Roy Oswalt pitched very well Wednesday in Milwaukee, and has pitched pretty well this season overall despite a 3-6 record. He has allowed far less hits than innings pitched. He has started every game. Both good signs, because there have been some injury issues in the past (aren't there usually with starting pitchers).
And he is available. The Houston Astros are not doing well and figure to be cutting him from the payroll because he is a 30-something pitcher, making $15 million per year, who isn't what he used to be.
Would Oswalt help the Tigers? He wouldn't hurt, that's for sure. Unless they do something stupid, like many of their fans are clamoring for, and trade for Oswalt, "regardless the cost."
If you pick up more than $30 million in contracts, and that player doesn't pan out with exceptional performance, the costs down the road to a franchise are enormous. It's same type of poor thinking that led the Tigers to signing Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Bonderman long term. The value of their performance hasn't anywhere come close to equaling their contracts. At least it could be justified in the sense both pitchers were in their early 20s when they were signed long term. Oswalt has a lot of miles on him. He's also pitched in the National League, where the hitters aren't of quite the same caliber, and there is no designated hitter. And if he does well, he'd likely walk from Detroit when his contract is complete anyway. He has no attachment here. His contract was signed in 2006 - before the economics of the game changed dramatically. He is a $5 million pitcher making $15 million this season - and set to make $16 million next season. He is the Magglio Ordonez of pitchers, in a sense.
He has a great name, though. He is remembered from the 2005 postseason. But he isn't the same pitcher he was back then. Not even close. Hasn't been for awhile.
How many people who are clamoring for Oswalt so badly have actually seen him pitch lately? He is just a big name, not necessarily a big-time pitcher at this point.