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Scott Kazmir is probably the Comeback player of the CENTURY so far
This is just a great story, not only for baseball, but for life in general.
Think back with this guy.
Plenty of good story comebacks, but the magnitude of this one is pretty awesome.
As a rookie, pitches for the Rays after the Mets trade him as a top 5 prospect in all of MLB at the time, and becomes a borderline ace/ solid #2 guy for them for 4 or 5 years.
Arm problems, gets dumped to the Angels, struggles there, dumped again, and is OUT of baseball after his release.
Couldn't even get a minor league deal.
Here's the story from last year that was written for more accurate details:
Scott Kazmir shouldn't be here, pitching in the major leagues for the Cleveland Indians, throwing 94 mph fastballs and changeups that dance like Ginger Rogers. He should be just another casualty of the rigors of a job that shreds elbows and shoulders and leaves young men looking backwards at their life, questioning the disappearance of their gift.
Kazmir pitched poorly in 2009, spending time on the disabled list with elbow problems and getting traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Los Angeles Angels. He was worse in 2010 and battled shoulder issues. He made one start with the Angels in 2011, had neither velocity nor command, made a few starts in Triple-A, allowed 30 runs in 15 innings and got released, still owed $14.5 million. He was just 27, and his future was behind him.
He had made a lot of money in the game and could have walked away, but what's a 28-year-old man who has spent life throwing a baseball supposed to do? He pitched last season for a team called the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. He wasn't alone in refusing to give up major league dreams. Ten other former major leaguers pitched for the Skeeters, including former Houston Astros outfielder Jason Lane, who was trying to make it as a pitcher. Roger Clemens started two games late in the season. He was 49 and didn't allow a run in eight innings. Kazmir made 14 starts and finished with a 5.34 ERA.
He pitched in the Puerto Rican winter league, and the Indians saw a guy throwing 94 instead of 84. Injuries had once fouled up his mechanics but he was smoothing them out again. The Indians signed him to a minor league contract. What did they have to lose? Their starters had a 5.25 ERA in 2012. Still, it seemed Clemens would have been a better bet to succeed than Kazmir.
The most amazing thing about the story is it's not like he went to the Skeeters and was good lol.
He pitched there and had an ERA OVER 5!!!!!!!!
The guy goes hard for Cleveland last year, has a solid year, and not only gets another deal this year, but gets 10 million a year with OAK and there was a bidding war for him.
Unbelievable story of how to never give up and also seeing a guy play for the love of the game.
I can't think of any stories like this that can compare.
He is straight dealing right now for OAK and has been unhittable.
Wonder if Kazmir gave that Cleveland scout a little xmas bonus after taking a chance on him when no one else would.
Can anyone come up with a better comeback in the last 20 years or so of a guy who was a star, then gone, then back as a Star again?
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Originally Posted by I/O
