The "what is wrong" with James Shields story has been covered in nearly every possible way in 2010 and into the early part of 2011. James Shields performance has been covered from every possible angle throughout the season. In early May the stories were about his improvement and whether he or Matt Garza were the ACE of the staff. As we got into June people were wondering why was Shields so hittable, more specifically why was he giving up so many home runs? The HR/FB%, Pitch Selection, BABIP, and Strength of Schedule were all being looked at as reasons for Shields struggles. It was during this time that Sternfan1 gave Shields the name James Yields, a name which stuck for the remainder of the 2010 season. Even with the struggles of Shields and the perceived solid performance of Matt Garza, there was still discussion of who was the better pitcher. After the 2010 season the main point of the James Shields articles focused on hittabilty and specifically BABIP, and the home run ball.
It is always fun to look at an old photo album. A simple picture can bring back memories that make me laugh or cry, or even physically feel a certain way. That same range of emotions can strike me when I look back at an old game recap, a story that I come across while surfing the web, or a video highlight on Youtube or MLB.com. Many times, the minor details surrounding a game are forgotten and life goes on. That one glimpse at a picture, video, or reading a story can bring those memories right up front and center of the mind.
This is exactly what happend after reading Mulva's entry of James Shields and Home Runs....Again. Just to refresh my memory a little, I decided to go to baseball-reference.com and take a look at Shields Home Run Log for 2010. I thought to myself that it would be neat to see this Home Run Log in a more visually friendly platform rather than just a link. So I developed a little presentation and would like to share it with all of you. I hope that the memories it invokes aren't all bad, but I can't see anyone smiling when the August 7, 2010 home runs come rolling through.
After the jump, I've included links to 15 front page DRB stories and 2 additional fanposts that focus on James Shields 2010 season. All the articles and Fanposts were published on DRB between May 14, 2010 through January 6, 2011. Each story provides a great analysis of James Shields 2010 performance and the comment threads to each story have great merit as entertainment.
James Shields and Home Runs.....Again - Mulva - January 6, 2011
It's Complicated: A Look at James Shields and BABIP - Steve Slowinski - January 3, 2011
Hittability Jamie One More Time!!! (Part 1) - RGlass - November 26, 2010
James Shields & The Subterranean Homesick Blues - FreeZorilla - October 7, 2010
Shields vs. Garza: A Three Year Comparison - FreeZorilla - September 16, 2010
James Shields & The Taboo Topic of Hittability - FreeZorilla - September 8, 2010
James Shields and Optimizing the Changeup - Matt Slowinski - August 17, 2010
Putting the "Big Game" Back in James Shields, Pt. 1 - Transplanted -August 20, 2010
James Shields and the Homerun: What Gives? - Steve Slowinski - August 9, 2010
Has strength of schedule impacted James Shields' HR/FB%? - FreeZorilla - August 4, 2010
Shields And His BABIP- RZ - June 18, 2010
What's Big Game's Big Problem? A Look at James Shields' Recent Trouble - Tommy Rancel - June 17, 2010
Breaking Down James Shields' Pitches - RZ - June 4, 2010
James Shields or Matt Garza: The Ace Debate - Steve Slowinski - May 17, 2010
Old Man Skills: The Evolution/Improvement of James Shields - Tommy Rancel - May 14, 2010
FANPOSTS:
James Shields: Follow Up to Glass FP Post - FreeZorilla November 26, 2010
From Big Time Yields to Big Game Shields - Timmyj - September 4, 2010