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Scott Kazmir News & Rumors

Street could hit trade market; Kazmir drawing interest from teams
July 6
SI.com
 
"If the Rockies continue to fade, look for Huston Street to hit the trade market, improving an already strong relief market. • Recently-released pitcher Scott Kazmir has drawn decent interest despite poor performance in his last days in the Angels organization. He is expected to pick a team soon."
Mets will consider Scott Kazmir
June 16
New York Daily News
 
"Scott Kazmir's release by Anaheim Wednesday created an intriguing opportunity for 29 teams--lefthander, only 27 years old, once started a World Series Game 1--but it was particularly interesting for the Mets, who will consider signing him. New York infamously traded Kazmir, then their top pitching prospect and a first round draft choice, to Tampa Bay in 2004 for pitcher Victor Zambrano. It was a low moment for the fan base, excited about Kazmir's potential. Kazmir enjoyed several strong seasons for Tampa, but has endured Oliver Perez-type struggles for Anahaim, the team that acquired him in 2009. The Angels released Kazmir, who held a 17.02 earned run average in five Triple-A starts."
Angels release left-hander Scott Kazmir
June 16
L.A. Daily News
 
"The ranks of the unemployed swelled by one Wednesday when the Angels finally said their farewells to left-handed starting pitcher Scott Kazmir. The club released him after five injury rehabilitation starts at Triple-A Salt Lake that could only be described as disastrous. He went 0-5 in those games with 22 hits, 20 walks and 30 earned runs in just 153 innings. The move was an expensive one. The Angels must now eat the $14.5 million left on Kazmir's contract, but general manager Tony Reagins and manager Mike Scioscia decided that was a better option than putting him back on the big league roster. "Obviously, it's tough," Scioscia said before the finale of the three-game series with the"
Scott Kazmir has another bad minor league start, may be finished as an Angel
June 15
Los Angeles Times
 
"General Manager Tony Reagins was in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night for Scott Kazmir's triple-A start against Sacramento. If there was an air-sickness bag in the seat pocket in front of Reagins, he might have used it. Kazmir didn't exactly impress the boss in his fifth rehabilitation start, pitching so poorly he may have officially punched his ticket out of Anaheim. The struggling left-hander was tagged for six earned runs and five hits in 12/3 innings, walking three, striking out one and hitting a batter. Kazmir retired only four of the 13 batters he faced, and he gave up all six runs in the second inning before being pulled. Of his 53 pitches, 25 were strikes. The Angels had hoped a"
Scott Kazmir's latest rough outing might be his last as an Angel
June 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"Angels General Manager Tony Reagins will be in Salt Lake City this week. And he might be bringing struggling left-hander Scott Kazmir a pink slip. What progress Kazmir has made in his four rehabilitation starts for triple-A Salt Lake can best be summed up by his earned-run average in those starts: 15.15. So, in other words, not much. On Friday, one day after Kazmir's latest rough outing, Angels Manager Mike Scioscia deflected questions about how many chances Kazmir would get, saying before the Angels' game against Kansas City that Reagins handles "personnel issues." Players are permitted to be on rehabilitation stints for up to 30 days - a span they almost never reach - so the Angels have"
Kazmir struggles in minor-league start
May 25
Orange County Register
 
"After seven weeks, five starts in extended spring training — even a few days on something called a "Baseball Ranch" — and nothing has really changed for Scott Kazmir. The erratic left-hander failed to get through two innings in his first rehab start with Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday. Kazmir left the game with another in a long line of unsightly stat lines — six runs, two hits, four walks and a hit batter in 1 2/3 innings. "I feel good. My arm feels strong and everything, I just have some things I'm trying to iron out," Kazmir said to reporters at the game. "I'm not consistent at the plate that's for sure. It's something where I'm just going to keep at it and keep working. Hopefully I'll"
Scott Kazmir has a disappointing outing
May 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"The pitching line was disturbing enough for Scott Kazmir, who gave up six earned runs and two hits, walked four, hit a batter and struck out three in 1 2/3 innings for triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday. Kazmir's postgame comments were just as disheartening for a club trying to squeeze some kind of return on the $14.5 million they're investing in the seemingly lost left-hander this season. "It was kind of a flip of a coin if I was going to be able to get it over the plate," Kazmir said of his first rehabilitation start, which came after a monthlong stint in extended spring training. "It really had no direction and no drive straight to the plate." The performance mirrored Kazmir's only start for"
Kazmir: 'Trying to be myself' in rehab stint
May 23
Orange County Register
 
