Happy 30th Birthday, James Shields

by Steve Slowinski on Dec 20, 2011 10:32 AM EST in Tampa Bay Rays News

Yes, that's right: the Tampa Bay Rays now have their first 30-year-old starting pitcher since Jae Wong Seo started 10 games for the Devil Rays back in 2007. If Shields gets a start for the Rays in 2012, he'll become only the third pitcher 30 years old or older to start a game under Andrew Friedman's tenure. Any guesses on who the third mystery pitcher is?*

In general, Andrew Friedman has eschewed players over 30 years old:

This data is a bit misleading, though, because I counted every player listed on the Rays on their B-Ref team pages, even if that player only received one or two at bats with the Rays that season. In general, most of these 30+ players have either been in the bullpen or bench, although there are a number of notable exceptions: Carlos Pena, Pat Burrell, Jason Bartlett, Julio Lugo, etc.

Another interesting point: the 2011 Rays were a much older team than I would have guessed. I suppose that's what happens when you're forced to bring in cheap veterans to fill holes while your young players develop (see: Damon, Manny, DanJo, Kotch, Farnsworth, and Peralta).

Now that the Rays' younger-than-30 starting pitcher streak is over, let's turn our attention to an even more impressive run. During the course of his tenure running the Rays, Andrew Friedman has never signed a free agent starting pitcher.** Never. Not once. Every single starter that the Rays have used from 2006-2011 has been either homegrown or a prospect acquired in a trade. And considering the depth of young starting pitching that the Rays currently have, I don't see this streak ending anytime soon.

Anyway, all this is meant to say: Happy B'day, Shields! You may be the old fart on the team, but we like you anyway.

*It's Mark Hendrickson, who had 13 starts for the Devil Rays back in 2006 before being traded away.

**H/t Erik Hahmann.

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Comments

Is the streak really over before he pitches a game while in his 30s?

Am I the only one flagging this guy?  Seriously, do we have to wait for the money shot or a "F*** THE SOXXXXXX!" before we ban him? Doubleteapot… BAN HIM!!
by AlohaSox on Sep 28, 2011 10:20 PM CDT

by SandalsNoPants on Dec 20, 2011 10:43 AM EST reply actions

No, technically not I suppose.

That’s me making the assumption he starts the year with the Rays. We’ll see, though.

I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously.
Follow @steveslow

by Steve Slowinski on Dec 20, 2011 10:51 AM EST up reply actions

jynx!

by rglass44 on Dec 20, 2011 10:58 AM EST up reply actions

Shields throwing a change up at the SP age limits?

You’re awesome, James. Happy Birthday

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by joeybw on Dec 20, 2011 12:05 PM EST reply actions

.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/12/angels-interested-in-dioner-navarro-.html

by benderbrodriguez on Dec 20, 2011 12:21 PM EST reply actions

Lol.

The catcher carousel, and the persistent blocking of offensive catchers just makes me laugh sometimes. The free Napoli, rescue Ianetta, and then might bring in Navi to block Conger. Amazing.

by Whelk on Dec 20, 2011 12:45 PM EST up reply actions

What do teams see that we all don't?

Why would any team think it’s smart to block their hopeful future C who is ready with a guy like Navarro? If they wanted Navarro’s bat, should of kept Mathis.

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by joeybw on Dec 20, 2011 12:51 PM EST up reply actions

*should have

by benderbrodriguez on Dec 20, 2011 12:53 PM EST up reply actions

my bad, again

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by joeybw on Dec 20, 2011 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

What did you of for breakfast this morning?

by Hipster Doofus on Dec 20, 2011 1:39 PM EST up reply actions

Dude, you can't make fun of me

That name says Doofus, you can not insult me with that name.

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by joeybw on Dec 20, 2011 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

Yes, but it also says Hipster.

And Hipster negates the Doofus, because Hipsters are deck.

by Hipster Doofus on Dec 20, 2011 2:10 PM EST up reply actions

Chatspeak.

@RealNolenBailey

by Hatfield on Dec 20, 2011 3:30 PM EST up reply actions

You can't make fun have me?

by rglass44 on Dec 20, 2011 4:26 PM EST up reply actions

dude, give joey a break. he should of gone to bed hours ago.

"I don't always post off-topic, but when I do, I post at http://ottotd.com" - $tinky $tu

by pudieron89 on Dec 20, 2011 5:53 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

There's no need for him to of to put up with this

by benderbrodriguez on Dec 20, 2011 5:57 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

If we dump Elliot Johnson this year ~begs) his spot can be taken

by an extra platoon OFer or a C/DH say Posada, that might work very nice

follow me on twitter @sternfan10

by sternfan1 on Dec 20, 2011 12:59 PM EST up reply actions

Absolutely agree.

Zobrist/Brignac/S-Rod give us the flexibility to carry a bat no one else has a spot for.

Heck, I wouldn’t mind giving Conger a shot at C/DH if the Angels really are giving up on him. If it turns out the bat is real, we’d have found ourselves an asset.

by Whelk on Dec 20, 2011 1:13 PM EST up reply actions

OFF TOPIC

but what are your guys projection for Alex Cobb? what is his ceiling and what is his floor? is there an in-depth scouting report somewhere? anything helps. thanks in advance for helping spread Rays knowledge!

Ride the tiger...You can see his stripes but you know he's clean.

by James Westfall on Dec 20, 2011 1:52 PM EST reply actions

Perhaps someone else (one of the MiLB guys?) knows of or has written an in-depth scouting report

If not, I’ll get to that once I (very slowly) finish pondering Wade Davis. For now, here’s the cliff-notes version:

Cobb throws a low 90s fastball, both four seam and two seam. Velocity is pretty constant between them, but the four seam has more rise, the two seam more run (and small enough rise that one might even think of it as having sink. He also throws a high-70s curve, but his money pitch is his mid-80s changeup.

