Could Kid K be the Ray that gets traded? (AP)
Scott Kazmir since the All-Star break last season has been pretty poor. This raises a question to me. Should we trade Kid K?
Some interesting stats from Kazmir this season:
Longest Outing: 6 2/3 innings
Lowest pitch count of the year: 88, in four innings
ERA: A great looking 7.11
Strikeouts: 50
These stats are making Kazmir’s 2007 season look like a complete fluke. And I don’t know if he will ever be able to regain that form he once had. Lets take a look at his past three starts since returning from the DL.
June 27th VS. FLA: 5 IP, 4 Hits, 2 ER, 92 Pitches 61 for Strikes, 5 Ks
July 3rd @ TEX: 5 IP, 5 Hits, 1 ER, 99 Pitches 63 for Strikes, 6 Ks
July 8th VS. TOR: 6 1/3 IP, 9 Hits, 7 ER, 107 Pitches 66 for Strikes, 4 Ks
This was after apparently everything was clicking in bullpen and rehab appearances. If the Rays are trying to cut payroll and even possibly keep Crawford, Kazmir could be the best option to go.
Scotty K can be replaced by Andy Sonnanstine or Wade Davis and can bring back one or two young prospects in a trade plus free up some payroll space.
After Kazmir’s game against the Blue Jays he had this to say:
“The way I felt, it really doesn’t give justice to the way the game went.”
also,
“I’m confident in what I’m putting out there,” Kazmir said. “It’s very, very frustrating. But I’m feeling like I’m going to start catching some breaks.”
I hope these breaks come soon, but if not a Kid K trade could help the team in the future.
Trop Talk 
I’ve been called a Kazmir apologist, but I have to say his age, potential, and the extension he signed all point to the Rays keeping him. Because Kaz was so young when he broke in, it’s easy to forget that he’s still young. His potential, if he turns it around, is higher than everyone on the staff’s but maybe Price.
Also, because of Kaz’s trouble, the Rays wouldn’t get much for him. The team is better served keeping kaz around to see if he can turn it around. Much less risk there. Anyways, the Rays playoff push this year depends on a solid Kaz.
Tell you what. The Mets will take him off your hands for saaaayyy…Tim Redding? It’ll be kind of full circle, yeah?
I am disgusted at that trade idea yet intrigued at the same time.
[…] Trop Talk wonders if it is time for Scott Kazmir to go. [Trop Talk] […]
You don’t trade a guy at the absolute bottom of his perceived value. Buy low, sell high.
Kaz is still a mess, but he gets a bit more grace…
If Price pitches like he did yesterday, and Niemann pitches like he did tonight, the team might carry a sub-par Kaz.
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Scott Kazmir’s time to go? | Trop Talk