Several teams, including the Tigers and Angels, had scouts in attendance for Rays right-hander James Shields' start against Seattle today, write Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Red Sox, Yankees, Pirates, Giants, and Blue Jays also had scouts on hand, indicating that Shields could be a hot commodity as the deadline approaches. As for Detroit, sources say that the Tigers have had interest in Shields for years and could ply him away with catching prospects Rob Brantly and James McCann. The Rays aren't necessarily shopping Shields but GM Andrew Friedman will listen to offers on him as well as Jeremy Hellickson, Alex Cobb, and Wade Davis, sources say. Here's more out of the AL East..
- As you might imagine, the ten-player deal between the Blue Jays and Astros wasn't exactly easy to put together. Houston GM Jeff Luhnow told Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter) that he had 20 conversations with Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos last night alone.
- Orioles GM Dan Duquette told reporters, including Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun that he's on the lookout for high on-base percentage hitters. “Hopefully, [Omar Quintanilla] is a good on-base man. Take a look at his OBP capabilities with the Mets. He was good. We hope he brings the same [thing] with us. … "[But] we are looking at our on-base capabilities. No question. We need to do a better job with that," Duquette said.
- Anthopoulos told reporters that the two teams will work out the player to be named later in the trade by the end of August, writes Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
Seriously..Boston generally owns Shields and especially at fenway, where madden will try to skip his turn if he can anyway.
Rays are not going to swap him in the division, Boston would rather face him than even think of over paying and that goofy Rays name “Big Game James” is far from the truth.
Not knocking on NY, or the other teams, but I really cannot see other teams over paying for him either. Garza is every bit as solid as Shields is.
I really wouldn’t mind Shields in a Red Sox uniform, however I have a suspicion that Barmes plus Lavarnway would be only the start of a package. So yeah, I say go after Garza.
There is -0- way would swap Barnes for Shields alone.
I laugh everytime hear that Rays SERIOUS homer announcer Dewayne Staats call him “Big Game James”. He did it numerous times again prior to the last start vs Boston.
Rays have a nice rotation, one of the best in the game, but I do not include Shields as one of the lynch pins of it and never have, with the exception of 2011. Over rated is the word.
2007-2009 don’t count either? If he was a Red Sox, your opinion would be far different. Barnes would be extremely lucky to ever be as good as James.
I wouldn’t trade Shields for Barnes straight up from the Rays perspective. Shields is a proven #2 in the AL east, struggling a bit kinda like Beckett and Lester! Barnes is a nobody who MIGHT(probably not) have the success Shields has had. It would take Barnes/Cecchini(?) package to get Shields. Of course your going to say that’s to much. Barnes could become a
Bad pitcher while it’s less likely for Shields who is proven.
It’s fine, everyone is entitled to an opinion here and what it’s for.
Boston doesn’t need another beckett struggling type pitcher and all you get with Shields is another #3-4. Shields certainly isn’t a #2, except last year when he would have qualified as an Ace had he not pitched for a team like the Rays with such an outstanding staff.
Barnes is a potential top of the order prospect and yes.. He may never win a MLB game, but like said.. THAT team does not need yet another middle of the rotation pitcher when they just sent someone doing better than both Shields AND beckett back to the BP in Franklin Morales..
I am not taking up for Beckett, nor Lester. Both have had the same issues as **Shields** except lester has a FAR better track record than Shields and shouldn’t even be included in this discussion at all.
Boston is going the develop from within approach with the top talent rotation prospects and can pretty much guarantee that you won’t see Barnes being involved in any deals period for at least another year or 2. They are going to wait and see just how high his potential really is 1st. He may flop, he may not.
Beckett? Chance he could end up becoming a salary move at the deadline. I really don’t want to see it, but think he really is having a problem with something on that team and don’t believe health is the issue. IMO.. Morales will swap out with Doubrant and take over the other spot in a few starts, so they will still need another SP if that is the case and Matsuzaka’s Sox career is todt. Thinking he is going to go on the 60 day DL any day now, or hope so.
Dempster is of no use to Boston. Garza always liked. Tough competitor on the mound and gave the Sox fits, but would be high cost and really no better than what they have though for cost to get.
shields? Less quality than Garza and even higher cost, hasn’t put together decent back to back seasons in 4 years.
