News
Confident Kazmir eyeing turnaround
Tampa Bay (20-21) vs. Oakland (14-22), 7:08 p.m. ET
By Zach Schonbrun / MLB.com
05/20/09 12:40 AM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- The questions have stayed relatively the same for Scott Kazmir all season long, some variation of when he's going to start getting things going this year. It's mid-May, and yet his ERA hovers near 7.00 and opponents are hitting over .300 against him. He's admitted to being in a mechanical funk, losing confidence, and having trouble with his command. Not the type of start the Rays wanted for Kazmir, the 25-year-old lefty, who started Game 1 of the World Series last year. But he maintains that he's working through his problems. And for the first time in a while, he may have finally found a solution. "It feels like I'm really focusing on something in particular that's going to really help me," Kazmir said. "My bullpen [session] went great -- everything's going good. So I feel like I'm really progressing now." Though he wouldn't go into specifics about what exactly was his epiphany, Kazmir said it was a mechanical thing that popped into his head after last start, in which he lasted a season-low 3 1/3 innings and allowed 10 hits and seven runs to Cleveland. "[Troy Percival] and I talked and I just kind of found out some things right after my start," Kazmir said. "I came into the training room and started talking about some things." For whatever reason, the mechanics have been an ongoing process this year for Kazmir, the Rays' all-time leader in wins. He said after his last start that he feels he's in "a long funk," and his control has been particularly off. His 25 walks are tied for second-most in the American League, as are his 34 runs allowed and 1.86 WHIP. He began the season solidly, posting a 3-1 record with a 3.97 ERA and a .220 opponent average. Since then, though, he's allowed 22 runs in 18 innings with a 1-2 record in his last four starts. And May is normally Kazmir's strongest month: for his career, he owns a 3.27 ERA in 25 starts. No such luck this year. Rays manager Joe Maddon believes Kazmir is in a mental funk, too -- unable to find the comfort zone that had allowed him to be such a dominant pitcher in the past. "You get to the point where you're just trying to throw a strike, not a necessarily a quality strike. Just a strike," Maddon said. "It's a very uncomfortable feeling. It happens, it happens to almost everybody at some point, and you have to work through it." It helps that Kazmir gets set to take on Oakland, whom he's 7-2 against all-time. "You don't look at numbers really like that," Kazmir said. "I never even really look at them. If you're effective, you're not going to be successful." The Rays are hopeful Kazmir's effectiveness is right around the corner. Whatever the issue -- mechanical, mental, or just a funk -- the team knows Kazmir is nowhere near where he could be. "I believe he's going to work this out," Maddon said. "And when he does, heads-up, because it's going to get really good." Pitching matchupTB: LHP Scott Kazmir (4-3, 6.97 ERA)
The two-time All-Star continued to struggle Friday, when he faced the Indians, allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits and four walks over 3 1/3 innings in a no-decision. It was his shortest outing of the season and left him with a 12.91 ERA in his past four starts. Gone is his mid-90s four-seam fastball, replaced by fastballs in the high 80s and, occasionally, the low 90s. This wouldn't necessarily be a problem if he could consistently command his pitches, but command was absent in his most recent outing. He pitched six shutout innings in Oakland on April 24. OAK: LHP Brett Anderson (0-4, 6.03 ERA)
After leaving two consecutive starts with a blister, Anderson lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his first career start against the Tigers. The defense behind him committed a season-high four errors in the first three innings, allowing the Tigers to take a commanding lead. He exited after allowing nine runs -- three earned -- on six hits, including a grand slam and two doubles. Anderson hasn't completed more than six innings since his second start this season. He has never faced the Rays. Tidbits
Catcher Dioner Navarro played for the first time after missing the past two games with pink eye. Navarro subbed into the game in the eighth inning, replacing Michel Hernandez, who went 1-2. With backup Shawn Riggans on the disabled list, Navarro and Hernandez are the only two catchers on the 25-man roster. ... Maddon raised the possibility about the Rays bringing up an extra hitter before the weekend's Interleague series vs. Florida. As it stands, Tampa Bay has only three hitters available on the bench. Maddon spoke of possibly adding a fourth. ... The Rays had scored three or more runs in 21 straight games before Tuesday, the longest streak in the Major Leagues. Tickets
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• Thursday: Rays (Matt Garza, 4-2, 3.50) vs. Athletics (Dallas Braden, 3-5, 3.64), 4:08 p.m. ET
• Friday: Rays (Andy Sonnanstine, 2-4, 7.36) at Marlins (Ricky Nolasco, 2-4, 7.78), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Rays (Jeff Niemann, 4-3, 4.97) at Marlins (Burke Badenhop, 2-2, 6.00), 7:10 p.m. ET
Zach Schonbrun is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
