By Matt Snyder
Phillies starting pitcher Roy Oswalt has left his team due to personal reasons, it was revealed early Wednesday afternoon. Amidst questions and speculation, the Phillies public relations department released a statement to let everyone know why Oswalt left. It reads as follows:
“There has been a tremendous amount of tornado activity near Roy’s home in Mississippi resulting in several tragic deaths and significant devastation to the area. Because of this, Roy is concerned about his family’s well-being. He has chosen to take time to make sure there wasn’t significant damage to his home, but more importantly, to make certain that his wife and children are okay. It is almost a year to the day that his parents’ home was destroyed by a tornado which has heightened his concern about the current situation. We are hopeful that he will rejoin the team for his next start, but will take that day by day.”
Oswalt may have been distracted during his Tuesday night outing, and it’s hard to blame him. CSNPhilly.com is reporting that Oswalt was alone with his cell phone in the dugout for a “long period of time” and appeared to be “reading and sending messages” just hours before the game against Arizona began. Then, after the game, Oswalt left before the clubhouse was open to reporters, a rarity for a standup guy like Oswalt. He took his first loss of the 2011 season (3-1) with a three-inning outing. He lasted only three innings, allowing six hits, five earned runs and a walk with no strikeouts. It ballooned his ERA up to 3.33 from 1.88.
Oswalt, 33, is a three-time All-Star who went 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA for the Phillies last season after coming over in a trade from the Astros. He had previously spent his entire career with Houston. A few starts back, he left early with a back injury, but the Phillies have reiterated he’s completely healthy and the leave is purely for family purposes.
General manager Ruben Amaro noted the Phillies expect Oswalt back before his next scheduled start, which is Tuesday. (CSNPhilly.com )
Yankees or remain with the Rangers. Many sources had reported that there was a mystery third team involved but few believed it to be true. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan was the first to report the surprise signing. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the deal with the Phillies is for 5 years at approximately $20 million per year. If this is true, Lee left a lot of money on the table in order to return to the City of Brotherly Love.
st in Angels outfielder Juan Rivera
acknowledged their desperate need for a reliable left-handed option from the bullpen. Scott Eyre, retired, has been discussed and several intriguing waiver trade options exist. Brian Tallet of the Blue Jays, Brian Fuentes of the Los Angeles Angels, and Mike Gonzalez of the Baltimore Orioles could all get the job done.
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