"Scott Kazmir has spent the past month trying to get in touch with something that has been just as elusive as his fastball's velocity and his slider's bite. "I'm just trying to be myself," the Angels left-hander said Sunday while packing his things for a trip to Triple-A Salt Lake City, where he will begin a long-delayed minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment on Tuesday. "I just feel like the past couple of years I was trying so hard but something didn't feel right. You go out there without as much confidence because you're changing something all the time, trying to find that feeling. I'm just trying to be myself now – get back to seeing the (catcher's) glove and hitting the mitt.""
Kazmir returns facing make-or-break situation
May 23
L.A. Daily News
 
"It's either a new beginning or the beginning of the end for pitcher Scott Kazmir. Kazmir, 27, returned to Anaheim from his stay at the Angels' extended spring training facility in Arizona, where he spent more than a month trying to work through mechanical and mental issues that have changed him from being a two-time All-Star into a pitcher on the verge of being released. He will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday when he starts for Triple-A Salt Lake against the Memphis Redbirds in a Pacific Coast League game. The Angels have 30 days from Tuesday's start to decide whether Kazmir will rejoin the big-league club, but it figures the Angels will have their answer sooner than that. Kazmir's"
Angels' Scott Kazmir could return as reliever
May 22
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir, who has spent the last month at the team's extended spring-training camp in search of a consistent delivery and release point, may rejoin the Angels within the next month, but it might not be as a starting pitcher. Manager Mike Scioscia said the team could bring the left-hander back as a long reliever, even though Kazmir has made only one relief appearance in his 61/2 seasons in the major leagues. "No doubt, we need starting pitching depth, and we're looking at him as a starter," Scioscia said. "But I wouldn't rule out anything." Kazmir's future with the Angels could hinge on how 21-year-old right-hander Tyler Chatwood, who has gone 2-2 with a 4.50 earned-run average in eight"
Scott Kazmir might be on the way back
May 20
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir began his second month in exile Thursday, marking the occasion with his fifth start at the team's extended spring-training camp in Arizona, a state the left-hander has spent so much time in he probably has voter rights. It has been clear since the Angels put Kazmir on the disabled list because of "lower-back soreness" on April 8 that they would stretch out his rehabilitation process for as long as possible. Considered one of the game's top young left-handers in 2008, Kazmir, 27, slumped to a 9-15 record and 5.94 earned-run average in 2010, striking out a career-low 93, walking 79 and giving up a career-high 25 home runs in 150 innings. The velocity of Kazmir's fastball, once"
Kazmir reclamation project returns to Arizona
April 19
Orange County Register
 
"Whatever the outcome of the Angels' reclamation efforts with wayward left-hander Scott Kazmir, it's fair to say they are willing to try anything and everything. "More than fair to say," Angels pitching coach Mike Butcher said. The latest attempt to unlock the Kazmir puzzle involved a three-day sabbatical in his hometown of Houston where Kazmir worked with Ron Wolforth, a local instructor Kazmir has worked with since his days playing youth baseball. Kazmir did some drills with Wolforth and watched video dating back to his high school career. Kazmir rejoined the Angels in Arlington before their game against the Rangers Monday – but only long enough to pack his things and head for Arizona. He"
Scott Kazmir to work on mechanics
April 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir's return to the Angels was a short one Monday, with the left-hander spending just enough time in Arlington to break a light sweat before packing his duffle bag and flying to Arizona to pitch in an extended spring-training game Tuesday. After a disastrous performance in his first outing this season, Kazmir was put on the disabled list with what was reported to be a lower-back issue and sent home to Houston to smooth out some issues with his delivery. Among the things Kazmir did was study tape with a former mentor, Ron Wolforth, at Wolforth's Texas Baseball Ranch. "He had a lot of video of me when I was in high school and throughout the years," Kazmir said. Asked whether they"
Angels losing patience with Scott Kazmir
April 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels appear to be growing short of patience with Scott Kazmir. But whether they're frustrated enough to eat the $14.5 million it would cost them to release the left-hander remains to be seen. Kazmir had the worst start of his major league career in Sunday's loss to Kansas City, with the Royals collecting as many runs and hits — five — as Kazmir got outs. Throw in two walks, two hit batters and a balk, and it was a meltdown of epic proportions. Afterward, Angels Manager Mike Scioscia promised to make changes — though he was vague about what kind or who they would affect. "We're going to sort some things out," said Scioscia, whose team takes on Tampa Bay on Tuesday after losing the"
Kazmir doesn't impress in first start
April 4
Orange County Register
 
