James Shields is a former professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. He was born on December 20, 1981, in Newhall, California, and attended William S. Hart High School in Santa Clarita, California. Shields was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 16th round of the 2000 MLB draft and made his MLB debut on May 31, 2006.
Shields played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays from 2006 to 2012, where he established himself as one of the team's top pitchers. He was known for his durability, consistency, and ability to pitch deep into games. Shields was a two-time All-Star with the Rays, in 2011 and 2012, and helped lead the team to the World Series in 2008.
In December 2012, Shields was traded to the Kansas City Royals, where he played for two seasons. He was a key part of the Royals' pitching staff that helped the team reach the World Series in 2014, where they lost to the San Francisco Giants. Shields was also an All-Star in 2013 with the Royals.
After his stint with the Royals, Shields signed a four-year, $75 million contract with the San Diego Padres in February 2015. He played for the Padres for two seasons before being traded to the Chicago White Sox in June 2016. Shields played for the White Sox for three seasons before being released in September 2019.
Throughout his career, Shields was known for his work ethic, leadership, and ability to mentor younger players. He was also known for his charitable work off the field, including his involvement with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.
In total, Shields played in 415 games over his career, starting 409 of them. He had a career record of 152-149 with a 4.01 ERA and 2,141 strikeouts. Shields was a six-time Gold Glove finalist and won the award in 2012. He also won the Warren Spahn Award in 2011, which is given annually to the best left-handed pitcher in MLB.
In conclusion, James Shields had a successful career as a pitcher in MLB, playing for four different teams over the course of 13 seasons. He was a two-time All-Star, a World Series participant, and a Gold Glove winner. Shields was known for his durability, consistency, and leadership both on and off the field.
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