The latest mistake of Los Angels Angels GM Tony Reagins finally blew up in his face as Los Angeles cut ties with doomed starting pitcher Scott Kazmir, released him and swallowing the remainder of the $14.5 million they owe him for the rest of the 2011 season. Kazmir was disabled with lower back tightness after one Major League start, but couldn’t find the strike zone in extended Spring Training in Arizona, which proved to be quite futile.

Reagins traded for Kazmir at the 2009 trade deadline, sending infielder Sean Rodriguez and Alex Torres to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for the then-successful lefty. Since then, Rodriguez has been a below average super utility player while Torres grows in the minors as a starter who has collected more strikeouts than hits. Kazmir, meanwhile, has gone 11-17 with the Angels with a 5.31 ERA in 181.0 innings, with 119 strikeouts and a nasty 1.50 WHIP.

Every other team should be looking to buy low here. While Kazmir has always been regarded as a high-risk pitcher, we don’t know if there was more than just poor performance and injuries that held him back with the Angels. A change of scenery has done a wealth of good for several others in recent years alone, and maybe Kazmir can regroup in a new uniform – albeit at a massively-reduced price for the winning bidder.

If Kazmir could have been half as successful with the Angels as he was with Tampa, the trade might not look so damning (he’d also still have his job). Instead, LA is short one prospect and a whole whack of money. Meanwhile, Reagins still has to face up to the fact that in the near future, this situation may repeat itself in the form of Dan Haren or Vernon Wells, just to name a couple.