IMO? I am hoping they set signts lower and target old Sox IFA Anibel Sanchez, who is slipping thru the cracks because many don’t see him on National TV, but I watch quite often.. He is at least as good as both Garza and Shields and think the Sox could maybe sign him reasonably beyond this year.
Shields and Garza put up similar stats, but Shields has 2.5 years of control left compared to 1.5 for Garza. Also, Shields will be almost 20 percent cheaper next year as well. That lower salary and extra year of control means Shields will command a bigger haul than Garza.
I wouldn’t say they have been consistent by a longshot when both teams (Cubs and Rays) are both looking for a major prospect loaded package in return.
Now, don’t get me wrong.. Am not in favor of acquiring either of those pitchers, but Garza, especially since ’08 has been much more solid, as well as steady than Shields with the sole exception of 2011.
Can look at any of the “nit picky” stats that many here like to frequently pull out as well:
WHIP
H/9
Nobody can take away that Shields is capable of putting together another stellar season like he did in 2011, when he was truly outstanding, but he seems to have some kind of issue all to often and Garza is the steady pitcher year in and out. Not Shields where he has a good season in 2007-8, middle of the rotation from 2009-10, top of the rotation in 2011, then middle of the rotation in 2012 again.
While I will agree that Shields’ ERA has fluctuated more, if you look at their DIPs stats, Shields has been better. Shields has had a FIP better than 4.05, 4 of 5 years, while Garza has only had one season below 4.05.
Over the last 5 years Shields: K/9-7.6, BB/9-2.2, HR/9-1.1, IP-1011
Garza: K/9-7.6, BB/9-3.0, HR/9-1.0, IP-891
Over the last 3 years, Shields: K/9-8.2, BB/9-2.4, HR/9-1.2, IP-584
Garza: K/9-7.9, BB/9-2.8, HR/9-1.0, IP-503.1
While I think Shields is the better pitcher, I don’t think they are separated by much when it comes to talent. The big difference is Garza is more expensive and only signed for 1.5 years vs. 2.5 years for Shields. That extra year should give Shields more value.
I don’t imagine the Giants scouts at this game are there for Shields. What’s more likely is they’re scouting position players and searching for arms for the ‘pen.
I wouldn’t mind the Bucs picking up Big Game James. He’s a nice little innings eater who’d slot in nicely as our #3 starter. He also has options on his contract which we’d probably pick up at least one because we’re losing Bedard & Correia next year and he’d easily take one of their places.
Not really sure what we could give the Rays, though, as they surely don’t need young pitching which is our best bargaining chip. Shields is definitely not worth a top hitting prospect like Marte or Bell or Hanson. Something like Tabata + a B prospect would be more in line with his value.
Now Hellickson, he’d be worth a better package. Catcher Tony Sanchez + a prospect like Bryan Morris (who could be their closer for the next 5-6 years) would be a slight overpay but it’d be worth it if Hellickson could return to last year’s form.
Sounds like someone’s overvaluing they’re own guys. More like at least Sanchez for Shields, and at least Marte for Hellickson. Dickerson, the Bucs 1B in A+, I’d imagine the Rays have their eyes on him.
It would be awesome if Rays could get a package around Belt and catcher like Tommy Joseph for Shields. The only other interesting deal would be the Angels with a package around Conger. That would change if Detroit would be willing to trade Castellenos for Shields, which is unlikely.
I’d prefer Hellickson. He’s gonna cost more prospect wise, but he’d be around til 2017
Hellickson wouldn’t look near as good with the Tigers, though. Especially since he’s not a strikeout pitcher.
The Rays have a great defense. The Tigers don’t.
There’s absolutely no reason the Giants would trade for Shields, they must of been scouting somebody else. Who? I don’t know.
To get Shields it will cost at least 2 top 100 MLB prospects, plus 1-2 other top 12-15 system prospects. For Hellickson, it will cost at least 2 top 50 MLB prospects or a top 25 and a top 75 prospect, plus 1-2 more top 10 system prospects. This is what the market has shown to be the cost for good, controllable pitchers. I understand some of you might think this is too much for your favorite team to trade away, but you aren’t getting a good number 2 SP for one pretty good prospect and a bunch of C/C+ type prospects.
If you make a trade proposal and you would be happy if your favorite team made it happen, you probably didn’t offer enough.
That’s alot of scouts watching Shields, he may be a goner.