Apparently, the waiting game -- at least when it comes to Roy Oswalt -- is paying off for the Red Sox.
According to old friend Jayson Stark of ESPN, Oswalt's options for 2012 have been narrowed to the Red Sox and Cardinals. Says Jay:
"He wanted to go to Texas. That's not gonna happen. He wanted to go back to Philadelphia. That's not gonna happen. He had some interest in the Reds. That doesn't seem like it's going to happen. So his choices still come down to, I think, going to Boston, where they have a clear need but he doesn't seem to want to play, and going to St. Louis, where all his friends say he would love to be. But to do that, he has to do it on their terms."
So for all the talk about what an unproductive offseason it's been for the Sox, adding Oswalt would mean they've added a solid starter, two end-of-the-game arms (Andrew Bailey and Mark Melancon), outfielders who hit from the left side (Ryan Sweeney) and the right (Cody Ross), and a boatload of arms to fill holes at the end of the rotation and in the bullpen.
Now, about the shortstop position . . .