Scott Kazmir Goes To The Mechanics; Rehab Start Tonight
by Tommy Rancel on Jun 17, 2009 12:46 PM EDT
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PrintRecently, Scott Kazmir took his mechanics for a tune up. No, he did not visit the swing mechanic, but the biomecanics at Dr. James Andrews's American Sports Medicine Institute. For more on the evaluation process click here.
After getting the results of the test, Kazmir consulted with former big league pitching coach, Rick Peterson, whom Kazmir worked with back when they were members of the Mets organization. Peterson is currently an independent instructor and consultant. If you think this is going above the Rays or Jim Hickey's head, that is not true. Andrew Friedman as well as the Rays staff were on board with the whole process.
"Scott has a long-standing relationship with Rick and he wanted to reach out to him regarding the biomechanics study we conducted," executive VP Andrew Friedman said."Nothing negative at all," Kazmir said. "And it's not like I was going behind anybody's back; everyone was on the same page." --Tampabay.com
Before this turns into a Hickey bash-fest, lets look at the real issue; Scott Kazmir has not pitched like Scott Kazmir in a while. It makes all the sense in the world for him to go back and talk to Peterson to try and figure out what has changed in the years since he's been with the Rays. Afterall, the goal is to get Scott Kazmir back to where he was a few years ago. That should be everyone's goal and however he achieves it, it will only help the Rays.
Now that the quad injury is behind him and the evaluation is complete, it's time to put all the information gathered into motion, pun intended. All eyes will be on the Class A Charlotte Stone Crabs roster as they in host Lakeland, where Scott Kazmir will make his first rehab start at 7:05 tonight. It will be the first time Kaz has thrown in a real game since May 20th. He is expected to be on a pitch limit of around 65 pitches.
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Word. I don't get why we just don't hire him as a special advisor.
Other than it might put Hickey off.
Yeah, I kinda wish Zambrano's arm wasn't broken before we gave him to the Mets.
I want to know if he could have actually fixed him.
Tools Whore
Trading Zambrano will set this franchise back three years.
by R.J. Anderson on Jun 17, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
There were fans who were actually upset when the trade was announced.
Too bad the Heater wasn’t around.
OUR #1 PITCHER FOR SOME UNPROVEN MINOR LEAGUER?!?!?!
IS THAT ALL WE CAN GET FOR ZAMBRANO???
WE HAD TO THROW IN FORTUNATO TOO?
JUST ANOTHER BIG MARKET TEAM TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE LITTLE GUYS.
PURE SALARY DUMP!
I’VE SUPPORTED LAMAR UP UNTIL NOW. NO MORE!
by RATW on Jun 17, 2009 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 9 recs
RAYS TRADE LUGO (Heater)
I hate the word prospects, especially since it doesn’t apply to most of the players the Rays trade for. A 23 year old outfielder, 2 years out of college and still playing A ball is not a prospect, he is a throw in (Pedroza). The Rays specialize in trading established major leaguers for players other teams have given up on. 3 trades with the Dodgers in the last 9 months and the Rays have yet to get one of the Dodgers Piching prospects, Edwin Jackson, what a Joke.
Posted by: Mark Litt | July 31, 2006 at 11:38 PM
http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2006/07/rays_trade_lugo.html#comments
The amazing thing was that they made a fair offer to Lugo.
If I remember, they offered 1M a year and 1 year less then Boston. I’m so glad that deal didn’t work out in hindsight.
"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."
oh man there is some good stuff in the heater archives...
STAY OR TO GO? LUGO SHOWS TO BE EQUAL TO CC IN SOME CATEGORYS. THEY ARE TIED IN BB, LUGO HAS 3 MORE DB’S & 2 LESS HRS. PLUS HE MAY CATCH CC IN RUNS SCORED SOON. THEY SHOULD SIGN LUGO ..IF NOT GET A UTILITY [INF]WHO HITS BETTER THAN PEREZ & GET A STEADY PITCHER FOR HIM. NEW TOPIC: I CAN SEE MCLUNG & SALAS AS THE CLOSER COMBO FOR THE NEXT 5 YRS. !!!!!
Moved right out of the strike zone!
Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)
by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 18, 2009 2:09 AM EDT up reply actions
He needs a Mkanx bat. Look at what it did for Zobrist!
Seriously, if he makes the all-star team, I don’t see how he doesn’t capitalize on that.
"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."
I work up by the Hard Rock so I'm strongly considering the quick shot over to Lakeland tonight.
Jeter Sucks.
by PriceMultiCyYoungs on Jun 17, 2009 1:13 PM EDT reply actions
i work in lakeland
def making this game tonight
BOHICA
by Mr. Tonight TB on Jun 17, 2009 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Atleast you guys live in the Florida State League area
I live in the NY-Penn league area :-/ and my city lost their team 8 years ago.
