strictly speaking if you're talking about southpaws which is what Kazmir is, i would think that the Giants don't have anyone close to him.... but if you're talking about pitchers in general, Matt Cain is very similar to Kazmir - drafted in the same round and same season 1st round 2002 and about the same age....


Bleacher:

Scott Kazmir was a consensus best pitcher in the draft, and might've been selected number one overall if not for his bonus demands. He slipped to the middle of the round where the Mets happily scooped him up. Matt Cain was a bit of a surprise first round pick (gee, what a shocker). And to separate them even more, the good experts at Baseball America have Kazmir generally rated in the teens (one writer ranked him seventh) and just behind Greg Miller as the top lefty prospect in the minors. Cain doesn't appear on any of the top 50 lists.

Quote:
not that i don't like Righetti and the Giants' pitching coaches, but i believe that Rick Peterson is at another level.....


To quote a pretty good film, we park our cars in the same garage. I would also add Leo Mazzone to the list. In my opinion, without Mazzone the Braves would not have approached their remarkable run. While I like Rags, I would have no problems replacing him with a better coach. I dunno -- he just doesn't seem to be inspiring our pitchers. When is the last time a pitcher gave him credit for improving their game?

-Dave