James Shields Reportedly To Get Legitimate Offer From Kansas City Royals

James Shields‘ presence as a leader, on the field and off, for the Kansas City Royals can’t be overlooked. Evidently, the Royals do not, and are going to make a legitimate run at the veteran pitcher.

CBSSports Baseball Insider Jon Heyman broke the story Wednesday night. According to Heyman:

"The Royals, who have been presumed to be a long shot to bring back ace James Shields, have decided they will indeed at least make a run at re-signing him, people familiar with the situation say."

The big question for the Royals is – How much is it going to cost? Again, according to  Heyman.

"One competing AL GM suggested he believes Shields should match the deals of Anibal Sanchez and C.J. Wilson, who received $80 million and $77.5 million, respectively, on five-year free-agent deals in recent seasons. That may be a bit of wishful management thinking, as Shields, a clear ace, could easily be a $20-million-a-year pitcher. Shields is already the highest paid Royal at $13 million, but has been a bargain for the team, making $22 million over his two-year stay. They do intend to make him the qualifying offer, which will be $15.3 million according to the Associated Press, though there’s no chance a player of his stature would have to accept it."

This would be a huge departure for the historically tight-fisted Kansas City Royals. Shields is already the highest paid player on the roster, making 13.5 million this season, and he has been a bargain at that price.

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In his two seasons with the Kansas City Royals, James Shields is 27-17, has 455.2 innings pitched, a 3.18 ERA, 1.209 WHIP, 376 strikeouts, and only 112 walks. He has not missed a start in his two years with the team.

Shields will be 33 in December, and if he signs a 5-year deal, that puts him at 37 at contract’s end in 2019. That could be a tad worrisome in the long term. Shields has pitched at least 203 innings every season since his rookie year in 2006. He has started at least 31 games in each of the last eight seasons.

He also has seven post season starts in his career – five with the Tampa Bay Rays, and the two for the Royals last week. He is slated to start Friday night in game one of the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles.

Shields seems to have made a big impact on the maturity of young pitchers Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura, making his presence in the clubhouse almost as valuable as his presence on the mound. Unlike “good clubhouse” guys the Royals have had around in the past, Shields is also a star on the field.

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Of course, if the Royals are planning on paying Shields $16 million a year, at least, the money has to come from somewhere. If you figure in the $13.5 million Kansas City is paying him now, a raise to $16 million isn’t that much.

Even if they front load it a bit, and pay him $20 million in 2015, the Royals should have money available because more than likely, Billy Butler will be off the books. He made $8 million in 2014, and Bruce Chen and Luke Hochevar combined for $10 million.

That is $18 million right there, more than enough to cover Shield’s raise plus go a long way toward paying for the raises other players are due in 2015.

Of course, there won’t be any money for the big bat many Royals fans long for. Face it now, Royals fans – next year, Kansas City’s offense will probably look much like it did this season, without Billy Butler. That isn’t a very pleasant thought.

It’s hard not to admire James Shields, and most would want him on the Royals for years to come. It will be costly, have no doubt, but his presence would help the Royals be contenders over the next few seasons.