The Rise and Trade of Scott Kazmir
by Scrooge McSuck
I've never really been good at just "ranting" about certain subjects. Yes, I've done countless reviews of stupid wrestling shows, tried my hand at transcribing some great moments in sports, and failed miserably reviewing video games and movies. Yet I've never really ranted on a subject. Then I read an old column written by a member of DWB that was on the subject of something very dear to him, and that inspired me to write this.
First off, I am a fan of sports. I love everything, from american football and basketball to tennis (got to love the grand slam tournaments) and then to futbol, a.k.a soccer, the most unappreciated sport I can ever think of when it comes to the united states. It is my life long dream to be able to go to a World Cup match featuring Italy (the team I always root for), but that's not what this is about. The most important sport to me, and always will be, is baseball. I love it. I love watching it. I love hearing it. I love talking about it. I love reading about it. If you're talking baseball, you're my friend for at least 5 minutes.
To disect this more important, I am a fan of the Tampa Bay (Former Devil) Rays. Since moving from New York in the winter of 2000, I have lived in Englewood, FL, in Charlotte County, where the local broadcasted team for MLB was the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Every day, I would turn on PAX66 or FSN Florida to catch the next broadcast, hearing Dewayne Staats, Joe Magrane and Todd Kalas try and tell me that the Devil Rays were worth watching, even through ten years of terrible seasons, featuring 100+ loss seasons, and nearly every season finished in last place.
Jose Canseco. Wilson Alvarez. Paul Sorrento. Kevin Stocker. Ben Grieve. Greg Vaughn. Roberto Hernandez. Fred McGriff, Roberto Alomar. These are just a few names of players from Tampa Bay's nightmarish past that were supposed to make them a winning team. Very few put in quality performances, most fizzled, and one backed out of playing only weeks before a season began. Our starting rotations have included Dwight Gooden (11 years past his prime), Juan Guzman (paid $12 mil. for 1 start) Tanyon Sturtze, Dewon Brazelton, Hideo Nomo (7 years past his prime), NBA reject Mark Hendrickson, Casey Fossum, Jae Seo, and Seth McClung. Our closers have included Lance Carter, Danys Baez, Al Reyes, and Tyler Walker, to name a few. To say since their inaugural season in 1998, that the Devil Rays were a pathetically bad team with no hope whatsoever, I'd say "there's always hope."
The day I thought everything would change, was on July 30th, 2004. That day, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays traded inconsistant starter Victor Zambrano and Quadruple-A Talent Bartolomo Fortunato to the New York Mets for Jose Diaz... and Scott Kazmir? To this day, arguably one of the worst trades in history, I thought the Rays finally had something to crow about. They just swiped one of the most promising young prosects for nothing more than a bag of beans. After a few appearences in the Rays minor league system, Kaz' made his debut at the big league level on the road, throwing 5 scoreless innings in a 9-0 victory against the Seattle Mariners. Surely, a sign of promising things to come.
With the arrival of Scott Kazmir, the Rays finally had someone to tag with the #1 starter title, with the recipiant of the title deserving it. While the rotation and bullpen remained messes, at least every 5th game, you were guaranteed to watch someone of all-star caliber skills. While some tried to refute his skills and potential because of his pitching style and being slighter under-sized for such a hard thrower, nothing could prevent me from rooting him on as hard as I could.
In 2006, Kaz was named to his first All-Star game as, what was common for the time, the only selection from the Tampa Bay Rays. Following the announcement, Kaz' put on the greatest performance of his career, in my eyes, throwing a two-hit, complete game, shutout against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field (he carried a one-hitter into the 9th before allowing a double to Manny).
In 2007, I got to accomplish one of my dreams of watching my two favorite pitchers from two generations go head-to-head, when Kaz went up against Roger Clemens on July 13th at the Trop. Neither put in their greatest performance, but to this day, it's one of my fondest memories of going to the ballpark. Kaz finished the season the Strikeout King of the American League, totaling 239 for the season (included a standing O' from the Tampa crowd when he passed Johan Santana on their final appearences of the season with #236) and putting together another great season for what was otherwise a forgetable one for everyone else on the team.
