--via fangraphs
According to the Denver Post, Oswalt was ?consistently at 92 mph? and ?hitting 95 on occasion? during his June 9th start for Double-A Tulsa. In another piece by the Post ? see below ? Oswalt himself suggested that he?s ?not 94 (mph) anymore? but still throwing at ?91, 92.?
Concerning Roy Oswalt?s Results in the Minors:
The 35-year-old Oswalt made five minor-league starts within the Rockies system ? all with Double-A Tulsa. Over those five starts, he posted this line: 33.1 IP, 6.75 K/9, 1.89 BB/9, 1.35 BB/9, .218 BABIP, 2.16 ERA, 4.28 FIP. Readers should note that, while likely to allow home runs to right-handers at an above-average rate for the Texas League, Tulsa?s ONEOK Field is otherwise mostly neutral.
--via rotographs
Tune in Thursday for what should be Roy Oswalt?s return to the major league. The keyword there is ?should? as the Colorado Rockies will have an announcement regarding Oswalt some time today.
Everyone may remember Oswalt?s disastrous stint in Texas last year, but a .378 BABIP will make anyone?s ERA and and FIP look bad. In fact, his 3.27 xFIP and 22.4% strikeout rate last season were among the best of his career.
How well he?ll fare in Colorado remains to be seen, but his Double-A numbers are encouraging. Oswalt sports a 2.16 ERA ? though a 4.28 FIP ? in five starts spanning 33.1 innings and a 3.57 strikeout to walk ratio. In deep mixed leagues or NL-only leagers, Oswalt is worth a stash. Starting him right away might be a bit rash, so seeing how his peripherals shake out will be very interesting. One can own Oswalt in over 80% of CBS leagues and 97%+ of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues.
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--from Denver Post
Roy Oswalt offers a correction when asked how his comeback is progressing as he attempts to join the Rockies' pitching staff.
"I never really quit baseball," Oswalt said Thursday from his hotel room in Little Rock, Ark., where the Tulsa Drillers are playing a series against the Arkansas Travelers in the Double-A Texas League.
The veteran right-hander is pitching his way back to the big leagues.
Oswalt makes his fifth and final start for the Drillers on Friday. He is 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA and believes he has pitched well enough that an opt-out date in his contract with the Rockies won't become a factor. If he's not on their roster by Tuesday, he could become a free agent.
While he doesn't throw as hard as he once did, Oswalt said he throws hard enough to have success in the big leagues again.
"I'm not 94 (mph) anymore," Oswalt, 35, said of the velocity of his fastball. "I'm 91, 92, and that's what I was in some of the best years of my career. Overall, I've been pretty pleased with the way I've been able to pitch."
Before pitching for the Drillers, he got in some innings in extended spring training at the Rockies' complex in Scottsdale, Ariz.
"When I first started down in Arizona, I didn't have fastball command. But I've been throwing more fastballs, and my command has improved," Oswalt said.
In his four starts for the Drillers, Oswalt has pitched 25 innings, allowed 19 hits and eight earned runs, walked six and struck out 18. He also has allowed five home runs. He wants to get his strikeout-to-walk ratio to around 4-1.
"He knows what he's doing out there, and there's a lot left," Tulsa manager Kevin Riggs said. "I've been impressed with his changeup. It's a lot better than I remember from the past."
Drillers pitching coach Darryl Scott said Oswalt has pitched well and "looks good from an arm-strength standpoint."
Scott added that Oswalt has been a good influence on the young pitchers on the Tulsa staff with his attitude and work ethic.
Oswalt has a major-league career record of 163-96.
He said he hasn't found it difficult to pitch in Denver, with its mile-high elevation.
"If you make quality pitches, you'll get outs in Denver or in the old Polo Grounds in New York," Oswalt said.
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According to the Denver Post, Oswalt was ?consistently at 92 mph? and ?hitting 95 on occasion? during his June 9th start for Double-A Tulsa. In another piece by the Post ? see below ? Oswalt himself suggested that he?s ?not 94 (mph) anymore? but still throwing at ?91, 92.?
Concerning Roy Oswalt?s Results in the Minors:
The 35-year-old Oswalt made five minor-league starts within the Rockies system ? all with Double-A Tulsa. Over those five starts, he posted this line: 33.1 IP, 6.75 K/9, 1.89 BB/9, 1.35 BB/9, .218 BABIP, 2.16 ERA, 4.28 FIP. Readers should note that, while likely to allow home runs to right-handers at an above-average rate for the Texas League, Tulsa?s ONEOK Field is otherwise mostly neutral.
--via rotographs
Tune in Thursday for what should be Roy Oswalt?s return to the major league. The keyword there is ?should? as the Colorado Rockies will have an announcement regarding Oswalt some time today.
Everyone may remember Oswalt?s disastrous stint in Texas last year, but a .378 BABIP will make anyone?s ERA and and FIP look bad. In fact, his 3.27 xFIP and 22.4% strikeout rate last season were among the best of his career.
How well he?ll fare in Colorado remains to be seen, but his Double-A numbers are encouraging. Oswalt sports a 2.16 ERA ? though a 4.28 FIP ? in five starts spanning 33.1 innings and a 3.57 strikeout to walk ratio. In deep mixed leagues or NL-only leagers, Oswalt is worth a stash. Starting him right away might be a bit rash, so seeing how his peripherals shake out will be very interesting. One can own Oswalt in over 80% of CBS leagues and 97%+ of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues.
---------------
--from Denver Post
Roy Oswalt offers a correction when asked how his comeback is progressing as he attempts to join the Rockies' pitching staff.
"I never really quit baseball," Oswalt said Thursday from his hotel room in Little Rock, Ark., where the Tulsa Drillers are playing a series against the Arkansas Travelers in the Double-A Texas League.
The veteran right-hander is pitching his way back to the big leagues.
Oswalt makes his fifth and final start for the Drillers on Friday. He is 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA and believes he has pitched well enough that an opt-out date in his contract with the Rockies won't become a factor. If he's not on their roster by Tuesday, he could become a free agent.
While he doesn't throw as hard as he once did, Oswalt said he throws hard enough to have success in the big leagues again.
"I'm not 94 (mph) anymore," Oswalt, 35, said of the velocity of his fastball. "I'm 91, 92, and that's what I was in some of the best years of my career. Overall, I've been pretty pleased with the way I've been able to pitch."
Before pitching for the Drillers, he got in some innings in extended spring training at the Rockies' complex in Scottsdale, Ariz.
"When I first started down in Arizona, I didn't have fastball command. But I've been throwing more fastballs, and my command has improved," Oswalt said.
In his four starts for the Drillers, Oswalt has pitched 25 innings, allowed 19 hits and eight earned runs, walked six and struck out 18. He also has allowed five home runs. He wants to get his strikeout-to-walk ratio to around 4-1.
"He knows what he's doing out there, and there's a lot left," Tulsa manager Kevin Riggs said. "I've been impressed with his changeup. It's a lot better than I remember from the past."
Drillers pitching coach Darryl Scott said Oswalt has pitched well and "looks good from an arm-strength standpoint."
Scott added that Oswalt has been a good influence on the young pitchers on the Tulsa staff with his attitude and work ethic.
Oswalt has a major-league career record of 163-96.
He said he hasn't found it difficult to pitch in Denver, with its mile-high elevation.
"If you make quality pitches, you'll get outs in Denver or in the old Polo Grounds in New York," Oswalt said.
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