May 14, 2008 James Shields allowed two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out six, but took the 2-1 loss to the Yankees and Mike Mussina on Wednesday night.
Our View:Shield's effort was plenty good enough to earn a win. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.05 in the loss.
May 9, 2008 James Shields won his fourth game of the year on Friday night in a complete game 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. The Rays' right-hander threw 92 pitches, allowed only one hit, no walks and struck out eight.
Our View:An impressive bounce back after a dismal start against the Red Sox, and against a very good Angels offense.
May 9, 2008 The Tampa Tribune reports that Rays skipper Joe Maddon expects to see James Shields' best tonight, considering the way the pitcher has been stewing since turning in one of the worst performances of his career last weekend at Fenway Park. The right-hander allowed 13 Red Sox hitters to reach base, and seven runs to score in 3.2 innings of work.
Our View:Through seven innings, Shields has allowed one hit, walked none and struck out eight. The score is tied at 0-0 in a game where the Rays are hosting the Angels.
May 3, 2008 James Shields was rocked for seven runs on 10 hits over a mere 3.2 innings of work against the Red Sox on Saturday, with three walks and three strikeouts.
Our View:Shields was previously named the AL Player of the Week, and was 3-1 with a 2.54 ERA and solid 1.15 ERA prior to today's nightmarish outing. See if you can lure him away for a bargain price.
April 28, 2008 James Shields has been named the American League Player of the Week, according to the AP. Shields went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in two starts for the Rays, and helped lead the team to their first three-game sweep of the Red Sox. Other nominees for the honor were Maggio Ordonez, Josh Hamilton, Chien-Ming Wang, and Cliff Lee.
Our View:Shields is 3-1 overall, with a 2.54 ERA and strong 1.15 WHIP over 39 innings, with 28 strikeouts. He has lived up to expectations as a preseason sleeper, and his fantasy stock will continue to rise.
