Kuzul

Scott Kazmir, the once highly-touted first-round pick of the New York Mets in the 2002 amateur draft, might have pitched his last game for the Angels. 

Last year was horrendous; 9-15, 5.94 ERA. He struggled with velocity (chalk that up to a variety of injuries), could not locate his fastball, and was not the pitcher he used to be. 

This year was supposed to be a rebirth of sorts; a chance for the former gunslinger to regain his spot in the Angels rotation. 

It doesn’t look like that will happen, in my estimation, and a spot in the bullpen is also improbable. 

Today, Kazmir faced the Milwaukee Brewers and got lit up for eight earned runs while surrendering eight hits. I can’t really comment on what Kazmir and the club are expecting—except for the fact that things are not getting easier, they are getting worse. 

After this unforgettable appearance, Kazmir still has confidence in his abilities.  In an article from ESPN, he believes in his fastball, and still has hopes of earning that final spot in the rotation. 

“I felt like I threw the ball well,” said Kazmir, who figures to be the Angels’ No. 5 starter again this season. “I felt like I was attacking the strike zone. A couple of things didn’t go my way and it snowballed. That’s baseball. You’ve got to have luck on your side. They were putting pretty good swings on.” 

At the age of 27, the majority of athletes are hitting their prime, realizing their full potential.  Kazmir, on the other hand, seems to be regressing. 

As discouraging as a spring training ERA of 7.79 sounds, Kazmir can still get batters out—history shows that. Ultimately, the decision will lie with Mike Scioscia and the coaching staff. As for the staff, the final verdict may not be based on talent alone.   

The possible No. 5 starter is in the final year of a three-year, $28.5 million contract. The question is: can he make it to Opening Day? Worst case scenario, is the Angels release him and have to live with shelling out $14.5 million. 

Let him play and let him go out in a blaze of glory.  He has at least earned that.

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The next big thing is human after all. 

The roller coaster of hype that is Bryce Harper has unfortunately hit a road block: A .389 batting average and five RBI in 13 spring training games was not good enough to keep the 2010 first-round pick from being sent down to Class A Hagerstown. 

It’s never big news when a rookie gets sent down, but in the case of Harper, it is. 

Harper, now at the ripe old age of 18, has been on the radar of many fans since he graced Sports Illustrated at 16. Home runs traveling 500 feet in batting practice, 14 home runs as a sophomore in high school and then followed that up with 31 home runs and 98 RBI at the College of Southern Nevada. 

Sending the kid down is probably the best thing to do at this point. Rushing a player to “the show” with so much potential has been done so many times that you can’t help but think that this is a precautionary tactic just for the sake of it. 

And why not play safe? 

Stephen Strasburg, another Nationals first round pick, rocketed through their minor league system and saw minor success in his 12 starts, only to see that derailed by Tommy John surgery.   

So, the Nats can afford to wait until Harper is ready.    

They are not capable of competing in the National League East until they are fully loaded. Since Strasburg will not be fully recovered until 2012 (no use bringing him back too early), Harper can build on what he has learned so far for another year and when it’s time, he will have one full season of professional baseball under his belt. 

In that time, the verdict will be out on Harper. Is the long violent swing condensed and fluid? Can he handle a steady diet of curveball’s and off-speed stuff? Is the attitude that many scouts have reported simmered down, though reports from camp say that he’s as dedicated as anyone they’ve seen. 

This club is ripe with young talent.   

With the likes of Drew Storen in the bullpen, Danny Espinosa and Ian Desmond shoring up the middle infield and veterans Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth providing a well needed punch to the middle of the line-up, Harper’s return could mean more in a year than his .389 average does right now.

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Johnny Damon is on the cusp of reaching a statistic that almost guarantees entry into the Hall of Fame: 3,000 hits. 

Since Damon burst onto the scene in 1995 as a Kansas City Royal, he has developed into one of the most consistent hitters this game has seen since 2004 inductee Paul Molitor. 

When I thought about writing this, Molitor was the first person I thought of as a comparison because of his consistency.

Neither was flashy or made as many headlines as their team-mates, but they were both solid hitters who never had years of lacking production. 

Below are 162 game average’s for Damon, Molitor and Robin Yount.

Damon
AB    R    H  2B  3B  HR  RBI  SB CS  BB   SO   BA  OBP  SLG
637  111  183  35   7  15   75  27  7  67   81 .287 .355 .436
Molitor
AB    R    H  2B  3B  HR  RBI  SB  CS   BB   SO   BA  OBP  SLG
654  108  200  37   7  14   79  30   8   66   75 .306 .369 .448
Yount
AB    R    H  2B  3B  HR  RBI  SB  CS  BB   SO   BA  OBP  SLG
624   93  178  33   7  14   80  15   6  55   77 .285 .342 .430  

In today’s day and age where every player is deemed guilty of using banned substances when statistics stray from the norm, Damon has never been questioned.

