Could Stephen Strasburg lead the Nationals to Roy Oswalt?

Everybody's favorite phenom has become one of, if not the, major selling points of the Nationals. Just ask Roy Oswalt:

Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt would be open to waiving his no-trade clause and pitching for the Nationals if they and the Astros agree on a deal, Oswalt said today.

Oswalt, who has requested a trade from the 17-34 Astros, said he would be willing to play "anywhere" he can contend. He cited the Nationals' offensive potential and the ensuing call-up of phenom Stephen Strasburg as reasons for his potential interest in playing in Washington.

"They've been playing well," Oswalt said. "They've got a good offensive club. I saw where they have Strasburg coming up. He should make an immediate impact, especially, because no one's seen him in the league, early. There's always a little adjustment period there."

For a pitcher of Roy Oswalt's caliber to make a statement like that, it shows two things: how well the Nationals have been playing so far this season and how good everyone thinks Stephen Strasburg will be. Sure Oswalt stated that he will play "anywhere," but the Nationals never would have been in the conversation if not for their respectable start and because of some guy named Strasburg. There is no doubt that Oswalt sees a phenom like Strasburg and starts thinking how good the Nationals could be with a Oswalt-Strasburg duo at the top of the rotation.

This quote is much more important than just Roy Oswalt. What this quote suggests is that the Nationals could become a popular destination for free agents in the near future...in large part because of Stephen Strasburg. Think about that for a second: the Nationals, who for years relied on bargain basement players to make out their struggling roster, could now become a desired destination in the very near future.