The Angels still have a lot of interest in James Shields, even as some clubs are concerned about the right-hander’s performance, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. Rosenthal also adds a new team to the list of Shields’ suitors: the Braves have some level of interest, Rosenthal reports.
The Rangers and Dodgers are pursuing Shields, Danny Knobler reported yesterday. The Indians have also talked to the Rays about Shields, according to Jayson Stark.
Shields earns $7MM in 2012 and his contract includes club options for 2013 ($9MM with a $1.5MM buyout) and 2014 ($12MM with a $1MM buyout). Shields, the third-place finisher in last year's AL Cy Young voting, has completed at least 200 innings in every one of his five full seasons. The 30-year-old has a 4.52 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 137 1/3 innings so far in 2012.
Rosenthal discusses some possible explanations for Shields' season and explains how his numbers affect his trade value. Joel Sherman of the New York Post was blown away by the number of executives who aren't scared by Shields' numbers (Twitter link).
Shields will be a steal, regardless of his recent numbers.
Angels like James Shields but they aren’t sure if they “like” like James Shields
BFFs?
3 people apparently don’t have BFFs.
I think they clicked “Like” on one of his Facebook posts. The media turns everything into a story these days.
Who wouldn’t want a guy with the nickname “Big Game James”?
anybody who had checked his numbers in the postseason and high leverage situations in general
Especially from a guy that gave the nickname to himself. Atlanta does not match up with TB anyway. Signed, Zack
The Rays should pit the Angels and Rangers against each other to get the best return on a deal. With the Angels, they should ask for SS-Jean Segura, 1B-C.J. Cron, and SP-Ariel Pena. To make a deal with the Rangers, they should ask about 3B-Mike Olt (and move him to 1B), Cody Buckel (SP) and Catcher Jorge Alfaro.
Neither of those are happening. But Alfaro and Cron are interesting pieces for the Rays.
I agree with you. That’s why I said they should ‘ask’ about those players. I’m a Rays fan, so that was my wish list. In reality, the Rays are more likely to obtain multiple ‘pretty good’ prospects than one top prospect. They are thin on starting pitching at the high levels, so Pena or Buckel could fill that void.
For Shields, I believe neither the Angels or the Rangers will overpay. The Angels have offered Peter Bourjos and Hank Conger. I think that’s the best deal the Rays will get and should take it before they use Bourjos in a deal for Greinke.
I think Ryan is smart enough to spot which SP on the market are worth approaching and which are not.. he will wisely pass on James Kazmir/Shields…
NO! Please do not trade for this guy Braves. I am sorry, but James Shields has had one good year (last year) and has reverted back to himself this year. Shields is not gonna make a difference going down the stretch. The Braves could add a reliever and use Medlen as a starter, and Medlen will out pitch Shields easily.
Actually, Shields has has one excellent year (last year), and 2 other seasons in which he was well above average – 2008 (3.56, 1.15, 124 ERA+) and 2007 (3.85, 1.10, 117 ERA+). His 2010 season is the only year that truly sticks out like a sore thumb.
Yeah, I really like Shields. I would welcome him on the Braves. His contract is manageable, and he would pitch better in the NL.
He wouldn’t cost as much as Greinke, in contract or in prospects. I’m coming around to this idea.
He could cost more in terms of trade pieces because he’s so cheap for what he offers. TB has to be really motivated if they move him…
Why would he pitch better in the NL? In 26 career starts against NL teams, he has only managed a 4.29 ERA. That is not very good. Take out a couple of the weaker teams in the NL, and against middle to upper teams, he has a 5.652 ERA in 18 games.
and hes 0-2 against the braves so let another team get him…..if he was 2-0 I would say go get him
His contract is half of what it would cost to keep Greinke around long-term. Those extra ten million could go a long way in improving an already potent offense.
Going 7 or 8 every start means a lot if it means keeping the pen fresh for the important games. All the Braves need is an innings eater — Shields would provide that.
