: "We're going to come in & sign a one-day deal & retire as Astros & be the last team we sign with."</p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/statuses/433339687814438914">February 11, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Roy Oswalt & Lance Berkman to sign one-day deals & retire as Astros. Roy: "It's great to retire with a friend like that." The date still TBA</p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/statuses/433340217613762560">February 11, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
There was a chron article that doing the 1-day thing is not easy. Glad to hear they'll work it out and that RoyO and Puma will retire Astros.
Greatest pitcher in Astros history, and that's saying something. He didn't have the good fortune of pitching in the dome. Among pitchers with 1000 innings 2nd in Wins, only 1 behind Joe Niekro 2nd in K's, behind Nolan Ryan 1st in Win % 3rd in Whip, behind Mike Scott and Turk Farrell 1st in Adjusted ERA+, well ahead of the next closest 1st in Pitching WAR
Man I miss Oswalt. I'm glad to hear that those two are going to retire as an Astros. Oswalt ends his career 1 win shy of tying Niekro, so close...
I remember his total domiation of the Cards in the '05 NLCS. Making Pujols look silly at the plate. Pure awesomness.
Absolutely love him and Berkman. Bagwell and Biggio are the 2 all-time greats, but the biggest reasons we got to our only World Series are those 2, and for that they should always be remembered.