Damon falls into the category of a legitimate two time World Series champion centerfielder that delivers on cue when called upon. 

Right now Damon will need to average 142 hits over the next three seasons or 108 over the next four to reach 3,000.  In my estimation, he’s in.   

Really, what else would he have to do?

He is not your typical power-hitting outfielder—he will not have the big home run numbers, but 3,000 hits insinuates ability, skill, coordination and longevity. 

The 27 member club will, barring disaster, add two more members in the next three years (not including Damon), with Derek Jeter due around the All-Star Game, and Alex Rodriguez, a couple years and 328 hits away.   

Without a doubt the Hall is in their future, and its time Damon enters the discussion.

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It is not the season that will determine Scott Kazmir’s future with Anaheim, its Spring Training. That’s not easy for someone who is typically penciled into the starting rotation. 

So far he’s 50/50 on appearances which it a big improvement on last years numbers. I will not get into the specifics, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, baseball is about numbers.   

It doesn’t matter if you were once a first round pick with a blazing fastball, injuries and worst of all doubt, catches up to you. 

Kazmir is obviously struggling and his numbers, anERA of 4.89 and 5.94 in 09’ and 10’, confirm that. So far the spring has seen the good and bad that Kazmir has to offer.   

In his first spring training start against the Los Angeles Dodgers he gave up three runs and five hits in two innings. His second start was a complete 360.  Friday, Kazmir held the Chicago White Sox to a couple hits while throwing 24 of his last 37 pitches for strikes. 

Aside from injuries, command has been the downfall of this former first round pick of the New York Mets. Velocity has also been an issue which is not all that surprising considering all the wear and tear (8 years and only 27 years old) in over 1,000 innings. 

A mediocre fastball means pinpoint control from this point on. The struggles he has faced since leaving Tampa is a direct correlation to one not knowing his true abilities until they are needed. 

Hitters are aware of each pitchers weakness and I can confidently say the league knows Kazmir’s downfall—base on balls. 

Kazmir has an opportunity to prove all the naysayers wrong and show that he deserves a spot in the starting rotation. This guy was a number one starter in Tampa and held his own when he had nothing to work with.   

The last few years have been a strain but in the long run it will make him a better pitcher. That’s all a true fan can ask for.

For previous analysis on Scott Kazmir, click the links below.

Scott Kazmir’s Struggles Get Worse

The career of Scott Kazmir is in need of a rewrite

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Albert Pujols is a man who is on the road that very few get to take: a road to greatness.  

In today’s game, there is so much speculation about steroids, HGH and whatever undetectable enhancers are out there that the reliability of many of the records, feats and accomplishments seem tarnished. 

Pujols is one of the few that has not been associated with any of it. He has steered clear of controversy. The worst thing he’s done is complain about Ryan Howard’s MVP in 2006, claiming the award should go to someone on a playoff team. 

This year the slugging first baseman will inevitably be surrounded the whole season with questions like “where will you sign next year?” and “are you worth $30 million a season?” and “can you keep up your Hall of Fame numbers?” 

That’s all fine and dandy. We all know Pujols will get his money, we know he is all but a shoo-in for the Hall, and it’s unfortunate, but we are in a sports world where the Cardinals‘ most popular player in years might not be with them next year. 

Things could get really ugly in St. Louis, especially if they’re not in contention around the All-Star break. So while we have a chance, let’s look at Pujols from a standpoint that everyone is familiar with: a monstrous home run hitter who can destroy baseballs on a whim. 

It’s funny, baseball is sport where the tide can turn on a dime, and when its does, everyone can feel the imposing sense of doom. Just ask a Boston Red Sox fan. It’s also very uncommon that one is faced with situation where you know how it ends before it starts. 

Remember the 2005 NLCS with the Houston Astros one strike away from a World Series birth and lights out closer Brad Lidge on the mound. Pesky David Eckstein singles and Jim Edmonds follows with a walk, leading to that fateful encounter between Lidge and Mr. Pujols.

For Lidge, he had the opportunity to get Eckstein and put that game away. You cannot give teams extra outs, especially in a situation like that. 

One strike, no balls and when Lidge hoofed that slider everyone knew it was gone. It couldn’t have been placed any better. An effortless swing with unleashed power and that ball was crushed like no other I have ever seen. 

