The Royals are not engaged in extension negotiations with top starter James Shields and have no plans to do so at present, reports ESPN.com's Jim Bowden (Twitter links). Meanwhile, Shields himself is not interested in holding talks during the season.
In the aggregate, then, it appears quite likely that Shields will reach free agency when his deal expires after the 2014 season. As Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star opines, Shields could cost the Royals more to lock up now than he might ultimately achieve on the open market. Though his current deal proved quite favorable to his employers, he has earned nearly $40MM in his career and is not under financial pressure to settle for less this time around. And Shields is nearly certain to come with draft pick compensation attached; while the effect on his market figures to be small relative to his overall value, that could change with a down year. While the team is not ruling out an eventual re-signing, says McCullough, it appears that any such attempt would come after the current season.
Entering his age-32 campaign, Shields has continued to be a top-level workhorse since joining the Royals last year. Though Kansas City paid a dear price to bring him in — shipping out top prospects Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi in the deal — the club appears content to let him reach the open market. Part of that fact relates to Shields' cost, of course. KC may also prefer both to see how Shields ages and how its own young arms mature.
kidkongs
Tough call with this one. I think they will make every effort to extend him at the end of the season, but will happily let him walk if it means extending Hosmer. Can’t afford all of them. Also depends on what they think Duffy, Ventura and Zimmer can all contribute by mid-season.
homer 2
If KC is not confident they are a playoff team this year or fall out early, he might bring in a pretty good haul?
IdontknowwhyIpostonforums
I think this is a very good possibility. Plus it will allow us to analyze the trade with Tampa much more thoroughly. I for one will be sad if all the Royals get is a draft pick next year.
Drew Brees
Even if you trade him at the deadline, you are highly unlikely to receive much in return since most teams will view him as a rental.
Dock_Elvis
A rental that could help a team to a title and come attached to draft pick compensation
Federal League
I thought the rules were altered to eliminate draft pick compensation for players acquired mid-season.
paqza
If he’s traded during the season, he will not be tried to draft pick compensation. You have to be on the team the whole season in order for them to have the opportunity to offer a QO.
Jeffy25
The receiving team doesn’t get a pick.
If he is traded after od, his price drops because he can’t be given a QO
Dock_Elvis
But a return on Shields could be more valuable than a sandwich pick to a Royal team that needs close to MLB ready talent. If they were out in June..that’d certainly maximize their leverage… of course… they are going to be in it all season and eat Shields
TheRealRyan 2
The Cubs were able to get a pretty decent return for two months of Garza and Shields is better.
Drew Brees
Yes and also older and has a ton of innings on his arm and is 32 years old . They could get a return, not saying they won’t. Maybe a mid to top prospect and a couple other prospects.
TheRealRyan 2
His age and IP has zero impact on him being traded in July for a pennant run.
Drew Brees
Not true at all. If a team trades for Shields, they will look to resign him in the offseason to a contract. Age has plenty to do with it.
Tommy Gunn
Not necessarily. A team like the Pirates, for example, might look for an ace to aid a playoff run. They have the minor league talent to facilitate a midseason trade but (probably) don’t have the cash to extend him long term. Plenty of teams would be willing to trade some pieces at an increased shot at a title, without plans to extend him.
TheRealRyan 2
Any team trading for Shields in July understands that he will be a FA at the end of the season. Just as Texas understood Garza would be a free agent this past offseason and didn’t make any effort to resign him.
Damon Bowman
That depends on who steps up to the trade table. Now you get some teams who view that mid-season trade as an opportunity to attempt earlier negotiations and give a player like Shields the red carpet treatment and make him want to sign sooner rather than later if the numbers are right.
Mcgrupp81
Greinke brought the Brewers Segura. If Shields is having a good year, the Royals will do well in a trade.
IdontknowwhyIpostonforums
I disagree. Teams will want a player of his caliber and experience and will pay a decent price for him.
By the way, I am a huge Saints fan and you are my favorite quarterback!
Dock_Elvis
The problem for KC is going to be that they likely ARE going to be in contention all season. Sadly, it’s high percentage probability that they miss the playoffs by a few games
Jeffy25
You are assuming dm makes a good choice.
This was a horrible move when it was made, and it’s going to end badly for them too.
And kc deserves better than this.
DarthMurph
Shields has no reason to sign now. With Bailey, Kershaw, and likely Lester off the board for next offseason, he’ll be in for a huge payday.
Spit Ball
If he does what he has done the last few years……5/75, bank it.