"If Scott Kazmir turned a corner with his strong outing in the Angels' final preseason game, it appears to have only led down another blind alley. Kazmir's first start of the 2011 season was a continuation of the deterioration the Angels saw all too clearly last year. He lasted just 1 2/3 innings, retiring just five of the 14 batters he faced against the Royals Sunday. After the longest winter of his career (he spent three months at the Angels' complex in Arizona going through a throwing and conditioning program), the season started with the shortest outing of Kazmir's career. "Kaz is a little more complicated, a little more baffling," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, comparing Kazmir's"
Kazmir sharp as Angels drill the Dodgers, 5-1
March 30
Orange County Register
 
"Angels left-hander Kazmir exorcised some of his offseason struggles with his first spring victory in six starts Tuesday night when the Angels defeated the Dodgers, 5-1, in the Angels' spring finale at Angel Stadium. Torii Hunter went 3 for 3 with a homer and four RBIs, and Howie Kendrick doubled home a run. Kazmir, the former All-Star and pricey fifth starter due to earn $12 million this season, worked 4 1/3 efficient innings, throwing 49 pitches, 30 for strikes. He allowed three hits, an earned run, a walk to the first batter, Rafael Furcal, and a Rod Barajas third-inning home run."
Scott Kazmir puts together a solid effort in Angels' 5-1 win over Dodgers
March 30
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels don't need Scott Kazmir to lead the league in strikeouts, like he did when he whiffed 239 batters for Tampa Bay in 2007. They don't need him to win 20 games or compile a sub-3.50 earned-run average. As the fifth starter on a team with four very good ones — Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana and Joel Pineiro — Kazmir needs to pitch well enough to give the Angels a chance to win and long enough to prevent the bullpen from being overworked every fifth game. The left-hander didn't go deep into Tuesday night's 5-1 exhibition victory by the Angels over the Dodgers in Angel Stadium, throwing only 49 pitches in 41/3 innings, though that was by design. But it was the best and most"
Scott Kazmir's struggles continue in Angels' loss to Milwaukee
March 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir is either one of the unluckiest pitchers in baseball, as he seems to believe, or in denial about his continuing struggles. The Angels left-hander was rocked for eight earned runs and eight hits in five innings of Thursday's 11-8 exhibition loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, his once-vaunted fastball, which hit 94 mph a few years ago, sitting in the very pedestrian 88-mph range. Carlos Gomez smoked Kazmir's first pitch of the game for a double, Craig Counsell singled, and Yuniesky Betancourt hit a three-run home run. Gomez's run-scoring triple highlighted a four-run second, and Jeremy Reed had a run-scoring triple in a two-run fifth. Kazmir, who tested the Angels' patience with his"
Scott Kazmir improves pitch velocity but continues to struggle with walks
March 20
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir doesn't want to continue the ratio of 11 walks in 11-plus innings, but the Angels' left-hander will keep the mechanics he displayed Saturday. Kazmir - coming off a 9-15, 5.40-ERA season amid spring angst that he's been hovering around 85 mph on radar guns - showed more life on his fastball and expressed satisfaction with the movement of his change-up in a 95-pitch, 41/3 -inning outing in the Angels' 10-7 loss to the Cleveland Indians before a sellout crowd of 8,735 at Diablo Stadium. "I felt good even if the numbers don't show it," Kazmir said after routinely throwing in the 87 mph to 89 mph range, according to radar-gun-carrying scouts behind the plate. One pitch reached 90."
Scott Kazmir's progress impresses Mike Scioscia
March 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir admits there was a wide gap between his expectations and his performance last season. The two-time All-Star, who averaged nearly 12 wins with a 3.52 earned-run average in his last four full seasons with Tampa Bay, posted career highs for losses (15) and ERA (5.94) in his first full year with the Angels. On Friday, though, he took another step on what he hopes will be the road back to form, holding the Chicago White Sox to two hits and no runs over three innings in the Angels' 3-1 Cactus League win. "One step at a time," said Kazmir, who showed a good slider and an effective changeup, throwing 24 of his 41 pitches for strikes. The left-hander, who battled everything from a lack"
Kazmir, Angels see positives in left-hander's first step
February 28
Orange County Register
 