The changeup is unusual (split-fingered, if I recall), and I think there was some worry that it wouldn’t play in the majors, but he dispelled that last year. It’s not so much a get the hitter out in front changeup, like the one Helly has, but more of a fall of the table pitch. It doesn’t have all the run of Shields’s changeup, but it has even more sink.

Overall, it’s a package that leads to ground balls galore. There’s reason to think based on his minors career that he can strike out more than he did in his brief showing last year, and walk less. If he doesn’t, he’s a good back of the rotation guy. If he does, it’ll be real exiting, especially in front of the Rays’ infield defense.

Bill James projections over at Fangraphs have him at a 3.14 FIP.

by Whelk on Dec 20, 2011 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

how do you think he fits in the Rays 2012 plans and beyond?

assuming he doesn’t get traded. does he look like someone that makes an impact in 2012 or is 2013-14 more of his time?

Ride the tiger...You can see his stripes but you know he's clean.

by James Westfall on Dec 20, 2011 2:37 PM EST up reply actions

Well, Joe loves him

I think he will start in Durham but I guess theres an outside chance that Neimann/Davis go to the pen and the other is traded. I would expect him to lead a Durham rotation of Cobb – Torres – Archer and 2 guys I’m forgetting.

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by joeybw on Dec 20, 2011 2:44 PM EST up reply actions

Yep, Cobb - Torres - Archer - Barnese - Torra

That’s an exciting rotation to see start the year down in Durham. Got to love the depth.

by ega05me on Dec 20, 2011 5:24 PM EST up reply actions

I think its funny that the Mets would kill for the Durham rotation. And the Pirates.

by rickdr23 on Dec 20, 2011 5:25 PM EST up reply actions

Well, when they are able to trade Joshua Bell/Gerrit Cole

They can have both Barnese and Torra. Congrats Pirates.

But yeah, that rotation with 6 guys in the MLB rotation as of right now so if the Mets are so jealous, where is my Ike Davis?

Under construction

by joeybw on Dec 20, 2011 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

haha, I'd rather have Murphy for his versatility, I'd take Ike too. The Mets are just a cluster**** right now, they don't know what to do, why they never traded Wright, I'll never know.

They should just gave up Wright and Reyes last year and gotten back alot of prospect depth and just start over, eat Santanas contract, and build it back up. If I were them, like you said, I would trade one those two for two pitchers, and I would do it in a heartbeat.

by rickdr23 on Dec 20, 2011 5:40 PM EST up reply actions

I heard they just signed Bobby Bonilla

only about 2 million a year…for 30 years.

Ride the tiger...You can see his stripes but you know he's clean.

by James Westfall on Dec 20, 2011 6:54 PM EST up reply actions

not many people are gonna catch that reference haha...i love contracts that are structured like that, its smart and insane at same time.

by rickdr23 on Dec 20, 2011 7:30 PM EST up reply actions

He's only 23, and he's never pitched over 140 innings in a year.

I assume they’ll limit his innings somehow, and that might mean Durham or the pen. But I think he can make an impact in 2012. It might have as much to do with what happens with the other guys as it does with him.

by Whelk on Dec 20, 2011 2:45 PM EST up reply actions

I am very much a fan of Alex Cobb being the in the 2012 rotation.

@RealNolenBailey

by Hatfield on Dec 20, 2011 3:33 PM EST up reply actions

if we still have surplus arms i see no reason why this is a bad idea to control innings for Moore/Cobb/Hellickson.

"I don't always post off-topic, but when I do, I post at http://ottotd.com" - $tinky $tu

by pudieron89 on Dec 20, 2011 5:58 PM EST up reply actions

It'll also improve Cobb's trade value most likely

by benderbrodriguez on Dec 20, 2011 6:01 PM EST up reply actions

Right now, it still puts Cobb in Durham

It would be Shields – Price – Hellickson – Moore – Neimann – Davis

I don’t think they will do 6 man again until maybe mid season but I can see them trying to limit Matt’s innings

Under construction

by joeybw on Dec 20, 2011 5:59 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah but I mean there's basically zero chance we have all of those pitchers at the start of 2011 season

And if we do I wouldn’t be surprised to see Moore starting off in the pen

by benderbrodriguez on Dec 20, 2011 6:02 PM EST up reply actions

Not sure if he throws the change like a vulcun-change (or split-change), but it definitely has the action.

I think expecting him to K more than 7 or 7.5 per 9 is a bit optimistic, but even if he gets it to stay around 6.5 he should be good. I’d expect a walk-rate in the 2s per 9. Looking at Bill James’ projections the Ks are high, but I could easily see the rest being the case. id say he’ll probably end up in th high-3s for FIP, but ive been underrating him for years.

by rglass44 on Dec 20, 2011 4:31 PM EST up reply actions

who is a MLB player comp for Cobb?

just curious

Ride the tiger...You can see his stripes but you know he's clean.

by James Westfall on Dec 20, 2011 4:57 PM EST up reply actions

Denton Young

"I don't always post off-topic, but when I do, I post at http://ottotd.com" - $tinky $tu

by pudieron89 on Dec 20, 2011 5:55 PM EST up reply actions

that is helpful

the Cleveland Spiders didn’t appreciate what they had!!!!

Ride the tiger...You can see his stripes but you know he's clean.

by James Westfall on Dec 20, 2011 6:58 PM EST up reply actions

Dan Hayes of the North County Times hears the Rays are one of the teams that has asked the Padres about Anthony Rizzo (Twitter link). However, the Padres, who have been flooded with interest, aren’t matching up that well with the Rays at this point, according to Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Under construction

by joeybw on Dec 20, 2011 5:56 PM EST reply actions