Starting pitcher James Shields is one of two highly coveted free agents still available. He reportedly has a large offer on the table from an unknown team, but he's looking for even more money.
According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, two baseball executives say Shields has been offered a five-year, $110 million contract. However, some executives say they would be surprised if the right-hander had such an offer because he is 33 years old and is coming off his eighth consecutive season of hurling 200-plus innings. Nonetheless, ESPN's Jim Bowden predicted earlier in the offseason that Shields would land a deal somewhere in the five-year, $100 million range.
Bowden also noted on Sunday that the Miami Marlins remain in the hunt for Shields. It's very possible they're the team who made the offer because they've been linked to the veteran for quite some time now. Marlins' owner Jeffrey Loria said the team would begin to build around slugger Giancarlo Stanton after they signed him to a 13-year, $325 million contract. They've already acquired starting pitchers Mat Latos and Dan Haren, first baseman/outfielder Michael Morse, infielder Martin Prado and second baseman Dee Gordon this offseason, among others.
However, Haren told the Marlins he doesn't intend on joining the team and wants to be traded to a club on the West Coast.
The market for Shields has been fairly limited, with many believing the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox were the frontrunners to sign him. Bowden reported over the weekend that the Giants are now out on the right-hander and the Red Sox haven't had "substantive talks with him or his agent." Rosenthal writes the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks and Marlins have "backed off" because of Shields "expected price."
But Bowden's report of the Marlins still being interested makes sense because Haren might not pitch for them, they traded starter Nathan Eovaldi to the New York Yankees, and starter Jose Fernandez is not going to be ready for the beginning of 2015 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
Shields owns a 114-90 record over nine MLB seasons with a 3.72 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 1,626 strikeouts.
