Report: Cubs ‘kicking the tires’ on free agent James Shields
With the finish line of James Shields’ winter long free agency finally in sight, it appears we have a late entry into the race who could end up acquiring his services.
According to David Kaplan of Comcast Sports Net in Chicago, the Chicago Cubs are currently “kicking the tires” on signing the 33-year-old right-hander now that his price tag is falling into their desired range. Kaplan also adds that his sources are under the impression Shields would consider a Cubs offer if one is made.
It’s not exactly clear what Shields’ market looks right now, but’s he reportedly mulling several offers with an eye towards making a choice before the end of the week. The St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and Miami Marlins are all believed to be involved to some degree. The New York Yankees have been in and out of the discussion throughout the process, but most recently were counted out by Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
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Assuming all reports are accurate and nothing changes in the immediate future, that could leave the Cubs in a very good position to sign Shields, with Joe Maddon serving as the hook who lures in the next big piece of their puzzle.
As Phil Rogers recently pointed out in a Sports on Earth column, if the opportunity presented itself, the Cubs could afford to be aggressive with Shields because they won’t have a lot of short term money tied up in their young, cheap offensive core. That opportunity is clearly presenting itself now, and it’ll be interesting to see just how aggressive they are also knowing that several big name pitchers could be available next winter.
In many ways, how aggressive they are could give us a clear indication of the front office’s confidence level heading into in 2015.
From the fans perspective, the potential addition of Shields has to be exciting. After already signing left-hander Jon Lester to a six-year, $155 million contract, they would quickly have two legitimate aces, in addtion to Jake Arrieta, who emerged in 2014 as their ace and a possible top-of-the-rotation arm.
It might not make them World Series favorites over the Washington Nationals, but it would certainly elevate their status in the NL Central. And as we all know, just getting in the tournament is the key.
He’s right, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves, but this development is certainly worth the discussion. Hopefully, for everybody involved, we do have a resolution soon so we can adjust our February hype accordingly.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