"Before sending him off for an off-season spent working to reclaim his skills, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said this would be the most important winter of Scott Kazmir's career. By extension that would seem to make this the most important spring of the 27-year-old left-hander's career - but Kazmir isn't looking at it that way. "I felt like I did the work," Kazmir said after the Angels lost 5-0 to the Dodgers Sunday. "I'm not putting too much pressure on spring training games. I feel I did the work, now just let it happen. "If I get caught up in what other people are saying about me, no telling where my mind's at. I feel confident where I'm at right now." Kazmir's spring debut Sunday"
Scott Kazmir calls outing against Dodgers a success
February 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"The pitching line from Scott Kazmir's first outing of the spring wasn't impressive. Two innings, five hits, three runs given up in a 5-0 spring-training loss to the Dodgers. "That's why I'm not looking at the line," Kazmir said. There will be plenty of time to focus on results during the regular season. On Sunday, the Angels' left-hander was more concerned about rediscovering the mechanics and command that abandoned him last season, when he was 9-15 with a career-worst 5.94 earned-run average. And by that measurement, he called the outing a success. "You can nitpick and say 'what if this, what if that.' I'm just focused on what my pitches were like and the direction and how it felt," he"
Angels pitcher Scott Kazmir is back, but has he returned?
February 17
Los Angeles Times
 
"His shoddy 2010 season is as much a sore subject for Scott Kazmir today as it was for those who watched it last summer, when Angels management and fans wondered whether the left-hander would ever right himself. Kazmir didn't even look at tape over the winter to determine what went wrong because the whole season was a mess, from hamstring and shoulder injuries to mechanical problems to a loss of velocity on his fastball and the disappearance of his slider. "I pretty much did away with last year," Kazmir said this week in Angels camp. "I don't want to talk about my struggles, my slider. I just want to go out there and compete and win games." Two years removed from a superb 2008 season in"
Angels' Scott Kazmir is bounced early in 6-4 loss to White Sox
September 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"The mystery of what is ailing Scott Kazmir has confounded and frustrated the Angels all season. So even before Kazmir took the mound Saturday for his final home start of the season, Manager Mike Scioscia said the search for a cure will continue into the off-season. "Scott understands the challenge in front of us," Scioscia said. "He's a guy really fighting to get a foothold as a major league starting pitcher again. And continue his career." The only thing that continued Saturday was Kazmir's struggles, with the left-hander lasting only one batter into the fourth inning of a 6-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Things have gotten so bad, in fact, on this night he couldn't even fool Manny"
Scott Kazmir's sad exit ushered in joy the Tampa Bay Rays feel today
September 10
St. Petersburg Times
 columnist John Romano
"The anniversary passed recently without fanfare. Without reflection. Heck, it passed without a moment of silence in a stadium that supposedly has far too many. We are talking about the day the Rays traded Scott Kazmir. Or, as it will be known in the future, the day the Rays clinched a spot in the 2010 playoffs. You remember the Kazmir trade, right? It was the day last season when the Rays exchanged their 2008 AL pennant for a white flag. A salary dump, it was called by some. A disgrace, it was suggested by others. At the time, the Rays were 4½ games out of the wild-card race with about a month to go. Tampa Bay dealt Kazmir to the Angels for a couple of minor-leaguers and a player to be"
James Shields tries to tie franchise wins mark against current record-holder Scott Kazmir tonight
August 23
St. Petersburg Times
 