That is what makes the game so great. Regardless of all the issues facing players today, the game has some unrelenting hold on us where we forgive and remember one moment in time when that player was bigger than the sport he played. 

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Amid speculation and swirling rumours, the Toronto Blue Jays have locked up slugger Jose Bautista long-term 

Very impressive for one year of work! 

I can only imagine what the discussions were between Alex Anthopoulos and Co. when coming to grips with the type of situation they were up against. 

You have a team finally on the verge of emerging with an identity that has been lacking since the early 90s.  This team has so much talent on the cusp of breaking out it’s ridiculous. 

Now, out of nowhere, a journeyman outfielder who never before eclipsed 16 home runs bursts onto the scene as the most feared hitter in all of baseball. 

Hindsight is 20/20 right? We all new this would never go to arbitration.  But would that have been the worst thing in the world? 

All signs pointed to Bautista coming out on top.  What on earth could be said by the Jays’ brass to convince the adjudicators that one of the most powerful bats in the game is not deserved of a raise? 

A one-year deal and a significant raise, I can live with that. 

The new deal on the table is reportedly worth five years and $65 million with an option for a sixth, totalling $78 million.   

What if Bautista hits 20 home runs and drives in 75 RBI?  Adequate if last year never happened.  Unfortunately, 54 home runs and 124 RBI is a reality, leaving Bautista to forever live up to those standards. 

Inevitably the team was a stuck in a catch-22. 

If they re-sign him for one-year and he lights up the scoreboard like Albert Pujols in 2011, I find it very difficult that Bautista wouldn’t walk after the season strictly based on principle.  On the other hand, locking up their cleanup hitter for $13 million a season could be a bargain if Bautista again produces numbers like what we just witnessed. 

Realistically, someone will give Pujols his $200 million-plus.  Looking at Bautista’s contract seems petty compared to what could’ve been. 

The bull’s-eye tag has been firmly placed on No. 19.  There is absolutely no getting around it. 

Pitchers testing this guy with fastballs every single at-bat will become a distant memory.  Whatever Bautista and his instructors do to correct his flaws last year, they now need a contingency plan that focuses on change-ups and multiple off-speed pitches.   

The fairy tale of 2010 was nice, but can the home run king of Toronto make it a reality?

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The Toronto Blue Jays front office doesn’t limit themselves to the usual resources to find talent; MLB, MiLB, NCAA, or the draft.  This time their experts directed them to the new North American Baseball League. 

Right-hander Steven Raburn has signed a minor-league contract and is expected to report to extended spring training by April 5. 

In the big scheme of things, this transaction will barely register on anyone’s radar, but these are the kind of transactions where a team can find a diamond in the rough, that one gem that everyone passed up. 

The odds are really against Raburn who, will more likely be sent down Vancouver or Bluefield, unless he is released before than.  Personally, from experience, you are not on the team until after that final cut, no matter how good you perform.

The Raburn signing is not an isolated incident by any means.  Indy stars are littered all over the Majors; Daniel Nava, Max Scherzer, Brendan Donnelly and J.D. Drew just to name a few.  It’s not like Raburn appeared out of total obscurity. 

Consequently it’s a realistic possibility that Raburn makes the pros and contributes quite nicely.

Raburn compiled a mediocre 5-3 record for three teams in 2010, though two of those decisions came as a member of the Normal CornBelters of the Frontier League, where he was shoring up the bullpen racking up two saves in 14 innings with 13 strikeouts and a 1.29 ERA.

Overall, Raburn struck out 45 batters in just over 43 innings as a member of the CornBelters, Laredo Broncos and Rio Grande Valley White Wings.  Many may look at his 4.54 ERA and scoff, except standing at 6’5″ and tipping the scales at 220 lbs., Raburn punishes radar guns between 94 and 95 mph.

Congrats, on the promotion Mr. Rayburn!  The Blue Jays will be paying special attention you in the upcoming months, but so will the rest of the Independent scene.  Not many get to embark on a journey like the one you are about to start.

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Jim Clancy, Doyle Alexander, Dave Stieb, Jimmy Key, Pat Hentgen, Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay. 

Whether by accomplishment or leadership attributes, when one thinks of the all-time Toronto Blue Jays starters, they usually top anyone’s list. 

With Shaun Marcum being dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers, Ricky Romero is in a position to become one of the elite, the one Toronto will remember for years to come. 

Drafted sixth overall out of Cal State Fullerton, Romero was the Jays’ first-round pick in the 2005 draft and all signs pointed to “an ace in the making.”  Find below Romero’s scouting report courtesy of MLB.com. 