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I have this great minor league team called the Washington Natinals at my doorstep.
Tix are expensive, though, for the product on the field.
Rochester Red Wings
$10.50 for the best seats in the house, AAA is A-OK.
Rays Win!
by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 17, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Syracuse Chiefs
I go to their games frequently since they are the closest to me (50 miles) and I was horribly disappointed when they didn’t resign Toronto as their MLB parent club cause they wanted a “winning team” and the Blue Jays weren’t helping them. SO…….
they decided to sign with the Nationals this year……yup
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions
It's cool I went and saw them play us a couple of weeks ago.
JD Martin looks like a stud on the hill. I thought it was hilarious that Corey Patterson was in the game for the Chiefs when I saw him come up with the Wings like 10 years ago.
Rays Win!
by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 17, 2009 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
They wanted the minor league team to be a winning team or the parent team?
If they wanted theminor league team thenthis kind of makes sense considering the Nats are, and should continue be, in line for much better draft picks. Also, now you can see Strasburg for one of his 3 minor league starts.
by nolesblogger on Jun 17, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah Strasburg should be up by next year, maybe even the end of september
Hey he could be the next Joey Devine!
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions
how'd you know?!
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions
No way!
Isn’t Murnane Field such a dump? I only live like 8 blocks away in the nice area.
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Wait a minute,
That means you played with Miguel Cabrera and Adrian Gonzalez that year since the Utica Blue Sox were the Marlins affliate
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Nahhh...
Cabrera was in the Midwest League at that point…. I dont remember where GOnzalez was
you were right
Gonzalez was in Utica in 2000 and so was Cabrera I guess. They both were there in 2000. I thought 2001 (then again that was 8 years ago)
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Well...
No offense, I wasnt to enthralled with Utica as a whole….but the field was awful. DId you go to many games that last season?
Ahh yes and no
I wasn’t entirely sure that it was going to be their last season so I went pretty much every game in late August and those 4 days in September. It’s a shame that they are gone, it was a catchy name and I enjoyed it. They won’t get anything unless someday they build a new stadium or overhaul Murnane. I think CF is uneven too but its always been like that
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, ..
The outfield was pretty bad. We had a crap team that season. Stokes was the only big prospect, and he never panned out. I had arm problems, so I sucked that yr…
Here is a link
Stokes had 6 homers
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
The only major leaguer on that team in 2001
was Denny Bautista….that says alot
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions
As im looking at the 2000 team
Miguel Cabrera
Adrian Gonzalez
Josh Wilson
Josh Willingham
Denny Bautista
Not a bad bunch
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions
So were you drafted and sent right to Utica
or did you start out at the Gulf-Coast league?
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Utica straight out of college...
I was a senior…there were a couple issues that contributed to me sucking that season…arm problems being one of them…and an organizational philosophy of not letting catchers spot up didnt help either
So you were a catcher? Cause it sounds like you were a pitcher
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I was a lefty pitcher...
86-88, good changeup…but they made the catchers set up over the middle…which killed me because I was a groundball and location guy
what college?
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Well
Atleast its good to know that people remember the Blue Sox, former players and all. Frontier league was your last stop huh
"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey
by Gone Phishing on Jun 17, 2009 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Kazmir went to Microsoft for his eva;l...?
I know they do a lot of things, but i wasn’t aware of that ;)
boooooo
i was all happy for a min
BOHICA
by Mr. Tonight TB on Jun 17, 2009 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Sorry!
I live in Lakeland. I would have definitely been there. Charlotte doesn’t come to Lakeland until July.
Was there ever any validity to the rumor of a possible move to the pen for Kaz?
I dont really know what the point would be, and hopefully these rehab starts can help us eliminate the problem(s) whatever they may be, but I was just wondering if that was just talk or did/are the Rays actually considering this?
Kaz pen
Kaz as a closer would be awesome BUT he would have to throw strikes and that is his issue. I don’t think I have ever seen a good relief pitcher with a 1.95 WHIP. If he could throw strikes he could be lights out as a closer with his nasty slider.
Absolutely
I think whenever anyone thinks about Kaz as a closer, they assume he would have his best stuff which would make him one of the nastiest in the league. I was just wondering if that was just everyone fantasizing on here or did the Rays actually think about this?
by BJ the Bossman on Jun 17, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
FYI
i actually worked for a summer in the biomechanics lab that Kazmir went to in Birmingham and the process is very interesting. What is also important to note is that he has been there before while he was a member of the Mets and so the assessment they made now can be compared to an earlier one. If anyone has any questions about the process behind the “biomechanical evaluation,” I’ll do my best to answer them based on what I learned while in Birmingham. But keep in mind that by no means did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Do they use motion sensor cameras? Or 3D cams or what?
