Report: Cardinals Believed To Be Front Runners For Roy Oswalt

Free-agent hurler Roy Oswalt  is expected to decide which team he will play for in 2012 by today, and according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he may be leaning toward joining the Cardinals.

Entering today it was believed that the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, and Cardinals were the frontrunners to land Oswalt, however CBS Sports reports that he is not likely to sign with either Texas or Boston.  The Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, and the Pittsburgh Pirates were also believed to previously have had interest in the former ace.

Oswalt had his option declined by the Philadelphia Phillies in October, making him a free-agent.  As a result, the three-time All-Star received a $2 million buyout instead of $16 million in salary over the course of 2012.