The New York Mets could be on the verge of bringing back the pitcher no one wanted to see go.
According to a tweet from ESPN's Buster Olney, the Mets are one of six teams being considered by two-time All-Star pitcher Scott Kazmir. If Kazmir were to sign with the Mets, he could play his first games as a member of the team that drafted him a decade ago.
Kazmir, 28, was the Mets' first-round pick (15th overall) in the 2002 MLB Draft, but was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2004 in a deal that brought Victor Zambrano to New York.
Zambrano went on to go 10-14 for the Mets with a 4.42 ERA over 39 appearances, while Kazmir went on to make two All-Star appearances for the Rays and lead the American League in strikeouts during the 2007 season. He also went 12-8 with a 3.49 ERA in 2008, the year that Tampa Bay captured its first AL pennant.
The Kazmir trade is widely regarded as one of the worst in Mets history, with Mets beat writers like John Delcos (formerly of the Journal News) and Adam Rubin of ESPN New York among those who have cast the deal in that light.
Elbow troubles have plagued Kazmir in recent years, and he made just one start for the Angels in 2011, who released him on June 15 last year. Kazmir threw in front of scouts last week with the hopes of making a return to the major leagues.
