Mets part with Kazmir to get Zambrano

By John Manuel
July 30, 2004

While the Devil Rays have had success developing everyday players, such as outfielders Rocco Baldelli and Carl Crawford and third baseman Aubrey Huff, they haven't had the same luck bringing pitchers to the major leagues. That trend could change after they pulled off a stunning trade on Friday.

Tampa Bay dealt its most effective starter, Victor Zambrano, and Triple-A righthander Bartolome Fortunato to the Mets for a pair of Double-A pitchers, most notably Scott Kazmir, one of the top lefthanders in the minors. The Rays also acquired righty Joselo Diaz.

Kazmir, 20, was the 15th overall pick out of a suburban Houston high school in 2002, when he was Baseball America's High School Player of the Year. He struggled early in 2004 with a rib strain but since has gotten healthy, gained control of his mechanics and started to dominate. His stuff is as good as any minor league lefty's. He throws a mid-90s fastball and a curveball that's well above average at times. His changeup also has made significant progress. In 15 starts between high Class A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton this year, he has gone 3-3, 2.84 with an 80-31 strikeout-walk ratio over 76 innings. Opponents have hit .236 with three homers against him. Kazmir led minor league starters with an average of 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 2003 and has a career 8-10, 2.52 record in 45 minor league starts.

Zambrano, a 28-year-old righthander, has developed into the Devil Rays' best pitcher, going 21-17 over the last two seasons. Signed originally by the Yankees as an infielder, Zambrano has gone 9-7, 4.43 in 23 games (22 starts) this year. He has a 109-96 K-BB ratio in 128 innings, allowing opponents a .230 average and 13 homers. He has an electric 92-95 mph sinker, a plus changeup and an inconsistent slider. Command is an issue with Zambrano, who led the majors in walks (106 in 188 innings) and wild pitches (15) and the American League in hit batters (20) last year. He currently tops the majors in walks (with 20 more than his nearest competitor, Brandon Webb) and hit batters (16). A career 35-27, 4.47 pitcher in 135 big league games, Zambrano will be eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season.

Diaz, 24, signed as a catcher out of the Dominican Republic with the Dodgers in the 1996 and went to the Mets in the July 2003 Jeromy Burnitz trade. He has worked primarily as a starter at Binghamton but projects as a big league reliever. If he's around the strike zone, he can baffle hitters with a live mid-90s fastball and a splitter. Diaz was 4-7, 5.18 in 21 games (19 starts) this year, with 90 strikeouts and 70 walks in 83 innings. Opponents have batted just .208 with three homers against him. He owns a 15-12, 4.03 career mark in 72 minor league games.

Fortunato, 29, signed as an outfielder out of the Dominican in 1996. Though he has a 93-94 mph fastball and has served as the closer at Triple-A Durham this year, he wasn't considered one of the Rays' top prospects. Fortunato was 4-3, 2.42 with nine saves in 34 games, with a 51-21 K-BB ratio in 45 innings. International League hitters were batting just .175 with four homers against him. In 157 minor league games, he has a career record of 27-20, 3.57.