"When RHP James Shields pitches tonight at Angel Stadium, he'll make his team record-tying 144th start and have a chance to match the franchise record with his 55th career win. And he'll be sharing the mound with the guy who, at least for a few more hours, is still the most successful starter in franchise history: LHP Scott Kazmir. "It's kinda funny, kinda ironic that I'm pitching against him," Shields said. "It's going to be kinda fun, I guess." Kazmir faced the Rays earlier this season, taking the loss May 11 for five innings of work (7 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, 2 Ks). It was more of an event then, with Kazmir and the Rays acknowledging the oddness of the moment, especially when some of his"
Kazmir returns with new life for Angels
August 8
Orange County Register
 
"Scott Kazmir spent four weeks on the DL ostensibly with shoulder fatigue. Truthfully, the fatigue might have been in those who were tired of watching him pitch the way he was pitching. But Kazmir returned from the DL Saturday and gave the Angels a reason for optimism - if you're in to that kind of thing - by going five innings and allowing just one unearned run on three hits in a 10-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers. The victory gave the Angels back-to-back wins for the first time since they came out of the All-Star break with three consecutive wins over the Mariners. For Kazmir, the win was his first since June 18 in Chicago. In four starts between wins, Kazmir was 0-4 with a 13.73 ERA"
Kazmir won't be ready to return any time soon
July 26
Orange County Register
 
"Left-hander Scott Kazmir is eligible to come off the DL on Monday. But don't look for the struggling left-hander to rejoin the Angels' rotation any time soon. Kazmir picked up a ball for the first time in about 10 days Sunday, playing light catch. Kazmir had not thrown since experiencing weakness in the back of his shoulder during a bullpen session immediately following the All-Star break. He was placed on the DL with shoulder fatigue, retroactive to his most recent start (the 13-run debacle in Oakland on July 10). Kazmir was supposed to resume throwing sooner and even throw a bullpen session during this weekend's series in Texas. But he underwent an MRI on Thursday during which dye was"
Kazmir placed on disabled list
July 19
Orange County Register
 
"Apparently Scott Kazmir's left shoulder isn't strong enough to maintain his tenuous grip on a spot in the Angels starting rotation. A few days after Manager Mike Scioscia said Kazmir would remain in that rotation coming out of the All-Star break, the left-hander was placed on the disabled list Sunday because of shoulder fatigue before he could make his first start after the break. Kazmir likely will be replaced by Sean O'Sullivan for his scheduled start Tuesday in New York. O'Sullivan allowed one run on six hits in five innings Thursday in his start for Triple-A Salt Lake. Right-hander Trevor Bell is also an option but went six innings Friday for Salt Lake and would be pitching on short"
Angels left-hander Kazmir lands on DL with fatigued left shoulder
July 19
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Angels find themselves needing a starting pitcher for Tuesday's series opener against the New York Yankees after placing left-hander Scott Kazmir on the 15-day disabled list Sunday due to left shoulder fatigue. Kazmir, who has struggled mightily in posting a 7-9 record with a 6.92 ERA in 17 starts, felt some stiffness in recent throwing sessions, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. Because he hasn't pitched since July 10, Kazmir can come off the disabled list as early as next Monday. "Some stiffness has come up recently and we decided that we could skip his next start and give him some time to rest up a bit," Scioscia said. "With the All-Star break and the way the schedule works out, we"
Angels put Scott Kazmir on DL
July 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"A few hours before the Angels played Seattle on Sunday, Scott Kazmir said he was "definitely looking forward" to putting a horrid first half of the season behind him when he made his first start after the All-Star break Tuesday against the New York Yankees. So much for that. After the Angels' 2-1 loss to the Mariners at Angel Stadium, Kazmir was placed on the disabled list with what the team described as fatigue in his left shoulder, something Kazmir made no mention of during a pregame interview. The move was made retroactive to July 11, meaning Kazmir could return as soon as July 26 when the Angels return home to play Boston. Kazmir said his shoulder felt "a little achy" after a bullpen"
Kazmir absorbs beating as Angels routed
July 11
Orange County Register
 