I don’t agree, the Braves need another quality starter going into the playoffs. Hudson and Sheets are good, but we do not have a 3rd guy who has stepped up. Shields is not the answer to that either. He has a 4.98 career ERA in the playoffs.
rays want a good return so I would trade for zack cause zack is gonna be good for atleast 10 more years
You people that think Medlen is some kind of savior drive me nuts.
Medlin has been a solid pitcher his entire mlb career. Deserves oppurtunity to make a couple starts and see where it goes. Could be potential trade bait in offseason
Trade bait? He’s so cheap and controllable. Why would they want to trade him?
If someone sees Medlen as a SP and the Braves could get a good return, but that wont happen.
Medlen is most valuable to the Braves where he is. He’s a guy that can give you long relief, set-up situations or even close it out. His role as-is is huge.
I agree
So Medlen is the Martin Prado of pitchers? He just needs to give weather reports.
thats a great example cause prado is better than uggla but hes not taking uggla job
medlen made tommy day great by going 2 innings cause tommy allowed 7 walks 6 steals or 7…..medlen career would last long being in the pen
medlen is better than hes given credit for but hes not a starter….hes pretty good and we missed him last year
Don’t let the ERA fool you. The guy goes out and gives you 210 IP every year…K/9 rate of roughly 8. SO/BB ratio 3.56 over his career. He pitches in the AL East and numbers can look balloned because of one or two rough seasons.
Shields also costs a super reasonable 9MM for 2013 and 12MM in 2014. It would actually be the best trade for the Braves to make for a SP given the current market.
But he’s probably going to cost more than Greinke in terms of what has to be sent so I don’t see Wren doing it…
His numbers have been no better against the NL, and even worse against the better teams in the NL. I just posted the numbers below.
Medlen has been jerked around so much this year i don’t think he’ll be an effective starter. If they had the made the decision earlier in the year I think he’d be a good starter, but not this year.
They did make the decision earlier in the year, but he didn’t do very well working out as a starter, so they put him back into the BP.
His first start this year was June 2nd when they sent him down to be stretched out. He started 3 games in AAA and pitched a total of 13.1 innings and gave up 7 ERs. I don’t know you can say that means ‘he didn’t do very well’.
Cause ERA in AAA decides whether someone is good enough. Ask the Braves trainers.
my point is 3 starts isn’t enough to determine anything. Braves panicked and made a dumb move.
You should want they keep him away from the team that needs him longer? Maybe they will throw him in the rotation in place of JJ after pitching 3 innings, but I like him where he is right now. Our BP is thin and we need someone we can trust.
Where in the world did you hear this?
hes coming off tommy john and have a era around 2.60 and…his era is second too only our closer whos the best in the game now
you edited your original comment, but he has been jerked around by the team all year. He’s settled into a bullpen and long relief role if necessary. Turning him into a starter this year would be bad.
I love Medlen, but they can’t keep telling him “you’re a starter”, “you’re a reliever” and messing with him like that. In spite of all the indecisiveness he’s been a stud all year.
yea but hes not a start but he could be better than tommy hanson rite now so I would take that
I don’t know…200IP every year, K/9 around 8, K/BB 3.56 over his career. 9MM in 2013, 12MM in 2014. Looks pretty darn solid to me. I’d be ecstatic to have him as the anchor if Wren can get him.
gives you 7-8 innings per start. what the braves need. a starter that can go deeep
His ability to go deep will mean little once he’s under the hook of Fredi Gonzalez.
Going 7-8 innings doesn’t mean much when you give up 5 runs first. This guy is not better than anybody in the current rotation. Delgado is a 22 year old rookie who is actually been sent down to AAA, and his ERA, WHIP, and BAA are better than Shields. Why pay a guy what Shields is to earn for no improvement?
u got a point cause I was mad when I heard delgado was traded for demp but im glad hes not coming to the ATL
Uh, yeah.
Jair Jurrjens is better than James Shields.
Right.