Talking about in depth 2008 would be a waste of time to go into detail for it's lack of relevance to the main subject, but finally being able to see the team enjoy success with guys like Kaz and Carl Crawford on the roster, after suffering through years of futility. 2008 saw Kaz open the season hot and making his 2nd All-Star appearence, completeing the 15th inning for the American League victory, while battery-mate Dioner Navarro and DH (usually 3rd baseman) Evan Longoria were on the field as well for the victory. Kaz' struggled the rest of the season, but was still able to show flashes of greatness throughout the post-season, including becoming the first Rays pitcher to start a World Series game, in what ended up being a good duel with Cole Hamels of the Phillies.
The last baseball game I have attended as of this writing (September 13th, 2009), was a Single-A game played between the Charlotte Stone Crabs and the Lakefield Flying Tigers. I only mention this because the starting pitcher that night was Scott Kazmir, on a rehab assignment after being placed on the DL for a strained hamstring. Before the game, I got to meet Kaz face-to-face and got his autograph on a baseball I currently keep on display proudly on my shelf of baseball knick-knacks. Even though he only pitched 4.2 innings (striking out four, walking one, and allowing no runs), being able to see Kaz' for one last time, from the front row along the first base line, was an unbelievable feeling.
As the 2009 trade deadline approached, rumors were circulating about the possible trade of the Rays pitching ace. After leaving a game against the Yankees in his last start at home before the deadline, the Tropicana Field crowd gave Kaz a standing ovation, having pitched deep into the game, allowing only one run. July 31st passed, and no trade was made. I was relieved. Then, August 28th. Before heading off to sleep, I come across the startling headline "Kazmir traded to Angels for Prospects" and my heart sank. How could the Rays front office do this? Kazmir was one of the heart and soul players of the team, constantly battling to keep the team going, and always bringing the best he had to give. Kaz clearly established himself as their best pitcher, becoming the teams all-time leader in strikeouts, wins, and ERA among other categories. Did none of this mean anything? Or was it his contract? A potential $39 million owed to him up through 2012. Is that so much? Was his 5.92 ERA that unsettling? Why? Why would they do this? What could they possibly have gotten for him? Sean Rodriguez, who has nowhere to play? A hard throwing undersized lefty at least two years away from seeing the majors? Was it just to save money to throw at Carl Crawford and hope he doesn't hitch his cart to a bigger market with a bigger wallet?
On August 28th, 2009, a part of me died. Scott Kazmir had been my favorite player for the last five years. For christmas this past year, I was given a modest yet wonderful framed photograph/plaque of Kazmir from my fiance', knowing I was the biggest Kaz' fan around. Both times I've been able to see him pitch, I really can't describe the feelings I got from it. There was just something in the air that made me feel like "this is a moment I will cherrish forever." My tattered, green, Devil Rays shirt with old #19 on the back still hangs in my closet, and was last worn at the game I previously mentioned. From July 30th, 2004 - August 28th, 2009, I believed in the Rays. I believed that they wouldn't pull the rug out from under me and trade him away when he was worth his due. I believed in the small market team keeping the hero in town as long as they could. That belief in me is dead, and I don't know if I can ever get it back.
Now, 3,000 miles away, my favorite player is donning the red caps of the Los Angeles Angels. Every 5th day, the fans in California will get to see and feel what I've been able to experience the last five years, on a regular basis. I remain a fan of Kazmir. I will always maintain that title, as long as he's around. My framed photograph of him hanging on my wall remains in tact, no matter how betrayed I feel by the team printed across the chest of his jersey. My memories of Kazmir cannot be touched and never be tarnished. When the playoffs come around this October, yours truely will be pulling hard for the Angels. Most importantly, I will be rooting extra hard for Scott Kazmir. To get that ring I thought he would be wearing as a member of Tampa Bay.
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