For a good portion of the decade, Roy Oswalt has been the one mainstay on the Astros’ pitching staff. You could pencil him in for 15-20 wins each season and know he’d put in his finest performance every time he got the start. But it may be time to say goodbye, not during the season but during the upcoming winter.

Let me begin by saying that, the Astros have lots of reasons to show appreciation to the young pitcher from Wier, MS. Without him, the Astros would never have made two playoffs and one World Series. He’s been a stand-up guy and a strong competitor. If the Astros appeared to be a team able to compete in the next few seasons, I’d want to keep him around.

But the actuality is that the Astros seem like they’ll have to to take a step or two backwards before they can go forward. Since 2007, they have relentlessly tried to obtain another World Series by putting more experienced lineups on the field and it visibly hasn’t paid off.

entering next baseball season, the Astros will have to disburse three significant salaries, all with no-trade clauses. Two of the contracts, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee, reveal no sign they would allow a trade. Oswalt skirts around the question but it seems unambiguous he would go anywhere that could put a World Series ring on his hand and blend with his daily life.

It’s been a testing year for Roy who is not used to being this deep into the time of year and still be stuck on 7 victories. He’s in danger of not earning 10 wins for the first time in his major league existence. He hasn’t been boosted by much run support and, when he has, something has often hindered him from getting the win, whether it be a trifling injury, some bloopers behind him or a bullpen meltdown.

You don’t need to speculate when he says he “didn’t come here to be on a middle-of-the-road team” and said, after his most recent defeat in St. Louis, that the players are “simply going through the motions” to know he’s not pleased playing here.

So, where else could Oswalt go? I sense Oswalt would have a preference to be in the South or the Midwest. Teams like Arizona, Kansas City and the Twins don’t have the financial means to afford Roy’s contract. Likewise, Florida and the Rays would be good fits except the teams don’t have the money.

Until recently, the concept of dealing Oswalt would have been met with hasty rejection but it seems apparent Roy doesn’t want to stay through a rebuilding run (if there is one) and he won’t be content about being an Astro if Cooper is still the boss. Getting rid of his salary brings liberation and elasticity to Astros”s purses which might make them a bit more brave to offer arbitration to players who will bring draft prospects our way if they commit to a different place.

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