August 24, 200422 yr MLB.com 08/22/2004 6:09 PM ET Kazmir makes Major League debut Tampa Bay (56-68) at Seattle (46-76), 10:05 p.m. ET By Paul C. Smith / MLB.com Scott Kazmir will be tested with the very first batter he faces. The 20-year-old left-hander will make his Major League debut against the Mariners. That means that the first batter to step in against him will most likely be Ichiro Suzuki, who has been white-hot since the All-Star break. "He'll get a little international flavor," said manager Lou Piniella, who will be returning to the city where he managed for 10 seasons. "I'm looking forward to seeing [Kazmir] perform, and Seattle is a good place for him to pitch." Kazmir, the Mets' No. 1 pick in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, came to the Rays in the July 30 trade that sent starter Victor Zambrano to New York. Kazmir went 1-2 with a 1.44 ERA in four starts for Double-A Montgomery. He allowed 14 hits and 11 walks in 25 innings with the Biscuits, and struck out 24. At 20 years and seven months, Kazmir will be the youngest pitcher in the Majors and the second youngest in team history. Chad Gaudin was 20 years and four months when he pitched for the Rays last season. Kazmir also will become the Rays' 12th starting pitcher this season, two short of the team record for one season. "I'm excited about this opportunity," said Kazmir after joining the Rays on Sunday afternoon. "At the beginning of this year, I never would have expected this. With everything I've been through, it's all paying off. "I never really said I wanted to be in the Majors by any certain time," he added, "but I wanted to spend my first year in the minors [2003] learning the things I needed to learn, and then refining my pitching and maybe getting a shot in my second year." According to Kazmir, about eight family members and friends from Houston will travel to Seattle to support him. "They're pretty excited," he said. "It will be nice to have them there." But what about that first pitch to Suzuki? "When I pitch to him, I'm going to imagine that it's not him," said Kazmir. "I'm going to just keep doing what I've been doing to get here." Suzuki was hitting .372 going into Seattle's game against Detroit on Sunday and closing in on 200 hits for the season. "When he's hot, it's unbelievable," said Piniella. "When he gets hot, he just gets [hits] quickly. He can just about hit them anywhere he wants." Which begs the question for the man who used to manage Suzuki: How do you defend against him? "You almost have to make him hit to one spot and put as many people as you can over there," said Piniella. "I'm not joking. You have to pitch him so that, say, you want him to hit it to left center field. Then you move your left fielder over and have your center fielder leaning that way." The Rays, who are 2-2 against the Mariners so far this season, played on Sunday without slugger Aubrey Huff (back spasms), and All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford (shoulder bruise) was not in the starting lineup, though he did come in as a defensive replacement in the ninth. Both are considered day to day and will be evaluated just before game time, but Piniella said that Crawford is more likely to play on Monday night than Huff.
August 24, 200422 yr This is gonna backfire for the Rays. I could be wrong but I don't agree with this move.
August 24, 200422 yr Why are they rushing him like this, they just aquired him and are already pushing him into the majors. Smells like Justin Wayne 2.0. He should be tested in ST next year not like this.
August 24, 200422 yr Why the hell is he being rushed? 524213[/snapback] The same reason they sign garbage like Randall Simon, Rey Sanchez and Geoff Blum...the same reason they drafted Josh Hamilton instead of Josh Beckett...the same reason they traded a young LHP like Joe Kennedy...and on and on...they are simply clueless. Sure, they will have a good team eventually but that's only because they've collected so many high picks.
August 24, 200422 yr He's doing alright so far, no runs on 3 hits with 3/3 K/BB. Prob his last inning though, he's thrown 91 pitches (top 5)
August 24, 200422 yr I hope so, it'll make my Mets look smart! 524267[/snapback] Maybe if Duquette stood next to Jessica Simpson... Nah.
August 24, 200422 yr Wiiicked Slider Kid got out of the 5th, thanks to Toby Hall smoking Ichiro. Be nice if the Rays got him a W this inning.
August 24, 200422 yr I hope so, it'll make my Mets look smart! 524267[/snapback] Maybe if Duquette stood next to Jessica Simpson... Nah. 524281[/snapback] lol!
August 24, 200422 yr Well, it may of been rushing him but 5 IP 0 runs and a win in your debut, hell in any start is pretty damn good.
August 24, 200422 yr kennedy was releaSED...good for the rox 524279[/snapback] Hmm, no. TRANSACTIONS 14-Dec-03 In a three-way deal: Toronto Blue Jays traded Mark Hendrickson and a player to be named (Sandy Nin-Dec.15th) or cash to the Colorado Rockies for Justin Speier. Colorado Rockies then traded Mark Hendrickson to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Joe Kennedy.
August 25, 200422 yr Against the worst team in baseball ... plus that 5 innings pitched is the most important stat, his stamina (or lack thereof) is why some scouts think he'll never make it as a starter.
August 25, 200422 yr To further prove my point about the Rays, they have Upton starting in freaking LF tonite. :plain
August 25, 200422 yr Yeah, lets keep thinking it was a good deal to get rid of Kazmir met fans. And hell, lets insult the Rays because they were so stupid to make the deal. *sigh*
August 25, 200422 yr I never said I was happy they got rid of them, in fact I was crushed after the trade. But one good 5 inning start against the worst team in baseball doesn't make him the next "Steve Carlton" as some of you guys so eloquently put it.
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