As often happens in baseball, one team's trash is another team's treasure.
To the Rays, Scott Kazmir was a guy with a 5.92 ERA who was due to make at least $22.5 million between now and 2012. To the Angels, he's a two-time All-Star who is signed for two more years with a track record of success against the Yankees.
However you slice it, the deal gives the impression that the Rays aren't holding much hope of returning to the postseason this year. They dealt Kazmir just as he was pitching better, in exchange for a couple 21-year-old minor leaguers (pitcher Alex Torres and third baseman Matthew Sweeney) and a player to be named. With a four-game deficit in the wild-card race -- and two teams to leapfrog -- it's probably wise for the Rays to start looking to the future.
That future does not include paying Kazmir $8 million in 2010 and $11 million in 2011, along with a $2.5 million buyout or $13.5 million in 2012. It's hard to blame them, considering that Kazmir has had injury problems throughout his career, and this year he had fifth-worst ERA of any pitcher who had thrown at least 100 innings.
The glass-half-full Angels, though, were obviously ready to write off this season as an aberration. Kazmir, after all, had an ERA below 4.00 every other season he'd been in the majors, including double-digit victory totals, and a winning record, in every other full season he'd pitched. Last year he was the Rays' ace as they shocked the baseball world, winning the pennant.
The Angels have been scrounging around for pitchers to fill out their rotation all season. The top three pitchers are set for the postseason, with John Lackey, Jered Weaver and Ervin Santana. Joe Saunders would be a logical No. 4 starter, but he's struggled and was recently on the disabled list. Unfortunately for the Angels, they had no one to push Saunders for that spot. They were giving the ball to such guys as Matt Palmer, Sean O'Sullivan, Shane Loux and Dustin Moseley, to name a few.
Now, they have Kazmir and Saunders to compete for that final spot in the playoff rotation.Kazmir also has a track record of success against the Yankees, a potential playoff opponent of the Angels. Kazmir is 6-4 with a 2.53 ERA in 14 career games against the Yankees. This season Kazmir is 4-0 with a 2.92 ERA against the Yankees and Red Sox.
Looking even further down the road, Kazmir gives the Angels some depth if they fail to re-sign Lackey, who is a free agent. Negotiations with Lackey haven't gone far this year, and the pitcher seems destined to at least test the market.
For the Angels, who can afford the financial risk more than the Rays, it was a no-brainer to part with two second-rate prospects in exchange for Kazmir's possible upside, this year and beyond.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-29-2009 @ 12:00AM
tonytiger18 said...
The Trading of Kazmir by the Rays suprises me.
I guess Tampa is giving up on making a push for the playoffs. Four games behind the wild card spot and they give away one of their starters for two second rate minor leaguers.
The Rays fans must be shaking their heads.
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8-29-2009 @ 1:13AM
Adam said...
What Rays fans - they are packing in a whopping 24,000 fans per night - and that's with playing a lot of games against the Yanks and Sox. This is a year after they make a run to the world series. If they were packing in 34-38,000 per night, Kaz's salary would not be a problem. The fans can blame themselves.
However, I don't think this is going to mean much to the Rays. Taking him out of the Rays rotation probably won't change much of the outcome of the season. He's a little better than a .500 pitcher - not a difference maker. As long as they don't have pitching injuries, they should be fine.
But damn, couldn't they get anything better for him?
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8-29-2009 @ 7:29AM
ed344mu said...
If you've ever gone to a game at the Trop you'd know why so few fans return. There are very few roads and the traffic is a hassle. Many of the seats are offset so you have to crane your neck to see the field. Given all the aggravation, I stay home and watch TV.
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8-29-2009 @ 9:23AM
pahudhomes said...
Both Tampa and Miami don't deserve a major league team. The attendance is pathetic in both cities. The last time the Marlins won the World Series the players were begging the fans to support them. Heck, you could have bought World Series & Playoff tickets on EBay up until the last day of the games. They didn't even sell out for the playoffs. Stupid's just brought their dumb cow bell. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
4 games out of the playoffs and they give away their ace? Ummmmmmmmmm smells of "it's all about the money"
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8-29-2009 @ 10:38AM
Wilson said...
Thr Rays WILL be sorry. Kazmir is young, just now getting the kinks out in his game, the angels are one lucky team to get him. What in the world was the Rays thinking about!!. They did the same thing with Jackson. A team don,t bring a young player up and just when he is ready to blossom, trade him off. What a dumb move.
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9-01-2009 @ 8:49PM
Wilson said...
I,am also surprised the Rays kept sonnestine and traded Kazmir,what a shame.
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10-05-2009 @ 12:40PM
kelbo322 said...
Nimrods, every one of you. Nimrods that know nothing about REAL Rays fans. I watched all the games on TV that I physically couldn't get to and with the ecomonic downturn hitting Florida VERY hard, lots of people had to resign themselves to the TV. Don't deserve a Major League team...? I think you need to take a long walk off a short pier. All the post season games sold out last year...I was at every single one. Unless you live here and really know what's going on, you might want to stop believing everything your read on teh interweb, oh King of the Douchebags. Losing Kaz was hard, but keeping Crawford will be WELL WORTH IT!!! **Shakes well used cowbell IN YOUR FACE**
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