Can I love this Rockies killer?
Day 43
The answer is yes…
“A-Rod’s numbers shouldn’t count for anything,” Oswalt said in a phone interview with MLB.com. “I feel like he cheated me out of the game.”
Oswalt’s feelings extend to other proven steroids users as well.
“The ones that have come out and admitted it, and are proven guilty, [their numbers] should not count. I’ve been cheated out of the game,” Oswalt continued. “This is my ninth year, and I’ve done nothing to enhance my performance, other than work my butt off to get guys out.”
It was the last game for me in ’08 and I had hoped the Rockies would leave me with a win.
This isn’t what I saw. Instead, I witnessed one of the most impressive pitching displays I have ever seen in person. The Houston Astros Roy Oswalt would take the win with a complete-game one- hitter over my Rockies.
This guy was throwing in the mid 90’s in the eigth inning. He had pitched the entire game and I could not believe what I was seeing. Oswalt has a career 1.84 ERA versus the Rockies and he’s definitely a Rockies killer, but I now can love him despite that.
After reading his comments on Arod and steroids I took a sigh of relief as I could rest assured this guy was doing it right.
No, I am not naive and believe every player who has come out and said he didn’t do steroids in believable. But Oswalt wasn’t just coming out, he was busting out with anger and resentment for everyone who has used steroids and, “cheated him out of the game.”
It’s tough today to decide who is real and who is not. I think every fan fears the 103 unknown players because who’s to say it is not your favorite player. It’s a loaded gun with one bullet and nobody really wants to play Russian roulette.
Nobody wants to tarnish a memory or an image of a player maybe they have carried with them for who knows how long.
Houston Astros fans and baseball fans, in my opinion, can put at least one guy in the done it right clean column. Hopefully, before it is all said and done, we will have a lot more guys in that column with no doubt what-so-ever.
Photo- Chicago Sun-TImes
Quote- MLB.com
Rocky Mountain Way...Outside Coors looking in 
Yes. I think we can add a few more to the column…I hope, at least.
http://imbringingdiamondback.mlblogs.com
Bdacks- I sure hope so! I’d prefer it’d be a lot more but I’m guessing time will tell.
-Tom
It’s nice to know that there’s at least one guy out there who is willing to stand up against steroids and fight back.
Emily
http://deconstructingthoughts.mlblogs.com/
I’ve never really had an opinion regarding Oswalt until he made these comments. (OK, I lied. I hated him in one game: Game 3 of the 2005 World Series. But I hated every pitcher we faced that offseason, so it was nothing personal.) I never thought of it as cheating other players out of the game, so now there’s a new perspective of looking at this scandal, and I think I like this one. Or I at least like him sticking to his beliefs.
Jen
http://ajroxmywhitesox.mlblogs.com
Emily- I don’t agree with tearing pages out of the record book but I love the fact he is talking out even against other players for what is right. That deserves my respect.
Jen- Same here. he tore my Rockies up with surgical precision but just the idea he is taking on cheating when he has worked so hard I love.
-Tom
I think everyone who hasn’t used steroids should be just as mad as Oswalt. i would feel cheated and hurt and betrayed because a lot of these guys are friends of the ball field so in reality they are cheating their friends.
I don’t know if numbers should be thrown out or not, I’m still kind of on the fence about it, but I am glad that someone in baseball is coming out strongly saying they are outraged and showing that they aren’t going to take it anymore. It gives me hope.
Melissa
http://clemsongirlbaseball.mlblogs.com
Melissa- It gives me hope too and I hope more players rally behind him in his anger towards cheating. The solutions will present themselves but players who do it right should be upset and vocal so their peers know. Change from within.
-Tom
Oswalt Rocks! If Buddy won’t listen to the fans, maybe he will listen to the players who are demanding change!
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
I agree, Tom, that it’ll be hard to tell who’s telling the truth and who’s blowing smoke after the A-Rod revelation. I just remember Palmeiro wagging his finger at Congress, Clinton style, and we know what happened there. Sometimes the ones who protest the loudest…
– http://janeheller.mlblogs.com
I LOVE ROY OSWALT. He’s so genuine and real… and Drayton McLane gave him a bulldozer after he won the 2005 NLCS MVP award. He had shoulder trouble early in his career but shocked the scar tissue out while messing with his car battery–them’s the real steroids, haha.
It’s hard not to love him when he spends his free time repairing roads in his hometown in Mississippi with his new bulldozer.
Kylie — http://kylie.mlblogs.com
Julia- he’s gotta listen to somebody and take personal responsibility for what he has had a part in.
Jane- I repeat I did not do steroids and then a month or so later he’s gets popped. Idiot move top five if you ask me.
Kylie- I did not know about the bulldozers! That is an awesome little tid bit. Thanks for the head up : )
-Tom
Oswalt is a pretty good pitcher, and close friend of Jake Peavy’s. In fact, Jake beat him on Opening Day last year. I’m glad a player is coming out and saying what he thinks about this situation.
http://kaybee.mlblogs.com
Kaybee- I didn’t know he was a good friend of peavy either. I’m learning more about this guy from the great comments. I told Kylie I think she should write up a blog on him so I can learn even more. That bit about the bulldozers is so cool.
-Tom
I love to hate Oswalt myself (as a STL fan) but man does he anchor a fantasy team. I don’t agree with throwing out the numbers, but I understand where he’s coming from.
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
Oswalt is a good pitcher. And I love the quote that he said! I know you were hoping for a win but look at the bright side, he made you impressed!
http://hyunyoung.mlblogs.com
Oswalt’s comments are admirable, but let’s face it…I just can’t see how the numbers can be thrown out. Do we only get the guys who have admitted to it or were busted for it? That doesn’t seem appropriate. Unfortunately for the good guys like Oswalt, a whole era will be defined by this-like it or not.
It’s a saying we utter in my line of work all the time…”because of few, many suffer.”
http://thehappyyoungster.mlblogs.com/
Jeff and Happy- I agree too that numbers cannot be tossed but I just gained a great deal of respect for the guy when he put himself out there to call out other peers. That takes some gusto.
Hyun Young- Yes he was very impressive and although he is a NL opponent I still wish him the best and sucess in all his hard work and dedication.
-Tom
Hey Tom,
Roy Oswalt is pretty great. I was at the same game with Mom and Dad. Here’s my writeup:
http://babypaul.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/09/rockies_vs_astros_pt_1.html
-PBR
http://babypaul.mlblogs.com
That’s awesome baby Paul. I didn’t want to see the no-hitter against my boys but it was impressive the whole way.
-Tom
I’m not going to fall in love with Oswalt just yet. Where was all of this righteous indignation when his teammates Andy Pettite and Roger Clemens were caught cheating? Doesn’t he think those guys could’ve cost opposing players money on their contracts?
-Erin
http://plunking-gomez.mlblogs.com