[Note] Rays block Kazmir from WBC
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP)—Scott Kazmir will not pitch for the United States in
next month's World Baseball Classic because the Tampa Bay Rays were concerned
about the risk of injury to the All-Star left-hander.
The AL champions petitioned to have Kazmir removed from Team USA because the
25-year-old missed the opening month of last season with an elbow strain
suffered during spring training and then pitched through October because of the
playoffs and World Series.
“With health issues that he had last year, coupled with the fact he played an
extra month, we felt the prudent thing to do would be to push him back a little
bit in spring, as we're doing with some of our other pitchers as well,”Rays
executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Tuesday
night.
“We felt like the difference between pitching competitively in early March
with USA on your chest as opposed to some time in the second week of March in a
Grapefruit League game differed greatly in terms of what it takes to get to
that point, as well as stress on the arm.”
Kazmir, a two-time All-Star, was 12-8 with a 3.49 ERA in 2008. Even though he
just turned 25 last month, he's already Tampa Bay's career leader in wins,
innings pitched, strikeouts and ERA.
Friedman called the Team USA invitation“very well-deserved,”but stressed the
Rays felt Kazmir's participation“had a chance to be problematic over the span
of a six-month season, and hopefully an extra month beyond that.”
Last May, the left-hander signed a three-year contract extension that
guarantees him $28.5 million. The deal through 2011 includes a club option for
2012 and could be worth up to $39.5 million.
“I kept him abreast of the situation along the way. I talked to him again
after we got word. … Looking at it as a positive for the organization, it
gives him a chance to get ready a little slower and be around his teammates all
of spring training,”Friedman said.“That's what we're focusing on.”
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