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Ken Rosenthal has the news over Twitter:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sources: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Athletics&src=hash">#Athletics</a> close to signing free-agent LHP Scott Kazmir.</p>— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/statuses/407584538286882816">December 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
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With this, it appears the A's are out of the Bartolo Colon sweepstakes. It's a shame, because despite my wishes for Kazmir, I still would have rather had Colon, who has had a better season more recently.
Jon Heyman is also weighing in with additional news:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Kazmir deal with a's will be 2 years. good for him.</p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/statuses/407585784892366848">December 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
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This will potentially give the A's two LHP starters should Brett Anderson stay in the rotation.
Update:
Jim Bowden has numbers for us:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Kazmir agrees to 2yrs $22m deal with A's <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Confirmed&src=hash">#Confirmed</a></p>— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimBowdenESPNxm/statuses/407592160792285184">December 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Also, what was suspected from Kazmir's deal is true as far as Colon is concerned:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sources confirm Kazmir to the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Athletics&src=hash">#Athletics</a> and pursuit of Colon at an end.</p>— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/statuses/407593766535434240">December 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
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While we don't know the breakdown of his deal, it is possible that Kazmir will be the highest-paid player the A's have ever tendered a free agent contract to.
