Let's see. We have a veteran with injury issues, pitching for a team that's 9 games under .500 with just a couple months left in the season. Basically tied for last in the division and not far from last in the league. That veteran has been great, but he is a free agent at the end of the year.
The choice is simple:
- Keep Kazmir. The A's probably win a few more games the rest of the year but don't sniff the playoffs. After the season, they make a qualifying offer, Kazmir signs somewhere else for three years and $50 million, and the A's will get the ~40th pick in next year's draft.