Rumor: Olney: Marlins Considering Making Run for James Shields

[Miamarlin21]

Big Game James?

Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports that the Marlins are considering making a "serious run" at trading for James Shields this offseason.
The Rays have Matt Moore ready to step into a rotation spot and could clear room for him by dangling Shields as trade bait, taking advantage while his value is at an all-time high following a career year. Olney correctly points out that Logan Morrison would be a fit for the Rays, as he could play his more natural first base position. Morrison, of course, has had issues with Marlins management, so they'd probably be willing to part with him for the right price.

-Rotoworld

[Valid]

I'd be very wary of Shields for a couple of reasons:

1. He had a .258 BABIP against this year. The two seasons prior, it was .341 and .308, respectively.

2. Yeah, he posted a 2.82 ERA this past season, but a 5.18 ERA in '10 (I'm sure the inflated BABIP had something to do with that, but it's still alarming) and a 4.24 ERA in '09. His FIPs for those years were 4.24 and 4.02, respectively.

I'm not saying I wouldn't like to have him in the rotation, but I'd be careful giving up significant value for him.

[Fritz]

I'd be ok with Shields. I think he'd look even better going against the NL East as opposed to the AL East.

[Mainge]

He's one of my favorites, if only because I like a good change up and his is pretty good.

[Metes]

His volatility and the concept of buying him at his all-time high concern me

He'd be great for the rotation though

Of course it will make me hate the Rays even more when Lomo gets country strong and puts up huge numbers there

[Big Z]

Breakdown of Shields' contract.

The Rays formally announced a seven-year contract with pitcher James Shields that could be worth up to $44-million and could be the longest contract in club history.

"I just want to be part of it,'' Shields said.

Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman cited three reasons for making such a commitment - Shields' "talent, work ethic and character.''

Shields is guaranteed $11.25-million - four years of salary starting at $1-million this season for a total of $9.25-million, plus a $2-million buyout - and the Rays hold options for 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Based on figures obtained by the Times, here is the breakdown of what Shields could make:

2008 - $1-million
2009 - $1.5-million
2010 - $2.5-million
2011 - $4.25-million
2012 option - $7-million or 2-million buyout
2013 option - $9-million or $1.5-million buyout
2014 option - $12-million or $1-million buyout

There are also various incentive clauses based on innings pitched and starts, as well as where Shields finishes in the Cy Young voting that could add up to about $6.25-million more.

- Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/2...nnounce-s.html

I'm not a big fan of Nolasco, but if he can be consistent and we are able to sign C.J and trade for Shield's, how great would this rotation be?

JJ
CJ
Shields
Nolasco
Sanchez

[Chewford]

I don't think the Rays want to sign Shields to a long term deal just so they can trade him?

?

[Fritz]

Sternberg really wants to dump payroll to the bare minimum and twist St. Pete's arm to get out of the lease. They're gonna dump all non-minimum guys. They were talking about trading Shield at the deadline when they were 4 GB in the playoff hunt.

[Big Z]

I don't think the Rays want to sign Shields to a long term deal just so they can trade him?

?

This article is from 2008, I forgot to mention that part.

[lou]

JJ
CJ
Shields
Nolasco
Sanchez

Probably a bit optimistic with CJ, but change him to Buerhle, Javy, even Edwin Jackson, and that becomes super nasty really quick.

Yu Darvish!

[HUGG]

Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

not a chance



My life would be happier if it did though.

[Big Z]

With a thin free agent starting pitching market, the Marlins’ best bet may be to add depth via trade. One name that Buster Olney brought up in his blog for ESPN insiders over the weekend was James Shields. According to Olney, the Marlins are consideringI suck.making a “serious run” at the Rays’ Shields.

Shields would be an ideal fit for the Marlins. He’s at worst aI suck.solid No. 2 starter minus the salary exposure that would accompany a free agent like C.J. Wilson. Shields’ contract has three more clubI suck.option years (2012-’14) at $7 million, $9 million and $14 million, respectively.

Two months shy of his 30th birthday, Shields is coming offI suck.his best season with the Rays, going 16-12 with a 2.82 ERA and completingI suck.11 games. Obviously, the asking price will be high based on those numbers,I suck.but the Marlins and other teams might be a little weary about giving up the farm for him. Shields in 2010 was 13-15 with a 5.18 ERA, gave up 10.9 hits per nine innings and an American League-high 34 homers.

The question is whether the Marlins have what it takes to get him. Olney suggests they could dangle Logan Morrison, but for a team that per David Samon will still have to rely on players outperforming their contracts, the Marlins aren’t likely to move him.I suck.Morrison fell well short of expectations in his first full major league season,I suck.all the more reason toI suck.keep him rather than sell low.

The Rays’ .745 OPS from their first basemen last season was second-to-last in the AL ahead of only the Athletics (.610). Maybe the Marlins offer Gaby Sanchez, who still is a year away from salary arbitration and can boast a .391 average (18-for-46) and 1.046 OPS in 12 career games against the Rays. That includes a .409 average (9-for-22) with two doubles and two homers at Tropicana Field.

The Rays might find it difficult to overlook Sanchez’s second half collapses in 2010 and 2011. He’s a .297 career hitter before the All-Star break and a .234 career hitter after it.

Nonetheless, maybe Sanchez coupled with a couple of high-end prospects gets the Rays’ attention. It doesn’t help that one of the Marlins’ best minor leaguersI suck.is third baseman Matt Dominguez. Chances are the Rays won’t have a need for a third baseman anytime soon….

Olney in his column also wrote the Marlins were lukewarm on the idea of acquiring persona non grata Carlos Zambrano from the Cubs,I suck.primarily because of the dropoff in his stuff. Even if the Marlins convince themselves Zambrano, 30,I suck.would be a model citizen playing for fellow Venezuelan countryman Ozzie Guillen, his strikeouts per nine plummeting from 8.2-8.3 from 2008-’10 to 6.2 in 2011 is hard to overlook. In addition, Zambrano has not eclipsed the 200-inning mark since 2007…

-JC Rodriguez Sun-Sentinel

Basically the same thing as we read yesterday, but JC hints that we should replace LoMo for Gaby. Obviously this means we have to include a lot more in a deal because The Rays are not ran by complete morons.

[Fritz]

Maybe Friedman will go to the Angels and we'll have a goon come in and run the Rays.