I believe we have to sign him today or he goes to arbitration...which, judging by how this offseason has gone, wouldnt surprise me if we ended up screwing this up too.
If he does, I suggest the Philly sub sandwich. I don't think he will go, they signed Berkman before time, so Oswalt should settle.
Oswalt asked for $7.8 million and the Astros offered $6. They set his arbitration hearing for mid Feb, giving the max amout of time to work something out before hand. I have a feeling it will be a deal worth about $7 million for 1 season. I'm not sure if they will go long term yet since it isn't necessary. He is still under club control until after the 2006 season, I believe. If he proves that he can remain healthy and has another season in 2005 similar to 2004, he'll get a long term deal after this next season.
I was under the impression that once Feb 1 got here, they couldn;t negotiate...hopefully they settle on something long term before the hearing.
If the Astros fail to sign Oswalt before arbitration, do they have a good plan B? (don't applaud, just throw rotten tomatoes)
Yeah! Just like he did with Hidalgo!!! I'm sure that Berkman and Oswalt will both go the way of our two superstars from the last decade. On to some other team while Uncle Dreighton McLain was counting all the money he's stolen from the fans over the years. Oh wait, that didn't happen.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3018718 The three remaining Astros eligible for salary arbitration — righthanders Roy Oswalt, Tim Redding and Pete Munro — have had their hearing dates set. Redding's hearing is scheduled for Monday, Munro for Feb. 8 and Oswalt for Feb. 15, though the Astros are hoping to avoid arbitration and reach agreements with each player. The Astros haven't had a player go to arbitration since Darryl Kile in 1997. Oswalt, the only 20-game winner in the National League last year, is asking for $7.8 million and has been offered $6 million. Redding is asking for $1.4 million and has been offered $575,000, while Munro is asking for $1.1 million and has been offered $525,000. -- BRIAN McTAGGART
What Munro and Redding are thinking baffles me. If I am Oswalt, I would be ticked if this goes to arbitration. Twenty game winner and a difference of only $1.8 million in the offers, when they just gave $18 million to Clemens. What else does Oswalt have to prove. He pitches with a rib injury last year and still had a great record. Pay the guy!
yeah 7.8 mil seems very reasonable. If he had asked for 12 or so in arbitration would he have gotten it? We're luckily he seems to not be asking for even what I think he is worth.
he's worth more than the number he's asking and he'd get 10+in arbitration if he had asked for it. the astros are lucky there i think. we low-balled him but it doesn't really matter, he'll get a one year deal and if he pitches like usual he'll get paid on a multi-year contract. no problem.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3027394 Arbitration likely in Astros' future Oswalt, Redding, Munro all remain unsigned by club By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle The Astros, who haven't gone into an arbitration hearing since 1997, appear set to go to one today against righthander Tim Redding in Tampa, Fla. And unless negotiations pick up, the Astros will find themselves in an arbitration hearing Feb. 15 against young ace righthander Roy Oswalt, who has grown frustrated with the pace of his negotiations with the club. Astros owner Drayton McLane said this winter he hopes to build the future of his franchise around Oswalt and Lance Berkman. That message hasn't made it to Oswalt and his agent, Robert Garber. "We're frustrated that negotiations have not even progressed more than five minutes over an entire month," Garber said. Astros general manager Tim Purpura portrayed the negotiations differently. "I think we've been pretty active with Roy," Purpura said. "I had conversations with Roy's agent all last week." Redding, Oswalt and fellow righthander Pete Munro are the only arbitration-eligible Astros who haven't reached an agreement. The last player the Astros took to arbitration was Darryl Kile in 1997. Redding is asking for $1.4 million, $825,000 more than the Astros' offer. "I think we're pretty well headed to a hearing (with Redding)," Purpura said. Munro, whose hearing is set for Tuesday morning, is asking for $1.1 million. The Astros offered him $525,000. Oswalt, the only 20-game winner in the NL last year, filed for $7.8 million, and the Astros countered with $6 million. "We're already prepared," Garber said of Oswalt. "We can go tomorrow. I think they're prepared, too. We feel confident of our number. We feel confident the Astros are going to have trouble saying something bad about one of the best pitchers ever (with this service time)." If a report from Sunday's Long Island Newsday is true, the Astros might need Oswalt this year more than they're letting on. According to that report, McLane promised Roger Clemens he could request a trade to the Yankees if the Astros fall out of playoff contention early. That report also claimed that Andy Pettitte's surgically repaired left elbow might not be ready until a month into the season. McLane, who met with Berkman's agent Thursday in hopes of working out a multiyear deal, did not deny the validity of Newsday's report. "Anything is possible," McLane said. "But as far as any part of a written agreement, there isn't one." ASTROS IN ARBITRATION Player '04 salary Player request Club offer Roy Oswalt $3,425,000 $7,800,000 $6,000,000 Tim Redding $395,000 $1,400,000 $575,000 Pete Munro $375,000 $1,100,000 $525,000 McLane, who gave Clemens a no-trade clause with his record $18 million, one-year deal last month, says he would consider trading anyone if that player requested it. Clemens' agents were unavailable for comment. "He's got a no-trade, so we couldn't go out and trade him unless he agreed to it," McLane said of Clemens. "We'll listen to anything that is brought up, but as far as an automatic deal, that's not in the contract."
"We're frustrated that negotiations have not even progressed more than five minutes over an entire month," Garber said "I think we've been pretty active with Roy," Purpura said. "I had conversations with Roy's agent all last week." .....twilight zone music...... If a report from Sunday's Long Island Newsday is true, the Astros might need Oswalt this year more than they're letting on. According to that report, McLane promised Roger Clemens he could request a trade to the Yankees if the Astros fall out of playoff contention early. That report also claimed that Andy Pettitte's surgically repaired left elbow might not be ready until a month into the season. the hits just keep on comin...
Roy O will be signed regardless.... Clemens either plays for us or retires...period BTW....the sky is NOT falling
