Chapter 115 of Everystros features the final pitcher in the countdown.
Everystros CXV
7. Roy Oswalt (Bagwell score 62.54) is a six-foot right-handed pitcher from Kosciusko, MS. Born on August 29, 1977, he was a 23rd-round pick in 1996 out of Holmes University. He first reached the majors with the Astros in 2001, going 14-3 with a 2.73 ERA. He issued 24 walks and struck out 144 in 141 2⁄3 innings, with a 1.059 WHIP and a .235/.273/.361 opposing slashline. He led the NL with a .824 winning percentage and finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year Award vote. As a hitter, he slashed .191/.208/.213 with one walk and three sacrifice hits.
On August 4, Oswalt pitched a three-hitter, striking out seven to defeat the Montreal Expos, 4-1. On August 30, he struck out nine over a complete game three-hitter, defeating the Cincinnati Reds, 6-1. On September 9, he struck out 12 and pitched a seven-hitter, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-0.
In 2002, Oswalt went 19-9 with a 3.01 ERA and a 1.189 WHIP. He issued 62 walks and struck out 208 in 233 innings, allowing his opponents a .247/.299/.369 slashline. He slashed a line of .130/.183/.156 with four RBI, four walks and seven sacrifice hits as a hitter. On June 27, he struck out nine against one walk, allowing no runs on four hits over eight innings of a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Oswalt went 10-5 in 21 starts in 2003, with a 2.97 ERA. He issued 29 walks and struck out 108 in 127 1⁄3 innings, with a 1.139 WHIP and an opposing slashline of .246/.296/.375. He went seven-for-39 at the plate with two walks and seven sacrifice hits.
On April 8, Oswalt struck out six against four hits and two walks over eight innings, keeping the Reds to one run in an eventual 2-1 loss to Cincinnati. On May 31, he kept the Cubs scoreless on five hits and no walks over seven innings, in an eventual 1-0 loss to Chicago. On September 13, he struck out eight over seven shutout four-hit innings to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-0. On September 24, he held the Giants to one run on three hits and no walks, striking out six over eight frames to defeat San Francisco, 2-1.
The 2004 campaign would see Oswalt lead the NL in victories, going 20-10 with a 3.49 ERA in 35 starts. He walked 62 and struck out 206 in 237 innings with a 1.245 WHIP and a .260/.315/.385 opposing slashline. he went 10-for-71 at the plate, with six RBI and 13 sacrifice hits.
On April 16, Oswalt struck out 10 and pitched a three-hitter to defeat the Brewers, 2-0. On June 27, he struck out nine and held the Rangers scoreless on four hits and no walks, in a 1-0 Astros win over Texas. On August 6, he struck out eight and walked one, holding the Expos to five hits in a 4-0 complete-game victory.
In 2005, Oswalt pitched a career-high 241 2⁄3 innings, going 20-12 with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.204 WHIP. He issued 48 walks and struck out 184, making his first All-Star Team and holding his opposition to a .262/.302/.389 line. He slashed .178/.211/.178, going 13-for-73 with two walks and seven sacrifice hits. On April 20 he struck out eight Brewers in a 6-1 win, allowing one run on four hits in a 6-1 victory over the Crew. On June 12, he struck out three and walked zero, pitching a two-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
In eight postseason games between 2004 and 2005, Oswalt was 4-0 with a 3.66 ERA. He issued 19 walks and struck out 32.
Oswalt made the All-Star Team for the second time in 2006, going 15-8 with an NL-leading 2.98 ERA over 33 appearances, all but one starts. He walked 38 and struck out 166 in 220 2⁄3 innings, with a 1.169 WHIP, a NL-leading 4.368 K/BB, and an opposing line of .263/.299/.403, and went 10-for-66 from the plate with an ML-leading 20 sacrifice hits. On April 3, he struck out eight and walked one over eight five-hit shutout innings, in a 1-0 win over the Florida Marlins. On September 3, he struck out nine and walked one over 7 2⁄3 innings of three-hit shutout ball to top the New York Mets, 2-1.
In 2007, Oswalt was 14-7 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.325 WHIP. He walked 60 and struck out 154 in 212 innings, making the All-Star Team for the third and final time. His 6.6 bWAR led all pitchers in the National League. On July 28, he struck out 10 Padres and gave up only an unearned run on three hits and a walk over seven innings, in a 3-1 win over San Diego. On August 29, he struck out nine over seven innings, walking zero and holding the Cardinals scoreless over seven four-hit innings to top St. Louis, 7-0.
Oswalt posted a 17-10 record in 2008, with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.179 WHIP. He started 32 games, walking 47 and striking out 165 in 208 2⁄3 innings while holding hitters to a .253/.300/.392 line. On August 17, he struck out 10 Diamondbacks over eight innings, holding Arizona scoreless on two walks and one hit in a 3-0 Houston victory. On September 6, he pitched a one-hitter, striking out six and walking two in a 2-0 victory against the Colorado Rockies. In his next start five days later, he struck out four and pitched a three-hitter, in a 6-0 win over the Pirates.
In 2009, Oswalt was 8-6 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.241 WHIP. He kept opponents to a .265/.313/.419 line, walking 42 and striking out 138 in 181 1⁄3 innings. On June 29, he struck out eight Padres and allowed two walks, pitching a two-hit, 3-1 victory over San Diego. On July 17, he struck out five and pitched a four-hit, 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Over the first part of the 2010 season, Oswalt was 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA, the only under-.500 season of his Astros tenure. He had a 1.109 WHIP with a .229/.281/.372 opposing line, with 34 walks and 120 strikeouts in 129 innings. On May 26, he struck out nine and walked one, holding the Brewers to four hits over eight scoreless innings in a 5-0 victory over Milwaukee. On July 8, he pitched a one-hitter, striking out eight walking two, and completing a 2-0 victory over Pittsburgh.
On July 29, 2010, the Astros traded Oswalt to the Philadelphia Phillies for Anthony Gose, J.A. Happ and Jonathan Villar. Oswalt played the rest of the season plus 2011 with the Phillies (16-11, 2.96, 221 2⁄3 IP, 166 K), the 2012 season with the Rangers (4-3, 5.80, 59 IP, 59 K), and 2013 with the Colorado Rockies (0-6, 8.63, 32 1⁄3 IP, 34 K).