The deal between Tampa Bay and the Angels to send Scott Kazmir west for a couple of A-ball prospects at first glance looks ridiculous. Kazmir, who has had an off-year, finally seems to be turning himself around (10 k's and 1 run through 6 innings in his last start), and the Rays are only 3 and a half back in the wild-card race. So you trade this guy in what Tampa Bay Rays blogger Cork Gaines says is basically a salary dump, to a team you would face in the first round if you make the playoffs? This reminds me of the 1997 White Sox, and not in a good way. This is a fantastic way to piss off a fan base, although to be fair the attendance in Tampa is generally horrific. Then, there is part two of this, why didn't the Red Sox claim him?
Boston, who is currently in the lead for the wild-card, will probably be facing the Angels in the first round. Kazmir always seems to give the Red Sox fits, and the Sox were in a position to claim him on waivers, to block him from being traded (as I doubt Tampa and Boston would have done a deal), similar to the way the Yankees blocked Chris Carter earlier this week. Keep in mind if the Rays are doing this for financial flexibility, the Red Sox could have screwed them by claiming him and making them hold on to him, nullifying them from making another move. Tampa is a division rival, and could still catch the Sox, so why would you let them make a move like this at this point in the season, even if you don't know why they are making the deal? It makes no sense, and if this comes back to haunt Boston in either September or October (remember they would face the Angels in the first round, imagine he starts Game 3 and goes 7 shutout innings in Fenway), they only have themselves to blame.
0 comments:
Post a Comment