DarthMurph
Unless Scherzer wins the Cy Young again/seriously contends for it, Shields could end up being the highest paid starter in next year’s crop. I could see nearly all of the big spending teams in on him.
themsfan
He’s going to benefit from guys like Kershaw taking extentions now. He’ll be the best option
UltimateYankeeFan
It makes sense for Shields to holdout for FA at the end of this year. At the end of the 2013 season there were only 6 what I would consider top shelf FA scheduled to become FA after the 2014 season. Two of those six have since been re-signed: Kershaw and Bailey. Lester will in all likelihood be re-signed by the Red Sox.
That leaves only 3 that may or may not actually become FA’s: Masterson, Scherzer and Shields himself. Masterson is probably a good bet to re-sign with the Indians. That would leave just Scherzer and Shields as the 2 remaining headliners of the 2014 FA class. As such Shields will probably get a bigger payday in FA then he would get re-signing with the Royals.
Damon Bowman
From recent reports on this very website, I would not bank on Masterson returning to Cleveland if he hasn’t been extended by the end of this season since he can benefit from the lack of top-tier starters hitting the market for the winter of ’14-’15.
UltimateYankeeFan
At least Masterson and the Indians are talking and continue to talk and Masterson has not put a deadline of the start of the season for a deal to happen. That at least works in favor of a deal potentially being worked out.
Tommy Gunn
Definitely looks like a deal is in the works. I don’t expect Masterson to make it to FA.
UltimateYankeeFan
Yes it does and looks like it’s going to be a deal the Indians can live with, easily.
Tommy Gunn
Definitely looks like a deal is in the works. I don’t expect Masterson to make it to FA.
AmericanMovieFan
What is Shields worth? 4 years/$64MM, maybe 5 years/$80MM, though he’ll probably push for 5 years/$90MM w/ a 6th year option of some kind at $20MM.
paqza
He’ll get more than that, with salary inflation, I think. Less than Cliff Lee, but still in that 5/100 range.
Jeffy25
Think more like 20 per.
4-5 years most likely.
JacobyWanKenobi
I didn’t like the trade when it happened, I bet KC feels somewhat similar now that Myers has actually played.
Jeffy25
Yeah.
I feel everyone in baseball looked at this trade at the time and knew how stupid it was for kc.
Even on here, people were all over it at the time.
Just a stupid move, and a poor assessment of one’s in-house options.
The royals would probably be better off this year with Myers in right than shields starting….and that ignores the rest of the pieces of the trade.
That trade is the perfect example of competent management trading with incompetent management.
The 90 win rays team sold a player to a 70 win royals team….helping keep each team in their respective level of standings after just two years.
I doubt the royals make he playoffs either year (13-14).
Dock_Elvis
They would have would have been forced into upgrading the rotation without Shields. It still seems short even with him. If they were creative..maybe they could deal him now for a pitcher with more contract xontrol
JacobyWanKenobi
But they weren’t in a position to compete anyway, so Shields was a terrible acquisition from the start.
Dock_Elvis
But they did compete. They weren’t far off the wild card last season and likely will be in the hunt this season. My issue is that they haven’t hit the market to add a serious #2 so they can take the next step. Clearly the deal looks worse.. the less the bats develop
GameMusic3
They were not a contender without Shields, and with him, were competitive but not contenders.
Dock_Elvis
Butler rebounds and Hosmer hits for an entire season and they certainly are contenders in 2014. Any team that projects as a mid 80 win team is a contender. They do need things to break right
Dock_Elvis
They just did nothing to separate themselves from the wild card log jam. Honestly, theyve as good a shot at the Tigers as they do a wild card. It’s feasible they trade places with Cleveland this season and win.92…but that’s what it will take. They have too many ? For that.
Federal League
Well, hopefully the Royals can put together a decent season this year and make a run at the playoffs, because right now this trade doesn’t look good [and it didn’t look good at the time]. Not in the sense that James Shields is a bad acquisition or that they should overvalue prospects, but the process that led them to believe they were closer to competing than they were.
Drew Brees
Yep I was about to say that, but you beat me to it
UltimateYankeeFan
Considering Shields will be 33 when he becomes a FA after this season probably 4 guaranteed and a 5th year team or vesting option is most length he can expect. As for the dollars I think $68MM plus for a 4 year deal is certainly possible with maybe a team option for the 5th year with a buyout of say $2MM if it isn’t exercised. But that’s all speculation.
TheRealRyan 2
He would be older than preferred, but if he is signing for only 4 years I expect him to get at least $20m/year. He has been worth 12-13 WAR over the last 3 years.
UltimateYankeeFan
I think $20MM per is a bit high for Shields but who knows with the way salaries are in MLB.
