MLB Free Agents 2012: Washington Nationals Should Target Roy Oswalt

The Washington Nationals should try to sign free agent Roy Oswalt this offseason to bolster their starting rotation.

In 2011, they made strides toward being competitive in the NL East. Now all they need is a proven top-shelf starter who can help lead them past Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Why not take down Philadelphia by stealing one of their best arms? Oswalt is a gritty pitcher who could help Washington become a legitimate threat in the division.

Here's why Mike Rizzo should pursue Oswalt.

The Nationals Need Another Top-Tier Starter

To make the leap to playoff contention, the Nationals need just a couple key pieces. One of those pieces they need is another starter for the top end of the rotation to complement Stephen Strasburg.

Washington's staff is good, don't get me wrong, but they're not elite pitchers. For the most part, they're a group of young, largely unproven pitchers who have shown potential. 

The Nationals want more than potential, they want a dependable second starter who can lead them toward the division lead. The pitching they have right now will probably only get them another third place finish.

Oswalt Is a Top-Tier Starter

Oswalt would fill the Nationals' need quite well. He is a competitor that can go deep into ballgames and give the Nationals a chance to win every time he's on the mound.

Washington would have a hurler who can give them 15 wins and more than 150 strikeouts. He will challenge hitters with his mix of fastballs, sliders, curves and his new vulcan changeup.

One of the most impressive aspects of Oswalt's game is that his is almost as good against left-handed batters as he is against right-handed batters. In 2011, lefties batted .276 against him while righties batted .284.

The Nationals Need a Veteran to Lead the Staff

With Livan Hernandez and Chien-Ming Wang probably gone due to free agency, the pitching staff will be without a proven veteran.

Washington's top arms Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman and John Lannan have an average age of 25. It's tough to be successful throughout an entire season with such a young rotation.

They need a starter who can lead by example and in the clubhouse, and they would love to have a guy who has playoff experience.

Oswalt Is a Seasoned Pro

Oswalt has the track record and experience that Washington is looking for.

He's an 11-year veteran who has pitched more than 2000 innings in his career and knows the National League very well.

He's been to the playoffs four times, including a deep run to the World Series with Houston in 2005 and recent trips with Philadelphia in 2010 and 2011.

Oswalt would bring a great presence to the Nationals as they try to make a run in 2012.

Oswalt Still Has Plenty of Gas Left in the Tank

Oswalt is 34, but has several years of good baseball left in him.

Although he had a roller-coaster year in 2011, he finished strong in September. He made six starts in the month and threw 41 innings, holding opponents to a .242 batting average. 

He missed some time this season to visit his tornado-stricken hometown in Mississippi and due to back problems.

But that time off might be great for him when it comes to baseball because he didn't wear down his arm as much this summer. He'll be fresh for 2012 and beyond.