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Kazmir Needs To Find His K's And His Confidence

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2008

DETROIT - It was Scott Kazmir's last start of the regular season, and after five innings we'd seen enough because we've seen it before, the dark side of his season to a tee - a batting tee.

For the second time in his last three starts, Kazmir was hammered by four home runs in a game. The first time was 12 days ago, and it was Red Sox sluggers like David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and Kevin Youkilis. Thursday, it was Tigers like Ramon Santiago, Mike Hessman and Dusty Ryan (Who? Who? Who?) in a 7-5 loss that kept the AL East title in play. The champagne stayed in the ice tubs.

In the meantime, Kaz needs to soak his head.

He's little boy lost. His mind is jelly at just the wrong place in Rays history. The playoffs are a bad time for a crisis in confidence.

The Rays left-hander is talking about his disappointing season as if his season was over, as if the biggest start of his life, in the Division Series, wasn't over the rise. That's very bad news for the Rays.

"Just caps off, for me personally, a disappointing season," Kazmir said.

Dr. Jekyll Or Mr. Kaz?

There are a lot of pitchers who'd take Kazmir's numbers (12-8, 3.49 ERA, an average of 9.65 strikeouts per nine innings). Heck, the guy got the win in the All-Star Game.

But you never know which Kaz will show up.

Will it be the one who had his butt bashed by the Red Sox? Or will it be the Kaz who last Saturday pitched six scoreless innings against the Twins to help the Rays clinch their first playoff spot?

You never know with Kaz.

Thursday, we knew. With another clincher in the offing, Kazmir came in dead from the neck up, no focus, no anything, and left after four homers for three Tigers who'd hit only six homers combined this season. Detroit leadoff man Santiago hit two. He'd hit only one other this season, and that was 137 games ago.

"I just didn't get the job done," Kazmir said.

There were the usual Kazmir suspects - 0-2 counts turned homers, the high, aimless pitch count and no two Kazmir deliveries looking alike, at least in Kazmir's mind, which is where the problem starts. Rays manager Joe Maddon couldn't explain Kazmir's Thursday, not completely, anyway.

"Kaz? I really don't have a good answer for you," Maddon said.

Who does?

Ace Turns Space Cadet

Once upon a time, Kaz was going to be the Rays' ace. Now he's the No. 3 starter, at best.

James Shields is more dependable. Matt Garza can be more dominating. And Andy Sonnanstine is gaining on Kaz.

"I felt like I could have done so much better," Kazmir said.

His superb second half last season and a big start this season hinted at a breakthrough - 16 wins, 18 wins, something remarkable to go with this remarkable Rays season.

Instead, he has scuffled. He has come up short more often than he has come up big. If this team is going to make a postseason run, it needs starters pitching deep into games. It needs Kazmir to get his mind, delivery and focus right. It needs the big-game battler he has been made out to be.

Scott Kazmir is looking for him, too.

"I don't know," he said. "I don't know. It's just been disappointing."

That it has.

And that's not good news.

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