WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - Phil Garner finally revealed what Astros followers have suspected for weeks: Roy Oswalt will start opening day Monday at Minute Maid Park against the Florida Marlins. Oswalt will be followed in the starting rotation by lefthander Andy Pettitte, righthander Brandon Backe and lefthander Wandy Rodriguez.
Asked if it was fair to assume rookie righthander Taylor Buchholz would be the fifth starter, Garner didn't discount the possibility.
"You wouldn't be wrong to assume that," he said. "And you can make that speculation. It might not work that way, but he certainly pitched well. I think of the participants this spring, his last two outings kind of showed he's pretty good. I'm still looking at (Fernando) Nieve."
Although Oswalt's fourth consecutive opening-day nod had been widely reported, Garner refused to make the news public until Wednesday.
"Consulting with the powers that be, my staff and the one who really runs the team, my wife (Carol), we decided on Roy Oswalt," he said with a smile.
Oswalt is the only pitcher in the majors to post 20-win seasons the last two years. No National League pitcher has had three consecutive 20-win seasons since Tom Glavine accomplished the feat from 1991-93.
"If I get 35-36 starts, it doesn't matter if I pitch first or last," Oswalt said. "It's good to get started out with a win, for sure. But other than that, if you're starting 35 games the goal is to win 20 or more."
Oswalt was 20-12 with a 2.94 ERA last year. Pettitte was 17-9 with a 2.39 ERA.
"Actually, we're blessed to have two No. 1 starters," Garner said. "Even before I got here, I always considered Andy Pettitte particularly special. Certainly he deserves it, too."
Oswalt and Pettitte are mild-mannered guys, but Pettitte had a little fun earlier in camp when Garner told him Oswalt would start opening day.
"He told Andy and Andy acted like he was mad and walked out," Oswalt said. "(Pettitte's) the same way I am. If he starts first or second, it doesn't matter."
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3758228.html
Absolutely deserved. This guy is still one of my favorite pitchers in the game and he continues to get it done. I wonder what it will look like if he can have a full season without injury.
