Angels Finally Cut Scott Kazmir

The Angels have released left-hander Scott Kazmir. He has been getting lit up in AAA and had an ERA over 17. He has been a joke for awhile now. The weird thing is he is only 27 years old. Kazmir posted a 3.51 ERA and 742 strikeouts in 689 2/3 innings for the Rays between 2005 and 2008, including a league-high 239 K's in 2007. Then he went to the Angels and his career end (5.31 ERA and 5.7 K/9 in 35 starts).

He is young enough that if he can find his stuff he can make a comeback, and I guarantee some team will pick him up. I just don't know if he will ever find his stuff again. Mets are rumored to have interest...seems about right.

Time For The Angels To Let Kazmir Go

The Angles have been waiting for Kazmir to regain his form, but I am starting to believe he is never going to get back to being what he once was. When he was with the Rays Kazmir was a borderline Ace, but now he is a guy who tops out at 85 on the radar gun, and on top of that has poor control.

Kazmir opened the season going 1.2 innings allowing 5 runs on 5 hits with 0 Ks. It took him 63 pitches to get through 1 2/3 innings. It is really just sad at this point, and the Angels need to cut their losses. The only thing keeping him in the rotation is the fact that he is making $14.5 million left on his contract, which finally runs out after this year. It's pretty crazy to think he is only 27 years old and his arm is already shot.

Scott Kazmir, a party animal, bad influence?

According to two sources close to the Rays, the biggest reason for trading Kazmir was his negative influence on David Price. At the time, Price was struggling through a rookie campaign in which he would finish 10-7 with a 4.42 ERA.

According to our sources, it was accepted among those close to the Rays that prior to the 2009 season, Kazmir liked to partake in illegal recreational activities with his good friend Edwin Jackson. It is unclear if this played a factor in Jackson being traded prior to the 2009 season. We will let you draw your own conclusions on that one.

More importantly, when Kazmir and Price became friends during the 2009 season, the Rays apparently grew concerned. More

I don't know if this story is bs or not but it's pretty funny that when Kazmir was on the team Price went 10-7 with a 4.42 ERA and this year he's a cy young candidate 15-5 with a 2.97 ERA. So maybe that's why Scott Kazmir isn't any good anymore because he's doing a bunch of drugs. It would make logical sense because he has good stuff, and has always had potential, but just could never put it together. Maybe he should go visit Josh Hamilton.

Price Out Of Rays Rotation?

"Scott Kazmir likely will make his first start in more than a month this weekend against Florida, and manager Joe Maddon faces a decision on whether Andy Sonnanstine, rookie David Price or Jeff Niemann will be moved to the bullpen or minor leagues. Price has lost his last two starts and seems like the likely choice to get booted from the rotation considering the fact that he is a rookie and didn't start the season in the team's rotation (Sportsline)."

So far the Rays have underachieved this season. Price has all the talent in the world, but has struggled recently. This is not surprising for a rookie, even with all the hype around him. I think the Rays will take him out of the rotation, and try to plug him into the bullpen, which has been horrible this season. If the Rays can get Kazmir back to be an affective pitchers, and Price can right that bullpen the Rays will be making a lot of noise after the All-Star break.

Kazmir Might Be Back Soon

"Rays SP Scott Kazmir pitched six strong innings in his second rehab start for Triple-A Durham on Monday. Kazmir, on an 85-pitch limit, threw 78 pitches, 55 for strikes. He allowed a run on five hits, striking out five and walking one. Kazmir, out for more than a month with a strained quadriceps, will be reevaluated Tuesday. He'll either make another rehab start or return to the Rays this weekend, according to the St. Petersburg Times (Sportsline)."

The Rays have started off slow this year, but with the Yankees having a hard time getting it going the window is still open for them to make some noise. Even with some injuries to their starting rotation their real concern is their bullpen. At some point they are going to need to go out and trade for a top notch reliever (most likely a closer). I haven't read many rumors of late, but my thinking would be that they would go after guys like Soria, Sherrill, Bell, ect. The Rays are currently 6 games behind the Red Sox for first place in the AL East, but are only 2 games back from a Wild Card spot. I said before the season that I expect them to beat out the Yankees for the Wild Card spot, and I am sticking with that. This team just has too much good young talent not to be in the playoffs.

Phillies Take Game 1

Last night the knot in my stomach was actually a little bigger than my stomach itself...this caused me great discomfort. i was nervous, i was anxious, i was in a state of shock that i was actually watching the backstreet boys sing the national anthem.

i went up to a bar near my house to be in a public setting while i watched the game. Plus they had $1 hot dogs and $1.50 drafts all night...this helped the knot i just spoke of. i saw alot of old friends who came up to watch the game as well, it was truly like a blast from the past: old friends, and old feelings of Philly pride all building back up within me. It was going to be a good night.

