Rethinking the Kazmir Trade [J. Mark English]

Scott Kazmir has without doubt developed into an ace for the Tampa Devil Rays. The Devil Rays also stand at 21-32, holding up last place in the AL East, and are 11 games behind first place.

Victor Zambrano is no ace. In fact he's not even pitching. Yet, the Mets are in first place, 12 games over five hundred, and the Braves are 4.5 games out of first.

Mike's Mets reiterates on his site, and Lee Jenkins detailed yesterday, that the Kazmir trade may have lost the team a great pitcher, but it may have handed them an organization for the better.

If the Kazmir trade never happens, chances are Omar Minaya is not the Mets GM. If Omar is not the GM, its probable that the Wilpons would not have shelled out a multi-million dollar deal beyond three years for players like Beltran and Martinez.

Ever since the trade I have not let go of the resentment I've felt for losing such a great pitcher in Kazmir. But I'm over it, and I'm actually thankful for the trade. And who knows...Kazmir in free agency might be lured back to the team he grew up with, and Omar will be there waiting to sign him.