The Angels aren’t the only team in pursuit of James Shields. The Rangers and Dodgers have also made the Rays trade offers for the right-hander, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports.
The Rays are saying they’d move any pitcher except David Price and Matt Moore, but Shields is the most likely one to be traded, Knobler tweets. The Angels have discussed a package that includes center fielder Peter Bourjos and catcher Hank Conger. However, they were rebuffed when they offered Bourjos for Shields, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
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 4.39 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 131 1/3 innings so far in 2012.
Besides Zach Lee, what could the Dodgers offer?
I don’t know really. The Rays need hitters back.
But if we ever run out of pitching, we will probably not be at the top of the division again for a while.
Goodness Ken Rosenthal is now reporting the Angels also want Wade Davis (who from Jayson Stark is getting a lot of interest) from the Rays… Goodness this could be a huge deal brewing
What could the Angels possibly have as chips to acquire both Davis and Shields? Maybe a 3rd team gets involved?
I think they have enough for those two. They may have to pay a bit more for Davis in the deal because he has a good contract if he figures it out in the rotation.
To get both of them, the Angels would have to give up a ton. I would think it would include Bourjos, Conger, Morales, Richards and Walden.
I don’t understand why the Rangers would be after Shields. Sure he would be an upgrade over guys such as Perez, Feldman, and maybe Holland. But Rangers have plenty of arms that can start. They don’t just need a starter. What they need is a bona fide ace, a guy who can start Game 1 in a postseason series. This Shields is not, no matter what his last season’s numbers would have you to believe.
I have to agree with you on this one Elijah. I think they should go after Greinke or Lee instead of Shields. Heck, the Rangers always have beat up on Shields in the playoffs.
My guess is that the Rangers are in on Shields either to prevent the Angels from getting him, or at least to drive up the price they have to pay to get him.
Exactly….. You gotta plus 1 from me.
How many “bona fide” aces are out there? Greinke maybe? Josh Johnson?
Unfortunately for the Rays, it looks as though James Shields’ stock has fallen a bit. He hasn’t had a great season. Last year at this time, the Rays could’ve gotten major prospects for him. Then again, perhaps the reason he’s on the block is BECAUSE his stock has fallen. I doubt the Rays are sellers in the sense that the Marlins are. They’re very much in the postseason hunt.
Who AREN’T the Rangers after??
As a LAD fan, I can’t imagine what they’d offer that LAA apparently already has on the table unless it involves 2 top pitching prospects.
Maybe the Angels didn’t offer the rumor package? Or maybe the Rays don’t want the scent of Ervin Santana?
I think Santana’s value is a little shaky right now. Richards is probably the guy who holds more value to the Rays at this point.
I don’t see the Rays trading Shields to the anyone in the AL.
Jurickson Profar? Huh? What? Kidding, we’d never get him. But, no, seriously, I like Perez, but what about Jorge Alofar?
Hey, Dodgers, give us AJ Ellis and Allen Webster.
Actually, I would argue Webster may be more valuable to the Dodgers than Lee at this point since Webster is closer to the major leagues than Lee is.
Lee is more about projection right now than actual production. He is still working things out in AA, but is also young for the league too.
That said, I could see the Rays wanting the higher upside prospect, who is Lee.
Personally, I would only include Lee or Webster in a trade that brings back a bat. Also, Kasten said this morning that Lee or Webster would only be traded for a player who is NOT a rental.
Why would cash be in the deal? You’re taking Shields and his salary…And most likely, if the Dodgers really want Shields, Lee would be the start of any package. And then even with Lee included, LAA’s offer still looks better, not to mention what the Rangers might be offering….
That’s just the hand they’ve showed so far though. We (LAD) have nothing on 25 that anybody would want when you get down to it, unless they are making Dee expendable. Bourjos and “Darva” alone obviously wouldn’t get that done for LAA.
Yeah, so many back up outfielders put up GG CF defense and 5 WAR in their first and only full year. He does get overrated a tad by some Angels fans, but there’s a reason that he’s getting so much interest. And Conger has never had more than a sniff of the majors, and always in a backup or platoon/DH role. Scioscia is notoriously hard on and expects a lot from young catchers. Neither will be stars, but both should be solid major leaguers that are cost controlled for years.
Dodgers have SP prospects, which are very valuable trade chips.
Guys like Webster, Reed and De La Rosa are all valuable because they are good SP prospects.
Zach Lee is more about projection, but he’s got everything you would want in a top of the rotation prospect who’s 20.
Just because the Dodgers don’t have a lot of guys they want to offer up on the 25 man roster doesn’t mean they don’t have trade chips to deal.
..and the Angels won’t get him for an all-glove outfielder and backup catcher.
Hence my first comment in this thread.
They also have cash, which the Rays want.v
I dunno, Bourjos may have more value than a 4th OF to some teams. He definitely is a plus defensively. He can also steal bases.
I could see Bourjos starting for some MLB teams. I don’t know if he can be the centerpiece in a deal for Shields.
Replacing Colby makes sense. The rest of what you said does not. Nothing has been said of limiting Yu’s innings – he already has four professional seasons of 200+ IP. Perez is not out – he just shut down the Red Sox two days ago (6 IP, 1 ER). If you meant Feliz, he’s rehabbing in the minors and should be back soon. The Rangers have actually recently talked again about stretching Ogando out as a rotation option.
Best option is to call ATL and say give me Randall Delgado, Christian Bethancourt, and Joey Terdoslovich.
Ha ha. Yes, what WAS that thing?
Webster and cash? Like, what? $400k? Yeah, unless they send someone making big money, they don’t send cash.
Of course you would be. Especially when you weren’t even including Lee in your first proposal….
Exactly
James Shields was a Cy Young candidate last year. His peripheral stats are in line with last year and are very good. Looking at his recent success and DIP stats, James Shields could compete for Cy Young awards for the next 2 plus seasons at a well below market contract. That should be worth more than two solid major league players, especially one that doesn’t really fill a need for the Rays. Based on the trades of SP over the past 18 months, I still think the Angels will have to part with some of their top prospects. Probably will take at least one of Segura or Richards, even if they include Bourjos and Conger.