"The Angels might have finally thrown their hands up in disgust and exasperation with the Scott Kazmir reclamation project. Kazmir was left in the game long enough to give up a franchise-record 13 runs in a 15-1 loss to the Oakland A's Saturday night. The A's scored eight times off Kazmir in a third inning that included a grand slam by Rajai Davis. The run total was one short of Kazmir's career high for a single game. Angels manager Mike Scioscia left him in the game through a scoreless fourth, but then came a fifth inning that saw Kazmir give up five more runs. Scioscia didn't pull Kazmir after he gave up an RBI double to Davis, a three-run home run to Coco Crisp or a solo home run to"
Kazmir still can't find slider
July 4
Orange County Register
 
"Scott Kazmir is searching. The pitch he used to become baseball's top strikeout pitcher in 2007, the slider, has gone missing, and every time Kazmir takes the mound for the Angels, he knows he's doing it without one of his best pitches. "It's tough. It's very frustrating. If I could get the slider back, the sky's the limit," Kazmir said. "I'd have a changeup that would dive away from righties and have something coming in to righties. It'd help me against lefties. If I could spin it right, I could put it in the dirt or I could throw it for a strike." But that's a very big "if" right now. Kazmir has thrown over 1,500 pitches this season. 179 of those pitches have been sliders. And,"
Speaking of Scott Kazmir's slider …
July 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir got the baseball equivalent of a summons to the principal's office Thursday, the second time this season the Angels left-hander has met with Manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Mike Butcher behind closed doors. Kazmir had a similar meeting on May 12, when he was 2-3 with a 6.82 earned-run average and struggling with mechanical issues. Kazmir gave up five runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings of Wednesday night's 6-4 loss to the Rangers, dropping to 7-7 with a 5.67 ERA. Thursday's meeting focused on Kazmir's long-lost slider, a pitch he has not thrown enough — or effectively enough — this season. Kazmir, who has relied almost exclusively on his fastball and changeup, said"
Angels' Kazmir, bullpen keeps Dodgers throttled
June 14
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Angels can't be blamed for having a superiority complex. They're not just in Freeway Series cruise control, but they're hardly looking road weary. Forced to embark on a two-week, 14-day trip away from Angel Stadium starting on May 31 because of the time needed to set up and break down a U2 concert that never happened, the Angels have found what they're looking for, lately at the Dodgers' expense. A 4-2 bullpen-secured victory in front of 52,806 on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium also locked up the Angels' 10th win over this journey through Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland and the home field of their I-5 rivals, with one more to go. They've won 22 of the past 29 meetings against the"
Kazmir pitches Angels into first place
June 8
Orange County Register
 
"Scott Kazmir was just dealing all day Monday. Before the Angels' game against the Oakland A's, the pitcher was giving shortstop Erick Aybar a lesson on how to play blackjack. On the mound, Kazmir, administered a different lesson - teaching A's hitters again that they can't get to him. Behind Kazmir's 61/3 innings of one-run baseball, the Angels took the first game of a four-game series at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, 4-2. The Angels have won 11 of their last 13 games. Since losing Kendry Morales, they are 8-1 and have rallied from third place to take over the lead in the AL West. In 16 career starts against Oakland, Kazmir has a 2.85 ERA. He also had a streak of 20 scoreless innings at"
Inconsistent Kazmir takes step back in Angels' loss
May 29
Orange County Register
 