Okay, JJ is not better than Shields at this point, but then again I don’t consider him part of the starting rotation at this point. I really hope he doesn’t start any more games. However, Delgado could come as the #5 starter a lot cheaper than Shields, and yes Delgado has been better than Shields has been this year. Delgado will continue to get much better too, while Shields will continue to get over-paid to stink it up.
amen
Shields is slumping…. maybe he’d be good, but I’d rather have Greinke right now. Shields is the more longterm responsible trade though.
Big Game James hasn’t been so good lately!
Executives probably aren’t “scared” by Shields’ numbers because they see his 3.84 FIP and 3.44 SIERA. He would be a nice pickup for teams needing a starter.
Rosenthal misunderstood what the Angels said.
What they meant was, they ‘liked’ a link he posted to Facebook of two cats doing the cha-cha.
If the Angels can get rid of Bourjos that would be addition by subtraction.
Tony Reagins? Is that you?
Gimme a break. Forget past numbers. How’s a guy with a -0.8 WAR this year going to help us?
2.0 fWAR
Has he been below average this year yes, but his team has a well below average defense behind him look at his fielding independent #’s they look more like his career #’s. plus the IF & OF defense in ATL are in the top of the league with Simmons at SS. He will be better in the NL for 2 reasons not facing the DH every start & not havng to pitch 1/2 his games in the bandbox stadiums of the AL East. He is worth more over the long run seems like a Tim Hudson type player to me and will be a 3.30 ERA guy fo ATL.
you can throw the Braves name out of this…because for the past 3yrs basically under Wren he has sent scouts to games to look at pitchers everywhere and never traded for one…so why am I suppose to believe he will do anything now…one of the sorriest GMS the Braves have ever had in their history…
As a braves fan i would love if they could get zack but i just dont see the braves being able to extend him. So going after shields would work. I think he would do good in the n.l. east. for sure rather him over dempster. his nice scoreless streak is over and been brought back down to earth.
Actually, the Braves have stated that they would have no problem providing Greinke with the $100 MM+ extension. The concern is what they will have to give up in terms of prospects to acquire him.
braves can extend him….they have like 40 million to spend this summer but its gonna cost u alot to get him now…..i think they should go for it in chipper last year………trade uggly if u can before next year
Over 20 mil of that 40 would go to zack leaving less than 20 to resign bourn or his replacement, a everyday left fielder assuming prado moves to third. Will need to replace hinske and ross. Then u have prado getting a raise, heyward and hanson are about to get expensive. Then if u move uggla get ready to eat salary. Again i would love for the braves to make a trade for zack but shields allows you to have more money to fill holes
get rid of uggla contract cause prado is better 2baseman
Thats in a perfect world.. And i agree that prado is better than uggla and his numbers look good there. Between the money that wren and the braves would have to send to ugglas new team and what u have to pay for a third baseman really makes it out of the question. Infante at second prado at third with simmons and freeman would make a good infield. but that didnt happen. At the time it looked like the braves got uggla cheap though
There have been murmurs that the Braves will have their payroll increased next year. I’m sure some may scoff at that, but from the way the Braves have pursued Greinke this year, and from the statements that Wren and Co. have made, it seems like a real possibility. I don’t think the Braves would have targeted Greinke in the first place if they felt like they wouldn’t be able to handle an extension.
the team the Braves have right now…is the team you better get used to til next year because Wren will not do nothing that surprises anybody…hes looking for another over the hill pitcher that is past his prime…you want a better team…FIRE GONZALEZ
Hopefully the Braves acquire Shields so Juan Pierre can ding another 3 run homer off him before seasons end.
miguel batista……com on man
yea, the braves have some interest in shields, we want to know if shields will be a off season pitching coach for our youngsters.
It would probably take multiple players to acquire any one of those pitchers. When the Rays traded Garza (and even Kazmir) they received position players and pitchers in return. I would say Delgado or Teheran more than Minor because the Rays have more years of control.
Is that a proposal for all 3 of them?