as the bullpen turns

Roy Oswalt answered the call for the Texas Rangers today. He was rudely disconnected by the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning. Oswalt, the ex-Holmes Community College star, made his first appearance since he embroiled himself in controversy on Sunday by declining to pitch a third inning in relief (see previous post). Today, he retired the only batter he faced in the fifth inning (a run scored on a passed ball), then got three straight in the sixth. He came out for the seventh but was shelled for four runs, including a game-tying three run bomb by Will Middlebrooks. Texas, which hit four homers (Amory’s Mitch Moreland blasted his 12th), recovered to win 10-9. But the Oswalt situation just gets more complicated. He faltered as a starter but has made it clear that he isn’t happy pitching in relief. And maybe he’s not fit for that role, as today’s outing would seem to indicate. His ERA is 6.53. Now what?