Smilin' Ken and JPM have combined for a post dissecting this Roy to St. Louis rumor:
The Astros like Class A right-hander Shelby Miller but aren’t sold on the 19-year-old – or any other Cardinals prospect – as the centerpiece of an Oswalt trade, the source said...
... St. Louis has the built-in disadvantage of being in the same division as Houston; some in the industry believe Astros owner Drayton McLane wants to avoid dealing Oswalt within the National League Central.
Still, it is far too early to count out the Cardinals. The Astros presently hope to get both salary relief and a package of premium prospects. Reality may dictate that they back off one demand in order to satisfy the other.
And what about trading Brett Myers?
Right-handed starter Brett Myers is having a very good season and has attracted interest from multiple clubs. But two sources said the Astros will need to be overwhelmed in order to move him, citing the team’s hope that he could be a foundation for future rotations.
This is preposterous. Because Myers has been pitching at a level much higher than a $5m pitcher. And while Myers may enjoy pitching in Houston, he still has that mutual option (for $8m) which he can decline and go on the market this offseason to get a multi-year deal. If the Astros are confident that they can avoid that, it'll take more money to give to Myers. And if it's going to take 2+ seasons to get back to being respectable, then just pull the trigger on Myers, already.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