Rays Win!
by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 17, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Essentially there are two parts
First off they use a super super super slow mo camera. Not sure what the frame/second is exactly but I know that in comparison the the camera that is used to show slow motion tracking of golf balls being driven during the masters or whatnot (you know, the one where you can see the ball flatten on the face of the club) this camera is about 1.5x slower.
Secondly, they use the motion sensor cameras (much in the same way that pitch f(x) works) and put sensors on both sides of the wrist, hand, shoulder, elbow, hips, hat (you have to wear a hat), knees, legs, feet, etc. Then you go through your motion and actually throw fastballs, changeups, curveballs, or whatever else you throw (spike curve?), and about 80-90 different calculations are made (angles, speed, torques, etc.). You can compare different pitches and you can also compare to a database that has established norms. Certain values that are outside of norms can indicate a possibility for injury or a possibility for altered performance. Since Kazmir has gone before, it would probably be interesting to compare his two visits while also just looking at the sheer mechanics. Overall, there is just a ton that can be done with the information that is gleaned from such an evaluation.
by FanDisplaced on Jun 17, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Thanks a lot!!
I wonder if most guys will look the same 5 years later. Also, if Scott made 50-60 pitches any word if he got out of the 2nd OK?
Rays Win!
by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 17, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
This is pretty awesome but why did they use torque?
Lineal forces make a lot more sense considering that the only material in the body really capable of resisting shear and bending at the magnitudes we’re talking is bone. Why don’t they translate those torques to force couples in soft tissue?
by Graham MacAree on Jun 17, 2009 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Great info
I’m even more excited about this than before.
www.draysbay.com
by Tommy Rancel on Jun 17, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought the old story was Peterson was the one who told mgmt to trade Kazmir?
I remember hearing something that Peterson said the delivery would be a disaster and Kazmir didn’t want to change it. I’m sure it’s all heresay but still…….
Heard that story was BS
www.draysbay.com
by Tommy Rancel on Jun 17, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I've heard that story, but never heard it substantiated.
The Mets reportedly had issues with him being small and the fact that he smoked a lot of weed, but the Peterson part of the story always seemed unlikely to me.
Tools Whore
can't find anything about that now.
He has also been linked to the decision to trade Scott Kazmir, a 20-year-old pitching prospect, to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays because he supposedly felt Kazmir was immature.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01E3D71639F934A2575AC0A9629C8B63
OT but in same article:
The only other Ray who appears to have a chance to be elected a starter is Carl Crawford, who is fourth among OFs, trailing Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki 1,069,599 to 902,105.
wow. i can’t believe CC is 4th in fan voting.
And Hamilton is one of the 3 OF's ahead of him
I’m not sure if he’ll be ready to play in the ASG, but if he isn’t then CC starts.
by nolesblogger on Jun 17, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions
If Josh Hamilton is voted as an ASG starter, you might as well take voting rights away from the fans completely.
Yeah yeah, I know, it’s for the fans. If that’s the case, call it ‘Baseball Popularity Contest Game’.
Also, Hamilton is saying he’ll probably be ready for the ASG.
"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."
BUT HE HANDLES THE PITCHERS
"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."
I initially said this as a joke
But now that I think about it, it would be pretty awesome.
by nolesblogger on Jun 17, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Hinske and Norton
Lifetime contracts
Rays Win!
by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 17, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Taboo?
Would it be looked down upon if Maddon were to select Bartlett or Zobrist with his final addition as AL manager? I don’t know what the votes are at for JB, but are you allowed to select your own player?
Barlett is second at SS behind Jeter
If only the Rays started wearing jerseys with pinstripes. There still might be enough time for MVB to catch him.
by nolesblogger on Jun 17, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Managers can select their own players
And it isn’t really taboo either unless it’s a clear abuse of power. I do remember that there was one relatively recent example of this, where like 5 guys from one team were voted into the starting lineup, then the manager brought along another 4 of his own players, a couple of which weren’t deserving, but I can’t remember the exact circumstances.
I went over some analysis of this last year; after the starting lineup is picked, the manager then has to fill the roster to the extent that at least 1 player from every team is represented before he can pick his own choice players, so ultimately the number of ‘free spots’ available to the manager depends on how diverse the combined selections of the starting lineup voted on by the players and the player-selected reserves are. Usually, the manager will have anywhere between 2-5 players who he can pick regardless of team.
"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."
Players voted him in, Francona didn't put him there.
If he did there would have been outrage.
Tools Whore
You may be thinking about Ozzie Guillen in 2006
As I recall, he abused his power quite a bit. I distinctly remember a quote of him basically saying his whole team deserved to be there.
by ChiBurbRaysFan on Jun 17, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions
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