The calendar’s about to turn—another baseball season and spin ’round the sun in the books—and still James Shields sits, unsigned.
That’s not an utter surprise; this offseason was ridiculously pitching-rich.
To put it in focus: Max Scherzer, the marquee arm on the market, is also unemployed heading into 2015.
Sometime soon, though, someone will ink Shields. When they do, they’ll land a pitcher who posted a 3.21 ERA in 227 innings with the American League champion Kansas City Royals, a guy who would slot nicely into the top end of any rotation.
And they’ll pay accordingly. The 33-year-old Shields is seeking a five-year deal in the neighborhood of $110 million and will likely get it, according to The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo.
So who’s going to give it to him? Which clubs combine the need and financial flexibility to pluck Shields off the shelf?
Let’s take a look.