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Kazmir Feels Good After Spring Debut

The Associated Press

The lefty figures to get four or five more spring starts before opening the regular season against the Red Sox on April 8.

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 9, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - Scott Kazmir's first appearance of the spring prompted superlatives from the left-hander.

"It's the best my arm's ever felt," Kazmir said after allowing a run in two innings against the Twins
on Monday. "It feels like I need to get my legs under me a little bit more, but I think it was a good first start."

Kazmir needed only six pitches to get through a 1-2-3 first inning, but ran into some trouble in the second. He gave up three hits and a run over a span of six batters.

"I felt like I wanted to take it easy this first start," he said. "I knew that once I got a hitter out there actually in a real game the adrenaline was going to be there, so I didn't want to overdo it."

Kazmir threw all of his pitches and said his changeup felt particularly good. He also was pleased with his slider, the pitch that used to be his signature but was a constant problem for him last season.

The lefty figures to get four or five more spring starts before opening the regular season against the Red Sox on April 8. His next appearance is slated for Saturday against the Reds in Sarasota.

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