Jimmy Rollins popped out, Jason Werth got walked, and then Chase tried to put down a bunt on the pull-shifted infield. Charlie Manuel would later say that was all him. Well he fell 0-2 in the count, fouled one off, then worked it to 2-2. Kazmir then dropped a meatball right in Utley's wheelhouse and he didnt miss. Charlie Manuel would later say that was all him.


the local establishment i was at erupted. "Shots for everyone" the bartender yelled. And shots we took.....and shots we took.


The game would test the nerves of Philly fans from there on out. What should worry people the most are two things: 1. Ryan Howard looks like a fish outta water right now, and 2. the Phillies left 11 men on base last night--8 in scoring position. these two issues have been issues most of the post season, but this is a team that will capitalize on missed opportunities more so than the NL teams the Phillies played. not to mention, the only reason they didnt put up more runs (TB) was because hamels was on the mound and throwing 7 strong innings yet again. The only thing that matters is the final score.


Tonight Brett 'the bat' Myers takes on James Shields. Tonight the pitching match up is in TB favor, that being said I would look for a more high scoring game. Hopefully Myers can go out there and have a quality start and the big names for the phillies (Rollins, Howard, Burrel) need to be productive.




I left the bar drunk, smiling, with a full and knot free stomach.

World Series Opens Tonight

Tonight in Tampa FL, two of the best left handers in all of baseball square off in game 1 of the WS: Hamels and Kazmir. As I said in both the previous rounds, the Phillies need to win when Hamels is on the hill. He's there best pitcher, and is always going to give them a chance to win more so than the rest of the rotation. Kazmir and Hamels have been compared to one another their entire careers, dating back before they were drafted. They were both drafted in 2002 and were 3 picks apart in the draft. kazmir was brought up by the mets, but since they hate keeping their young studs, he was traded before he and Hamels ever had a chance to face off in the NL east. based on their postseason performances, you have to lean towards Hamels tonight, but it all comes down to either offense being able to hit these guys.




The next major concern is how the Phillies will handle the DH spot. In the games during the regular season vs. the AL the Phillies have used Dobbs, Stairs, and Big Daddy Ryan Howard in that slot but tonight Charlie Manuel has hinted at using back up catcher Chris Coste as the DH.

I dont mind this move, hes the best right handed hitter to go up against Kazmir, but it makes me nervous to have both Phillie catchers active in the game.

Will the down time hurt the Phillies?
Will the Rays continue to hit so fucking well?
Can the Phillies' starters go at least 5-6 innings each game?
Did the end of the ALCS reveal weakness in TB bullpen?

I am nervous. I have waited a long time to watch my team in the WS. And to me game 1 is the most important in the WS. I heard a stat that something like 10 out of the last 11 world series were determined by the winner of game 1. Stats like that dont hold that much weight with me, but shit...cant ignore it.

ESPN First take yesterday claimed this to be a boring WS, and of little intrest to the whole country. they say you need a 'villian' in the series, some team that people love to root against in order to make it interesting. Well thats them, i got my villian--

Fuck you TB mascot, ya fuck.

Red Sox Tied For AL East Lead With 13-5 Win Over Rays

A game that on paper looked like a pitching duel, quickly turned into a HR derby (for the Red Sox that is). Scott Kazmir, who is Tampa Bay's stud ace, got lit up tonight for 9 runs in just 3 innings of work. The Sox got HRs by David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, Jason Bay, Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis, and Jacoby Ellsbury. It started in the very first inning as the Sox went up 4-0 on a 3 run HR by David Ortiz, which was followed by solo HR by Mike Lowell. The Rays were able to cut it to 4-1 in the bottom of the 3rd, but the Sox quickly put this game away with 7 runs in the top of the 4th. The offense was just firing on all cylinders and the Sox easily strolled to a 13-5 victory.

Dice-K did his thing getting is 17th win of the season, and now stands at an incredible 17-2 on the season. This had to be one of the oddest seasons I have ever seen from any pitcher in MLB history. Dice-K will be very close (if not have) to 20 wins this year, but the guy can't win more than 5-6 innings. All is well now, but it does worry me a little bit, since the Red Sox are not going to want to rely on this shaky bullpen in the playoffs. That being said, the reason they play is to win, and Dice-K just gets it done.

The Red Sox are now tied for first place in the AL East, and have a commanding 7 game lead in the Wild Card race. All is well, at least for one night, in Red Sox Nation.

-BMack