“Fluid, easy delivery. Has two kinds of FB: a slider-like cutter and a nasty sinker that drops late. Can change speeds on 12-6 CB. Features a sharp slider. Very intense on the mound, keeps hitters off-balance. Potential front-end starter.” 

Sounds pretty accurate to me! 

Romero compiled 81 starts, 16 victories and over 400 innings pitched while honing his craft in the Jays minor league system for five years. Now, after two full MLB seasons, the Jays rewarded Romero with a generous five-year $30 million contract and some added responsibility.   

Presently, Romero is right on schedule to becoming this generation’s Roy Halladay.  And statistically speaking, he has improved in nearly every category since his 2009 rookie campaign.  Unfortunately walks continue to be his Achilles’ heel, just like his predecessor.   

All young pitchers deal with control issues, even Halladay, who had to return to the basics to regain his form to uncover his true ability.   

For Romero to become elite, he needs to perfect his control.  A pitcher can only bonus the opposition for so long before he gets burned.  History has proven that the additional work and the excess wear and tear on the arm has ruined or derailed many promising careers. 

With a new season on the horizon, 2011 is Romero’s time to shine.  There is no doubt in my mind that at 26, this “wily veteran” will continue to evolve into the superstar we all expect and, hopefully sooner than later, lead the Jays back to the top of the mountain.

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Alex Anthopoulos is a general manager not afraid to pull the trigger on any deal that may/could cause some to question his approach to rebuilding this club. 

In his short time at the helm, Anthopoulos has been at the forefront of some very elaborate dealings involving some of the biggest names in recent Blue Jays memory: Roy Halladay, Vernon Wells and, in some way, Shaun Marcum. 

Relinquishing the team of such character players that were the face of a franchise would devastate most clubs and their fans. Instead, the loss of such on-field leadership leads one to ponder: who is the leader in the clubhouse these days?

In 2010, you could say Shaun Marcum was the leader of the pitching staff with Wells behind the wheel as club representative. Now, players like Aaron Hill, Adam Lind, Ricky Romero and Jose Bautista are taking control of this team; “team” being the key word. 

All on that list are home grown talent with the exception of Bautista. Nevertheless, the Jays have a core—a nexus if you will—of budding young stars whose talent has not yet reached its full potential.

The difference in Toronto this year is a feeling of accomplishment and possibility.

With a refined focus on scouting and player development, the team is in a unique position to compete where division rivals are again playing the odds in the free agent market.

Countless others spend millions on established “names” and supposed stars labelled by the experts as the missing piece of the puzzle. 

Lucky for us, all signs point to the Jays reverting back to the golden age of baseball, worrying more about in-house matters than that of the green-eyed monster, to fulfil their tireless quest for a World Series championship.

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When Alex Anthopoulos traded Alex Gonzalez to the Atlanta Braves for Yunel Escobar, the majority of Jays’ fans were fine with it. 

Gonzalez on average will give you 16 HR and 70 RBI.  Escobar on the other hand, had a great 2009; 14 HR, 76 RBI, .299 BA, .377 OBP.  Not bad for a third year player in only his second full season commanding the middle infield. 

Technically, not much difference when comparing the numbers, only that Anthopoulos traded for a much younger player, one whose skills and ability looked to be ready to blossom. 

Trouble is, Escobar seemed to regress in 2010. 

Escobar was playing in a pitchers park – Turner Field – while Gonzalez was in the friendly confines of the Rogers Centre.  Unfortunately, Escobar’s number pre-and-post trade were extremely underwhelming and beg one to ask why? 

The “shortstop of the future” showed signs of life when arriving in Toronto.  Case in point, Escobar’s slugging percentage jumped 72 percentage points.

Unfortunately that can be attributed to a hitter friendly park and pitchers that are not familiar with his abilities. 

The tell-tale sign of an unnoticed or quite possibly underlying issues was Escobar’s inability to produce; his 35 RBI’s weren’t even half of his 2009 total. 

It mystifies me that someone with all the attributes was unable to find a rhythm in an offense that led the majors in home runs and slugging. 

If this sounds familiar you’re right.  The underachieving tag has made its way to Jose Reyes, who, for whatever reason, has not quite lived up to the lofty expectations that we as fans paste on many. 

In the meantime, Reyes and Escobar are on opposite ends of the spectrum.  Reyes an established veteran at 28 entering his ninth MLB season, and never had the drop-off Escobar had.

Plus, for $9 million plus a season, no matter what Reyes does might not ever be good enough.   

Escobar’s salary is equivalent to approximately 4.5 percent of his National League counterpart. 

In layman’s terms; Yunel can get away with this for another year or two until the what if whispers become a reality.

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