Texas Rangers Roy Oswalt Declined to Pitch in Loss to Kansas City

Texas Rangers pitcher Roy Oswalt’s time with the ball-club may be nearing an end after the veteran pitcher declined to return to the mound against Kansas City Sunday.

Oswalt pitched two scoreless innings in the Rangers' 7-6 loss in 10 innings to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. With the score tied at 6, he set down the side in order in the seventh and eighth innings while throwing only 30 pitches.

The Rangers wanted Oswalt to keep pitching. He declined to do so.

"He said he couldn't go any further," manager Ron Washington said. "He said he had enough."

Good-bye, so long Oswalt. You can’t have that sort of attitude on a team trying to make it back to a third straight World Series appearance.

Oswalt was moved into the bullpen after six starts with Texas when the Rangers acquired Ryan Dempster from the Chicago Cubs prior to the trade deadline. Oswalt had made it clear to Rangers brass and Washington that he didn’t want to pitch in relief.

Well sir, if that’s the case pitch better.

Scott Feldman had won six straight while Oswalt was 3-2 with a 6.49 ERA in his six starts. The decision really wasn’t that difficult Roy.

I understand pitchers are a unique breed and Oswalt has been a starter his entire career, but he’s a shell of his former self.

It’s sad that it’s come to this. You would think after falling short in 2005 after being swept by the Chicago White Sox in the World Series while with the Houston Astros that Oswalt would want to be a part of a team with an above-average chance to not only return for a third straight season but to actually win it.

Oswalt wasn’t available to comment after the game to discuss the situation. Texas opens a three-game series with the Red Sox Monday afternoon in Boston. Color me surprised if Oswalt is still on the roster by series end, unless he buys into his new role.