James Shields

2013

Subscribe now to see our 2013 outlook.

2012

It's safe to say that 2011 will likely go down as the greatest season in Shields' career. The righty put together career-best numbers across the board, while his 11 complete games were the most in baseball by three games (over Roy Halladay) and his four shutouts tied him for second behind Cliff Lee. Shields has developed an excellent pick-off move to first base finishing with a league-high 12 pick-offs and allowing few stolen bases. Shields was supported by a career-low .258 BABIP, a stark contrast from his .341 mark in 2010 suggesting instead of being unlucky, perhaps a little luck was on his side. A little luck, that is, and some adjustments to his pitch selection. Shields got away from his low-90s fastball, throwing it 10 percent less often and relying more on two of his secondary pitches - his change-up and curveball. The use of these pitches in combination with with his pickoff move led to a career-high 79.6 percent strand rate. Shields' cured his gopheritis allowing eight fewer home runs from the previous season despite throwing an extra 46 innings. This was supported by raising his groundball rate by five percent while lowering his flyball rate by three percent. His spectacular season made picking up his 2012 option an obvious move and he should toe the mound as the Rays' ace come Opening Day. Keep in mind while he's not going to fall off a cliff, expecting him to replicate his 2011 season is likely wishful thinking.

2011

Shields struggled through last season, ending the 2010 campaign with a career-high 5.18 ERA. A case of gopheritis appeared to be the problem as Shields finished second to only Rodrigo Lopez with 34 home runs allowed. Besides the home runs, it's tough to pinpoint the root of his problems. His velocity by a small margin was the best of his career, as was his 8.3 K/9IP rate. One possibility is the league had seen enough of his stuff to start hitting him hard. Shields will reprise his role as a top-half of the rotation starter as he looks to put his 2010 struggles behind him.

2010

Shields had a forgettable season, posting a three-year worst 4.14 ERA and 1.325 WHIP. Manager Joe Maddon was partially to blame for allowing Shields to throw 129 innings prior to the All-Star break. Shields was extremely hittable after the break as evidenced by his second-half ERA (5.16). That being said, he should be in line for a rebound that is more in line with his two previous seasons than his 2009 results.

2009

Shields emerged as an All-Star caliber pitcher in 2008, finishing in the top four in the AL in WHIP for the second straight season. Shields was particularly effective in the second half last year (7-2, 3.21 in 14 starts), had a respectable postseason (2.88 ERA in four starts), and was death to opposing batters at home (9-2, 2.59 in 17 starts at the Trop). Shields and Scott Kazmir will be numbers 1 and 1A, order TBD, in the Rays' rotation again in 2009.

2008

Shields was shut down for the last two weeks of the season (innings limit), but that was a precautionary move, and he'll be ready for spring training. Shields finished third in the AL in both WHIP and walks per nine innings, and only Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia had a higher AL strikeout-to-walk ratio than Shields' 5.1 mark. Despite the Rays' other failings, Shields and Scott Kazmir have become a wicked 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation. In Tampa Bay's last eight series of 2007 where both Shields and Kazmir pitched against the same opponent, the Rays either won or split six of those eight series (dropping the other two to Boston). That's what aces are supposed to do for you in a short series; Shields has developed into just such an ace, and a durable one at that.

2007

Shields put up fine numbers at both Double-A in 2005 and Triple-A in 2006. After the Rays called him up, he was impressive at times, but he had a run of starts where he looked great for four innings and had trouble in the fifth. If Shields can learn to make adjustments the third time around the order, he'll be a decent back-of-the-rotation starter for a while. He’ll start the spring in Tampa Bay's rotation.

2006

Probably the best Devil Rays mound prospect that didn't pitch at Rice. Shields had a nice year at Double-A last season, and he followed that up with a great Arizona Fall League stint (2-1, 1.74, 0.81 WHIP in six starts, 29-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 31 innings). He'll likely start 2006 in Triple-A and could compete for a spot with the big club the following season.