While there's still no evidence James Shields received or rebuffed a rumored $110 million, five-year offer this winter, Shields did turn down an $80 million, four-year proposal from the Giants a few weeks before signing with the Padres for $75 million -- $5 million less than the Giants' bid -- sources familiar with the negotiations said.
The Giants' December offer to Shields came off the table once they re-signed Jake Peavy to fill their fifth and final rotation spot. So by the time Shields made his call about a month later, the Cubs and Marlins were likely San Diego's main contenders for his services, with lower bids in terms of total dollars.
Shields' agent Page Odle, who had been silent throughout the negotiations, while not confirming the Giants' bid did say in a phone interview that there were multiple offers for higher average salaries than he'll receive in San Diego. And though Odle declined to discuss specific teams or offers, those presumably include the Giants' now-known offer and the reported Cubs' bid of $60 million for three years plus a vesting option. (The Marlins also offered three plus a vesting option but for less than $20 million a year, according to sources).
There had been rumors of an earlier $80 million offer, but until now no confirmation.
While Shields maybe didn't hit a free-agent home run like Max Scherzer ($210 million, seven years) or even Jon Lester ($155 million, six years), others suggest the deal he got was at decent considering it didn't come until the cusp of spring and allowed him to stay home. While Shields effectively signed for about one-third of Scherzer and one-half of Lester, Odle said Shields himself is "extremely" happy with his deal and "really excited about the decision he made."
Shields spoke excitedly at the Padres' press conference, stressing his belief in San Diego's chance to win following its exciting winter as the main reason he picked the Padres. Folks do see the Padres as much improved.
Of course, it's still hard to think they have a better chance to win the World Series than the Giants, who are in the midst of a dynasty, with three World Series titles in the past five seasons. In their history the Padres have never won a World Series championship.
The San Diego deal is slightly backloaded, with a 2015 salary of $10 million followed by three straight $21 million salaries and a $2 million buyout on a $16 million option. There isn't a no-trade clause but there is an opt-out option following the 2016 season (though with $44 million to go and Shields 35 going into 2017, the value of that clause is somewhat questionable).
Shields has been an ace like Scherzer and Lester, and he also has en even bigger big rep for logging innings (he is, in fact, the majors' innings leader over the past eight years), but perhaps unfairly, his historical durability probably cut both ways. In Scherzer's book to market him, for instance, it was prominently noted that he's logged only 20,000 pitches, significantly less than Lester's 26,000 and Shields' 29,000.
Shields had a very nice year for the Royals in 2014, going 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA, but he may have been hurt in free agency by an up-and-down postseason. Shields is also at least two years older than the other two pitching stars, which is no small thing.
The Giants' offer to Shields came sometime after Lester turned down their offer of $150 million for six years, and sources suggest that at different times Shields' camp tried countering the $80 million bid, with the belief at the time that they might have accepted about $100 million for four years or somewhere in the $110 million to $115 million range for five years. But the real issue was the pace; it came too soon for Shields.
While not discussing the specific teams, Odle allowed that there was one "early" offer, saying of the mid-December bid, "The free-agent market just started. There wasn't time for both sides. It just didn't come together."
At least four teams were concentrating on Lester early, and Shields' camp was among those surprised at how slowly the market developed, though Odle said there was a lot of "heavy discussions," with many moving parts, and scenarios and possible offers that were dependent on trades and other happenings, things that "just didn't come together."
The Giants, perhaps surprised Shields wasn't ready to act, instead took back Peavy, signing him on Dec. 19 to a $24 million, two-year deal that effectively ended their Shields pursuit.
But Odle suggested Shields was never overly concerned with how things were going. "James is a confident guy. He has a lot of confidence in his ability," Odle said. "He made the process very easy for me."
It's also possible Shields, living in San Diego since moving there a couple years ago from Florida, might have preferred the Padres' offer, anyway. It has been known he had leaned toward the West Coast, which Odle confirmed -- though Odle said he legitimately considered teams from the Midwest (Cubs presumably) and East (Marlins). It should be noted that those two teams happened to have connections, as Cubs manager Joe Maddon managed Shields in Tampa Bay, and Marlins GM Dan Jennings drafted him for Tampa and Marlins pitching coach Chuck Hernandez was an early positive influence, helping the eighth-round pick become a star.
There were suggestions from unnamed executives the Shields camp may have shot a little high early, with reports suggesting they sought $125 million. But that has not been confirmed. And Odle said of the $110 million report, "We never received or rejected a five-year, $110 million offer. I have no idea where that came from."
They did, however receive one offer higher than the one that was ultimately accepted. They just weren't ready to accept it.