Dock_Elvis
You could be right…
Drew Brees
Agree completely. James Shields is a good pitcher, but no way he is worth Wil Myers. Most people saw it as a desperation move by Dayton Moore to save his job, similar to what Jack Z did with Cano.
Federal League
With Shields, Santana, and Guthrie, everything at the front of the Royals rotation went right. They also got a good, if abbreviated, season out of Bruce Chen. Their bullpen was quality from top to bottom. Eric Hosmer put together a good season. Gordon and Butler had slightly off years, but still productive and above average. There was a second wild card slot and the New York Yankees weren’t in contention.
Outside of Mike Moustakas collapsing offensively, I don’t see any other way things could have lined up better for the Royals. And they still couldn’t close the gap on the top tier teams.
UltimateYankeeFan
My friend with all due respect the comment “There was a second wild card slot and the New York Yankees weren’t in contention.” while true pretty much describes the Royals as well. The Royals finished the season 1 game better than the Yankees and still the Royals were 5.5 games back of the 2nd wild card in 2013.
Federal League
It’s only being mentioned to point out that the usual New York/Boston monopoly on a Wild Card spot wasn’t in effect in 2013.
UltimateYankeeFan
I think that monopoly pretty much ended after the 2009 season with Boston missing the postseason in the following 3 years 2010 through 2012. And of course the Yankees missing it in 2013 as you mentioned.
Dock_Elvis
They need everything to break right for sure, and they were also incredibly healthy in 2013…young team. Hard to say..I see an 84 win team…but..they could surprise and win 90..but they have way too many variables
Dock_Elvis
They need everything to break right for sure, and they were also incredibly healthy in 2013…young team. Hard to say..I see an 84 win team…but..they could surprise and win 90..but they have way too many variables
Dock_Elvis
I didn’t draw issue with trading for pitching..but I didn’t feel Shields was worthy. The deal WOULD look better if Hosmer and Moustakas were consistently raking.
Damon Bowman
If the Royals don’t have the cash or the wherewithal to extend Shields then the deal that sent Myers away crushes this team for a long time. He has the appearance of being a potential all-star for the next decade and, although pitchers like Shields are far more valuable, you have to make sure you can re-sign the guy if you’re pulling the trigger on that kind of deal. If they get to the all-star break and can’t make contract progress, they have to move him to a contender for more than a compensatory pick in the 2015 draft.
Dock_Elvis
I’m just surprised they didn’t make more of a run at a #2 starter behind Shields to clearly make them playoff contenders. They did make moves on offense, but the rotation is suspect. The thought occurred to me that they could deal Shields for an arm that better serves there needs for this and next season
TheRealRyan 2
Not a bad idea. Maybe they can work out a deal with the Rays for a SP or two. How about Ozorizzi and Montgomery for Shields? DM, what do you think?
Dock_Elvis
I’m just surprised they didn’t make more of a run at a #2 starter behind Shields to clearly make them playoff contenders. They did make moves on offense, but the rotation is suspect. The thought occurred to me that they could deal Shields for an arm that better serves there needs for this and next season
Liermann 4432
Reds??? Anyone??? Almost acquired him a few years ago.
LazerTown
This is expected. Hated that deal from day 1 for the Royals. It was a win now move, but the Royals weren’t ready to win now.
ztoa
They should have kept Myers.
Jeffy25
Dm probably irritates me the most of any baseball Gm (nm, amaro) but him making this move a year ago will help define his legacy as a horrible Gm.
Good scouting director, horrible Gm.
Spit Ball
This is a story? If they had designs on extending him they would have done it last winter. They can’t afford James Shields entering his free agent year. The Royals and everyone under the sun knew it was for 2 years when they made the trade. Thanks Jeff Todd for stating the obvious.
ztoa
By not extending him they will offer in a QO and hope that his price is driven down by the draft pick comp and then re-sign him?
Dock_Elvis
At this point Shields will be a top tier FA….teams will likely sacrifice a comp pick for him
ztoa
Today yes. But he still has to pitch 2014.
Dock_Elvis
True, but I think that’s a reasonably expected outcome…coupled with extensions being given that narrow the sp market
The_Unnatural
Everyone knew it was a bad trade. Now the Rays can look forward to years of service from Myers for pennies while the Royals will be lucky to get a prospect that will even do anything for them.
Dave Guarnieri
When a small market team starts paying big bucks to players like Omar Infante something has to give on the other end. They need to grab one of the Wild Cards this year and “Big Game” is pitching for a contract. Would not be surprised to see the Royals in serious contention.