"The Angels should have learned the choreography by now - two steps forward, one step back. The Scott Kazmir who seemed to turn a corner with his previous two starts (including a stretch of 17 consecutive batters retired in his start at St. Louis last weekend) was only intermittently visible against the Seattle Mariners Friday night as the Angels lost 8-3. Kazmir allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk, pitching only into the sixth inning after back-to-back seven-inning outings for the first time since 2008. "I think some of the things we saw tonight are things we can adjust from and get him more consistent," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We're certainly a little"
Angels, and Scott Kazmir, take a step back in 8-3 loss
May 29
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels have danced their way through the 2010 season, and it hasn't been a West Coast swing. It's been more of a one-step-forward, two-steps-back kind of jig, one the team and several of its players have perfected over the last two months. Any momentum the Angels gained in wins over Toronto on Tuesday and Wednesday fizzled with Friday night's 8-3 loss to Seattle, a game in which Mariners left-hander Cliff Lee allowed two earned runs and four hits and struck out 10 in eight innings. The same could be said for erratic Angels left-hander Scott Kazmir, who followed two solid starts with a 5 1/3-inning appearance. He gave up six runs (five earned) and eight hits in an effort in which, by"
Kazmir shows Angels a winning style
May 23
Orange County Register
 
"The Angels have tried side sessions, arm-slot overhauls and closed-door meetings and they even considered dropping Scott Kazmir from the rotation, all aimed at finding a way to "unlock Kaz and get him to be the pitcher we know he can be," as Mike Scioscia put it recently. The progress has been incremental and sporadic at best. But for most of seven innings Saturday afternoon, the Angels' left-hander looked less like a puzzle to be solved and more like the pitcher the Angels hope (if not truly know) he can be. Kazmir retired 17 consecutive batters at one point in a 10-7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. And he did it with efficiency. Kazmir needed 12 pitches or less to retire the side"
Scott Kazmir is in control for the Angels
May 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir was perfectly awful for most of his last three starts. He was nearly perfect for most of Saturday's. The left-hander retired 17 consecutive batters at one point over seven innings to bounce back from a string of subpar starts during the Angels' 10-7 victory over St. Louis at Busch Stadium. Kazmir came into the game having lost three consecutive outings and confidence in almost every aspect of his pitching - the dipping velocity, out-of-whack arm slot and ineffective slider. All were back in working order against the Cardinals. Kazmir (3-4) featured improved fastball command and more action on his slider, giving up only three hits and three runs in matching his longest start of"
Scott Kazmir sharp in Angels' 10-7 victory over Cardinals
May 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"Whatever adjustments Angels starting pitcher Scott Kazmir made Saturday worked. In a big way. The left-hander retired 17 consecutive batters at one point over seven sharp innings to bounce back from a string of subpar starts during the Angels' 10-7 victory over St. Louis at Busch Stadium. Kazmir came into the game having lost three consecutive starts and confidence in almost every aspect of his pitching -- his dipping velocity, his out-of-whack arm slot and ineffective slider."
Scott Kazmir can't fake it as Angels lose to Texas, 4-3
May 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"Scott Kazmir isn't fooling anyone, including himself. The Angels starter realizes his velocity is down, his arm slot is out of whack and his slider doesn't feature the sharp break that once made it so effective. "They can see what pitch is coming and they can see it coming to the plate straight from my hand," Kazmir said of the hitters. "If I had a little more deception, it would have been a different story." It was pretty much the same old story for Kazmir, who persevered through a season-high seven innings Monday night at the Ballpark in Arlington but ultimately came out on the wrong end of the Angels' 4-3 loss to the Texas Rangers. A closed-door meeting and extended bullpen session"
Kazmir searches for answers in side session
May 17
Orange County Register
 
"It might have been one of the more well-attended side sessions any Angels starter will throw this season. Left-hander Scott Kazmir threw 62 pitches in the bullpen Saturday afternoon with Angels manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Mike Butcher watching closely. That same trio met behind closed doors for nearly an hour earlier this week, seeking answers that would "unlock Kaz and get him to where we know he can be," as Scioscia put it. Kazmir has thought he found the right key before – revisiting a biomechanical analysis of his delivery last year and committing to an aggressive off-season program to strengthen his lower body. The focus now, though, is on Kazmir's wandering arm slot and"
Scrutiny falls on Angels' Kazmir
May 17
L.A. Daily News
 
