It really isn't any surprise, in fact this was expected as soon as the season ended.
The Phillies have chosen to deny relief pitcher Brad Lidge's and starting pitcher Roy Oswalt's contract options for the 2012 season.
Oswalt and Lidge are now eligible for free agency, but that doesn't neccesarily mean they won't be able to return to the Phillies.
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. stated earlier this afternoon, that he would stay in contact with them over the off-season, and would be happy to bring them back to the team for next year.
The price to buyout Lidge's and Oswalt's options were $1.5 million and $2 million respectively. Had the Phillies not bought out their options, they would have owed Lidge $12.5 million and Oswalt $16 million for the 2012 season.
Buying out their contracts was clearly the better move considering the Phillies have $110.5 million devoted to nine players already.
Although their tenures with the Phillies may not be over just yet, both Lidge and Oswalt have experienced great runs in their time with Philadelphia.
Lidge was injured for much of the 2011 season. He only had 25 outings, with an 0-2 record, but had a 1.40 ERA. It didn't seem like at times during the season, but Lidge got the job done.But when you think of Brad Lidge, you have to think of his spectacular 2008 campaign. In his first year with the team, Lidge went 48 for 48 in save oppurtunities, and to cap it all off, he closed out game five of the World Series by striking out former Tampa Bay Ray Eric Hinske in three pitches, to give the Phillies their first world championship in 28 years and the city's first in 25.
Roy Oswalt was shipped over from Houston in a trade deadline deal in the 2010 campaign, the former ace of the Astros joined Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels to create one of the most fearsome rotations in baseball.In 2011, that rotation became even more of a nightmare to the rest of the majors when the Phillies signed another ace in Cliff Lee.
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