Just what exactly was then-Mets General Manager Jim Duquette thinking when he pulled the trigger on this trade? The Mets had just made a decent deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates the same day in acquiring Kris Benson without giving up a top-notch prospect. Why he felt the need to go out and get another starter at the expense of their young phenom is a major question mark. The team was barely hanging in for the wildcard race, which they predictably fell out of a few weeks later.
Scott Kazmir was drafted out of high school and was expected to go higher than he did. When he fell to the Mets because his agent, Scott Boras, scared teams off, it was looked at as a major coup. He was predicted to be a "can't-miss" prospect that was a power pitching left-hander, which is considered to be a commodity. Some scouts feared that his small frame could not hold up and he may be better off as a closer, such as Billy Wagner.
He was dominant at every minor league level he pitched at. He wowed the locals with his performance at Brooklyn when he pitched for the Single-A Cyclones. The Flushing Faithful were drooling in anticipation of seeing young Kazmir in blue and orange in a few years after he was reared down on the farm.
He graduated up to Double-A by 2004 after he had an impressive offseason training program and spring with the parent club. It seemed as if he was considered an "untouchable." There we rumors that he may be packaged in a deal to acquire a superstar. If that happened, the fans may have accepted it.
But to get rid of your top prospect for a converted infielder who had earlier elbow problems was universally critiqued as a steal for Tampa Bay. Victor Zambrano was thought of a middle of the rotation starter at best, with serious control problems. The Mets tried to put their spin on it with damage control statements that Kazmir was not going to be major league-ready for at least two more years and they owed it to their fans to go for a postseason spot now.
A mere two weeks later, Kazmir made his first major league start in Seattle and pitched five scoreless innings for the win. He stayed up for the rest of the season and impressed everyone involved in baseball.
Zambrano? He pitched one game for the Mets before going on the disabled list. His injury-the same elbow that had been surgically repaired. Just brutal.
Kazmir has been in the Rays' rotation ever since. This season, he was named the team's opening day starter. He is currently 2-1 after another strong performance at Fenway versus the Red Sox.
Zambrano had a dreadful 2005 and has picked up right where he left off this season. He was pounded by the Atlanta Braves last week one game after a big win by Pedro Martinez. The crowd at Shea Stadium roundly booed him after each of the three home runs he served up, following a botched sacrifice bunt attempt, and when he was shown on the Diamond Vision scoreboard between innings. New York, New York. It's a helluva town.
The only person smiling not affiliated with the Devil Rays concerning this trade is Jim Fregosi. He's finally off the hook as the return in the worst trade in Mets team history. For those not aware, he was acquired from the California Angels for a young, raw pitcher named Nolan Ryan.
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