Does anyone have any ideas what has happened to this guy? As recently as 2008 he was a very good pitcher (and only 25). Up until 2009 he had always allowed much fewer hits than innings pitched, yet since that 2008 season the guy has been unable to get anyone out and now is getting pummeled in the minors. Is it injuries, is he burned out at a young age, was he on PED's? This guy baffles me...
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"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." - Rogers Hornsby -
Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
I never thought he was that good to begin with. -
Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
He always had a pretty good K/BB ratio but his problem was he'd put himself in a huge hole with really high pitch counts which often led to runs being scored on him. I think the toll of so many innings/pitches caught up to him.
He was never as good as his stats indicated he was.Member of the Official OS Bills Backers Club
"Baseball is the most important thing that doesn't matter at all" - Robert B. ParkerComment
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
I know he walked some guys, but he wasn't crazy (3-4/9 IP), he struck out more than a hitter per inning, and didn't give up that many hits. His 2006/2007 seasons were really good."People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." - Rogers HornsbyComment
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
Started game 1 of the 2008 World Series. Then seemed to just fall off the worldEagles | Phillies | Sixers | Flyers
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
I'm sorry, what? I agree that he was overrated and only stood out because for years he was the best pitcher on a bad Tampa Bay staff, but I don't understand how he wasn't as good as his stats...then how exactly did he accumulate those stats? 4 straight seasons of an ERA 3.77 or below. and 3 years with more strikeouts than innings.
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
I listen to the ESPN baseball podcast daily (I miss Peter Pascarelli) and they attributed it to a combo of high pitch counts and walks were his problem. If I recall he has had shoulder problems too.
Really Kazmir wasn't good in 2008 if you look at his FIP. I would say he really only had 2 good years and that was 06 and 07.
I agree with what most have said in that he was overrated. He looked better because he was one of the few competent starters the Devil Rays had back then.
Edit: I am not a big believer in ERA but I wouldn't call and ERA of 3.77 a good one.Comment
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
For a young pitcher in the AL, he was very good for a three year stretch. To say that he was never that good to begin with is just flat wrong.
Just compare his stats to the rest of the starters in the AL from 2005-2007...
(Minimum 500 IP)
WAR - 13.0 (6th)
FIP - 3.54 (6th)
ERA - 3.52 (5th)
K/9 - 9.65 (1st)
HR/9 - 0.75 (5th)
There weren't many other pitchers during that time span pitching better than Kazmir. Given his age, it's very easy to see why so many people were high on him.
What happened after 2007? Take your pick... Strikeouts dropped off dramatically, walks increased, HRs increased, GB% decreased, and he even lost a little bit off his velocity. Not a good formula for success in MLB.Now, more than everComment
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
Yeah, his fall has been very odd.
I'll always remember him as the Mets prospect that they traded for Victor Zambrano.
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Originally posted by Money99Comment
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As others have mentioned, wear and tear has most likely been his downside.
He was a fastball/slider pitcher. He needs his velocity very much because he doesn't have that dominant offspeed pitch.
Also, he is a small framed pitcher. He doesn't have the same trajectory as other taller or bigger starters have.
Couple arm trouble with less than desirable physical attributes, and his MLB shelf life was limited.Originally posted by Edmund BurkeComment
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
He is Liriano without the Tommy John surgery.Comment
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
Injuries, injuries and more injuries. The guy just hasn't been able to come back from arm problems.Comment
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
To be fair I never said he wasn't any good just that his stats are a little misleading. He had all the talent in the world and did quite well in the AL East but there were warning signs all over the place that he was set up to see a precipitous decline. Why else (other than money) would the Rays trade him?Member of the Official OS Bills Backers Club
"Baseball is the most important thing that doesn't matter at all" - Robert B. ParkerComment
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Re: Scott Kazmir - What has happened to this guy?
I've thought for some time now that there is something wrong with his elbow. The drop in velocity from year to year shouldn't happen to a guy in his 20's.
I think like most "can't miss" prospects Kazmir missed, and has never lived up to the New York hype machine.Comment
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