Topic: Scott Kazmir

Scott Edward Kazmir (born January 24, 1984) is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Kazmir made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2004 when he was only 20 years old, and is still the franchise's all-time strikeout leader with 874. He is also among the team's leaders in earned-run average, wins, and games started.

At Cypress Falls High School, Kazmir threw four straight no-hitters as a junior. He was highly recruited after striking out 172 batters in 75 innings as a senior at Cypress Falls High School, and had verbally committed to the University of Texas. However, Kazmir was drafted in the first round (15th overall) of the 2002 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. Along with teammate Clint Everts (who was selected 5th overall by the Montreal Expos) he became half of the first pair of high school pitchers from the same team drafted in the first round.

In 2004, he was considered the top pitching prospect for the New York Mets. While playing for their Double-A team, the Binghamton Mets, he was infamously traded along with minor league pitcher Joselo Díaz to the Devil Rays on July 30, 2004 for Víctor Zambrano and Bartolomé Fortunato. This trade was big news, and continues to be widely criticized by the New York media and fan base given Kazmir's subsequent success. There is also speculation that the move may have led to the demotion of then-General Manager Jim Duquette within the organization.