"No pressure Scott Kazmir, but everybody will be watching and taking thorough notes today. The Angels' struggling left-hander will start against the Texas Rangers and take the mound in a noted hitters' park, no less. He's already had a recent closed-door meeting with his manager and pitching coach and has worked on mechanical flaws. It's not like the Angels have somebody beating down the door for his rotation spot. They need Kazmir to pitch well, but no longer seem willing to wait long to see him return to the pitcher who was dominating early in a still young career. "We're definitely seeing his talent and feel his talent will come through," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Our goal is to find"
Kazmir, Scioscia meet behind closed doors
May 13
Orange County Register
 
"When the door to Mike Scioscia's office is closed before a game, it's a safe bet that something is going on. When it's closed for at least 40 minutes, it's a certainty. Before Wednesday's game with Tampa Bay, Scioscia met with pitching coach Mike Butcher and struggling left-hander Scott Kazmir to discuss plans on how to best get Kazmir back on track. After allowing three runs on seven hits in just 5.0 innings in a loss Tuesday, Scioscia acknowledged that skipping Kazmir is an option. However, after Wednesday's meeting, it appears Kazmir will be on the mound for his next scheduled start - against Texas next Monday. "We just wanted to get an understanding of where he felt he was, some"
Angels starter Kazmir meets with Scioscia
May 13
L.A. Daily News
 
"Struggling left-hander Scott Kazmir had a long closed-door meeting with manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Mike Butcher on Wednesday. Kazmir, who has a 6.82 ERA in six starts and has pitched six innings just once, had another shaky outing Tuesday against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays. He needed 108 pitches to finish five innings and gave up seven hits with three walks. That he only gave up three runs was a positive. "We just wanted to get an understanding of where he felt he was, some adjustments that needed to be made and considered if he needed a little time to make those adjustments," Scioscia said. "He doesn't think so. Mike Butcher doesn't think so. "He's going to start"
Mike Scioscia and struggling Scott Kazmir talk things over
May 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"There isn't enough couch space in Mike Scioscia's office to accommodate all the struggling players the Angels manager could have summoned for closed-door meetings, but it was pitcher Scott Kazmir who got the invite Wednesday. The left-hander emerged from an hourlong meeting with Scioscia and pitching coach Mike Butcher with some drills designed to help him find his proper arm slot and assurances he will not be skipped in the rotation. "We wanted to get an understanding of where he felt he was, some adjustments that needed to be made and whether he needed some time to make them," Scioscia said. "He doesn't think so, and Butch doesn't think so. He's going to start Monday in Texas." Kazmir"
Kazmir, Angels stung by Rays, 7-2
May 12
Orange County Register
 
"Like running into an old girlfriend, Scott Kazmir probably wanted to look his best against his former team. Instead, the Tampa Bay Rays were reminded of why they broke up in the first place. Kazmir pitched well enough but was gone after five innings thanks to a typically-high pitch count (108). The game was still close at that point but it didn't matter as the Angels' offense continued its weak showing this month in a 7-2 loss to the Rays on Tuesday night. "I don't really have to change anything. I've just got to get more consistent, trust my stuff and I know I can get deep into games," said Kazmir who has thrown over 100 pitches in each of his past three starts but made it into the sixth"
Tampa Bay Rays defeat ex-teammate Kazmir's Angels to end three-game skid
May 12
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The Rays sure were glad to see Scott Kazmir on the mound. The Rays knocked their former ace out after five innings in their first reunion and piled on from there, snapping a season-high three- game losing streak with a 7-2 victory over the Angels on Tuesday. "You know both sides are going to be pumped up for it,'' Carl Crawford said. "And I'm glad we were the ones who came out on top.'' Said Kazmir: "It's very disappointing." Crawford, the Ray who goes back the longest with Kazmir, led the welcoming committee with a single to score the first of their three runs off him. It also was a happy homecoming for Evan Longoria. The product of nearby Downey, Calif., with dozens of friends and"