FanHouse's Tom Fornelli is reporting on discussions between the Astros and other teams:
A source who speaks to Oswalt told FanHouse that Oswalt has a definite preference, and that it appears to be the St. Louis Cardinals.
According to the report a league executive with knowledge of what the Astros told an interested team -- possibly the Phillies -- Oswalt would prefer a trade to the Cardinals. The Cardinals have also expressed an interest in Oswalt as well, so a deal for the Astros ace that would put him in a rotation that already features Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright looks possible.
Roy is really starting to piss me off, here. He has to understand the position he is putting the Astros in. He's basically indicating that, while he'll waive his no-trade clause to go to Philadelphia, he would rather go to St. Louis.
While Roy may be f***ing clueless about how Astros fans feel about the Cardinals, the front office isn't (they're just clueless about other things). We fans who are obsessed with minutiae can stomach holding off on passing judgment until we see the package in return, but your everyday, Richard Justice-reading Astros fan will not. And while there may be 40,000 hardcore Astros fans in the world, they don't all go to 81 games at Minute Maid.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
