Kazmir

[ROC AllStars]

So Kazmir isn't looking too hot so far this year, just ordinary. Can he cut the walks down, and by doing so keep his pitch counts lower?

I have been using him only as a spot starter, and have temporarily given his full time job to Derek Lowe.

[Yoda]

I really thought he broke out last year and was ready to become an elite pitcher. His peripherals are in line with 2005 so far and I don't think it's a fluke that he hasn't looked very good. His fastball seems to be a bit slower and he is having all kinds of problems locating his pitches. I am trying very hard to move him in my keeper league but no one wants him. TB has a ton of games against the AL East in the second half so I am very concerned.

[Yoda]

TB schedule in Aug/Sep:
Aug - Tor, Bal, Det, Tex, Bos, Cle, Bos, Oak, Cws, Bal, Nyy
Sep - Nyy, Bal, Tor, Bos, Sea, Laa, Bos, NYY, Tor

I really hope I can unload him...

[Rounders]

TB schedule in Aug/Sep:
Aug - Tor, Bal, Det, Tex, Bos, Cle, Bos, Oak, Cws, Bal, Nyy
Sep - Nyy, Bal, Tor, Bos, Sea, Laa, Bos, NYY, Tor

I really hope I can unload him...

That's good to know. Hope he picks it up then next month and 1/2, then I can think about moving him.

[FalcoAtL]

TB schedule in Aug/Sep:
Aug - Tor, Bal, Det, Tex, Bos, Cle, Bos, Oak, Cws, Bal, Nyy
Sep - Nyy, Bal, Tor, Bos, Sea, Laa, Bos, NYY, Tor

I really hope I can unload him...

That's good to know... I see really no reason to think he will be able to rebound this year. Its too bad though because TB has a much better team this year and may have had a small chance at contending.

[AdvRider]

That WHIP is nasty .... 1.49 this year.

Last year it was good at 1.27 ... but remember it was an unseemly 1.46 in 2005.

Someone recently dumped Kazmir to the WW, but I'm lagging badly in WHIP as it is and don't dare pick him up and make a bad WHIP worse.

[Zito is God]

Kazmir is one of my favorite pitchers in the majors. The guy ha sick stuff but his problem is maturity. Remember he is still 23. He is trying to strike EVERYONE out if you ever watch any of his games and thus walks a lot in the process. I don't know if he can fix his horrid whip this year but I value him very high in keepers.

[Yoda]

Kazmir is poor man's Ollie Perez...

[mac-unit]

Kazmir is poor man's Ollie Perez...

im a met fan and i would rather have kaz over perez

[pokerplaya]

Kazmir is poor man's Ollie Perez...

So I've seen you write more than once tonight. Care to extrapolate on that comment? I can see what you are getting at, but surely the 3 years difference in age and the fact that Kazmir was the more successful pitcher last year can make the statement: Ollie Perez is a poor man's Kazmir?

I'm not sure who I'd take, and in fact I think they are very similar pitchers - tremendously talented southpaws who are prone to the big inning but have the potential to be aces. But claiming one is a poor man's version of the other? I think they are pretty much interchangable at this point...