With all the acquisitions and trades surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies pitching staff, you’ve gotta start wondering what the hell is going on.

• Last year it was Cliff Lee joining the Phillies in a mid-season trade, only to send him off packing before the start of the 2010 season. Lee will make around $9 million this year.
• Earlier this year it was the trade for ace Roy Halladay, who has yet to disappoint in Philadelphia. He even had a perfect game this year and is worth every penny of his contract.

And now, as the trade deadline looms and teams are readying for the post-season, the Phillies once again go out and acquired a star pitcher – Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros.

Update: Oswalt will make his Philly debut today (Friday) against the Washington Nationals.

The kicker… Oswalt is to make approx. $15 million this year and he was reportedly asking for the 2011 option year to be picked up by whichever team he was traded to. R. Oswalt spent his entire career in Houston, who drafted him in the 23rd round (684th overall)  in 1996 (source).

Roy Oswalt Phillies Trade Video & Media

Cliff Lee has not declined, and in fact has been a stalwart in the American League w/ the Seattle Mariners before being traded (again) earlier this month to the Texas Rangers who are pushing strong towards a division title & the playoffs. The Phillies were even rumored to be in the running to re-acquire Lee again before he ended up w/ the Rangers.

I think at this point, besides the fact they are trying to win, you’ve got to ask their management what in the hell is going on? Why didn’t they just hold on to Cliff Lee in the first place? They could have had Lee at almost 40% less than the cost of Oswalt for potentially this year & next if they re-signed him again.

The arrival of Roy Oswalt in Philadelphia will greatly shape the pennant race in the National League – Philly is now the TOP team in the National League and has a great chance to advance to the World Series.

This gives them arguably the best starting rotation in all of baseball and most certainly the best trio of starters in Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. Imagine facing these guys on consecutive nights in the post-season?? Most teams would cringe at the thought.

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