James Shields News: Pro Sports Daily

Shields closes on high note in 5-3 Rays win

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October 1

Tampa Tribune

"James Shields won't finish 2009 with a winning record, but his performance Wednesday night helped ensure that the Rays will. The Rays' Opening Day starter looked like his old, reliable self in his final outing of the season, surviving an eighth-inning uprising by the Orioles to secure a 5-3 Tampa Bay win. The victory was the Rays' 82nd of the season, guaranteeing them a winning record for the second time in their 12-year history. Shields wrapped up his campaign with an 11-12 record but was pleased to finish on such a positive note. "It's always good to have that fresh in your mind going into next year," Shields said. "The good news is I'm healthy. I threw a lot of innings this year and I'm ..."

Shields seeks better result this time

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August 8

St. Petersburg Times

"There's little reason to mess with perfection, so RHP James Shields will happily take what he did in his last start when he takes the mound tonight. Well, the seven no-hit innings, anyway. The frustrating loss - in which he allowed a couple of hits, the defense collapsed and the offense did nothing - he can do without. It has been that kind of season for Shields, who has a 3.75 ERA that ranks 16th in the American League but a 6-8 record. He is suffering through an eight-start winless streak since beating the Mets on June 20. Worse, the Rays are 10-13 in his starts. "It's tough," Shields said. "It's not really a matter of wins and losses. It's a matter of how many times my team wins when I ..."

Shields has big game against Mets

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June 21

Tampa Tribune

"The Rays' ascendance into the national media spotlight last season brought James Shields' nickname to a wider audience, though not always with the desired effect. Now that writers in New York and Boston, in particular, know the Rays' rotation stalwart is known as "Big Game" James, they're quick to deploy that moniker as a needle when things don't go his way against the beasts of the AL East. Saturday, though, Shields lived up to it. Matched up against one of the game's premier pitchers in Johan Santana in a game beamed by Fox to most of the country, Shields shut down the Mets' hitters and emerged with one of those victories that has eluded him too often this year when the Rays prevailed ..."

Santana matchup excites Shields

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June 20

Tampa Tribune

"James Shields' changeup is his bread-and-butter pitch, but few other big-leaguers are known for the off-speed pitch like the man Shields will face today, Mets lefty Johan Santana. Today's showdown between the two at Citi Field should be a showcase of keeping hitters off-balance, and Shields admitted to being excited about matching wits with a master. "Changeup vs. changeup - we'll see how it works out," he said. Shields, who will be making his 100th big-league start, isn't necessarily looking forward to having to take his swings against Santana's change in this interleague affair. But it will be interesting to get a closer look at a pitch he has long admired from afar. "When I was in the ..."

James Shields gets overdue reward against Kansas City

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June 5

St. Petersburg Times

"Right-hander James Shields delivered another strong, eight-inning start Thursday, and is tied for the staff lead with five wins. But to 1B Carlos Peña, Shields "very well deserves five more." Shields has often been on the wrong end of some hard-luck starts (the Rays scored just 19 runs in his 621/3 innings over his last nine appearances). There have been four outings where he has gone at least five innings and given up three runs or less but had a no-decision or loss. So when the pitcher battled through for another impressive start, his teammates were glad to finally reward him with his second straight victory. Shields (5-4) smiled but said all that matters is the team getting the ..."

James Shields has best outing of season

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May 20

St. Petersburg Times

"RHP James Shields says his stuff has been getting better with each start. It was just a matter of time before the results followed. Shields put it all together Tuesday night against the A's, pitching 8 1/3 scoreless innings for his best outing of the season and longest this year by any Rays starter. "I just think he had really good command tonight," manager Joe Maddon said. "Everything was working. … He was on the top of his game." Shields had come off two rough outings in which he had given up five runs and 10 hits in each; the last one against the Indians, he said his emotions got the better of him. But Tuesday, Shields showed flashes of dominance, retiring 17 consecutive hitters at one ..."