Happ dazzles in two-hit shutout against the Cardinals

J.A. Happ was the centerpiece in the Philadelphia Phillies deal for Roy Oswalt. The Houston Astros acquired the 27-year old hoping that he could duplicate his almost-Rookie-of-the-Year performance for the Phillies in 2009.

And he hasn’t disappointed.

Happ threw a complete-game shutout against the favored St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night, allowing two harmless singles in the first and eighth innings. Ironically, Happ’s only bad start for the Astros came against these same Cardinals.

In six starts for the Astros, Happ has a 1.82 ERA. He struck out four on Monday night and has an ERA of 2.89 for the entire season.

Roy who?

As good as Oswalt has been for the Phillies, you can argue that Happ isn’t much of – if at all – a drop off. We’ll know more as we finish this season and go through the 2011 campaign, but it is possible that the Astros got the better of the deal.