Kazmir named Opening Day starter

Big surprise, Scott Kazmir will be the Devil Rays' Opening Day starter. Manager Joe Maddon officially announced that the staff ace will open the 2007 campaign, when the Rays play the Yankees in the Bronx on April 2.

Kazmir went 10-8 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 2006. He started 24 games, pitched 144.2 innings and recorded an impressive 163 K's. He had a stiff shoulder for most of the second half last season, prompting the Rays to eventually employ the cautious approach by shutting him down the rest of the year. Kazmir's last appearance of '06 came on Aug. 22, when he earned a no-decision against the Rangers in a 5-3 Rays' win. Maddon could be counted among the cautious last summer, but not anymore. He's convinced that Kazmir is more than ready for the upcoming season.

Any questions that the Rays might have had about Kazmir's shoulder have been answered this spring. The left-hander has pitched pain-free since the beginning of Spring Training, and his performance has improved in every outing.
Source: MLB.com