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Waiting For Kaz's Big Year

The Associated Press

Kazmir went 12-8 with a 3.49 ERA and was the winning pitcher for the American League All-Stars in 2008.

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 9, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - Rays left-hander Scott Kazmir threw his first two innings of spring Monday, and one of them included the first inning and ... he lived to talk about it! He's already he's way ahead of 2008, when, for starters, he strained his elbow while warming up for an intra-squad game. His first start went well enough Monday. As for the big finish, we're still waiting. And waiting.

Ace?

"You don't hear that word much around me anymore," Kazmir said with a smile. "Those days are long over. I've been waiting on that season."

That season - that big breakout, 16 wins, 18 wins, all Kaz all the time. It just hasn't happened. Last season, Kazmir was the American League Pitcher of the Month in May and the American Psychiatric Association's Pitcher of October. You couldn't count on his arm or his head down the stretch. "I was scratching and clawing just to get through five innings," he said.

Kazmir, 25, remains the Rays' youngest starting pitcher and is the franchise's all-time leader in wins, innings and strikeouts. But he's already at a crossroads. Others on the staff are booming and zooming. Kazmir isn't even the Rays' lefty everyone is counting on anymore - that would be David Price.

The 2008 season left him with some doubters. Most anyone would take Kazmir's 2008 - 12-8, 3.49 ERA. He was among the leaders again in strikeouts per nine innings. Heck, he was the winning pitcher in the All-Star Game. And oh, yes, the Rays won the pennant.

But ...

"I could have done more. Hell, yeah," Kazmir said.

That elbow strain lingered all season, though he went 5-1 in May. Kazmir couldn't ever count on his slider. He abandoned it. His fastball command fled. He became tentative. His confidence turned to goo. He was a basket case as the Rays hit the postseason.

There were those grisly first innings, beginning with ALDS Game 2 against the White Sox, when Kazmir hit the first batter, threw 37 pitches and allowed two runs after bases loaded, no one out. "Worst feeling I ever had," he said.

There were those 38 pitches and two runs he gave the Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALCS. And the two runs to the Phillies in the first inning of Game 1 of the World Series. Then again, out of nowhere, there were his six gritty shutout innings in Boston before the big Rays collapse in ALCS Game 5. "That was all I had right there," Kazmir said.

"Never forget this guy's talent," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Kaz.

Which one will show up this season?

Kazmir smiled again.

"I'm healthy and I think I'm more mature. I think I'm ready to have that complete season. It's always been one half is what I wanted and the other half I never finished. It's time to put it together. It's motivation to be doubted. I want to be doubted."

He's got his wish.

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