Breaking down which clubs could be in the market for free agent James Shields

New England has won another Super Bowl. The calendar says February and pitchers and catchers report to spring training camps mid-February. So where does pitcher James Shields, 33, the ace of the American League champion Kansas City Royals, wind up? It's a head-scratcher. No one knows. Did he turn down a $100 million contract? Now, can he be had for $70 million? Or will Shields sign a one-year deal, a la Ervin Santana a year ago, and try the free agent market next time? Who wouldn't want a 200-inning pitcher capable of teaching young kids the big league ropes? The problem with Shields might be that he's trying to sell himself as a No. 1 starter while he's actually a No. 2 or No. 3. And another big-name pitcher, Philadelphia's Cole Hamels, also figures into where Shields may end up. The Phillies would like to trade Hamels and the $96 million left on his contract. So, if you are a team looking for pitching, is it best to spend money or prospects for a rotation upgrade? Here's a look at teams that would benefit from signing Shields: * San Diego: The Padres had one of the best rotations in the National League last season, but no run production. The three leaders in the rotation are Andrew Cashner, Ian Kennedy and Tyson Ross. Add Shields to an already revamped club that has Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers, and the Padres could win the NL West. * Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers don't have as much pitching as they think. Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu are the top three. Brandon McCarthy should be fine at No. 4, but Brett Anderson, always injured, is a gamble at No. 5. The Dodgers need the depth that Shields would bring. * New York Yankees: Money is no object for the Yankees and they need rotation depth. They are banking on injured pitchers to return healthy. CC Sabathia might be strong now, but how will his knee hold up? Masahiro Tanaka has elbow issues. Ivan Nova (elbow) will be back in May or June. Michael Pineda looked good returning, but his durability is a question. Nathan Eovaldi, Esmil Rodgers and Chris Capuano could lead the rotation. * Seattle: The front three in the Mariners rotation are Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma and J.A. Happ, but after that, the Mariners might be expecting too much from top prospects James Paxton and Taijuan Walker. Shields would fit nicely into the Seattle rotation, but the contract could be the problem. * Cleveland: The Indians are a small-market team with not a lot of payroll. Last season, their rotation was one of the best in the American League in the second half of the season. They have Cory Kluber, the 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner, and young talent that includes Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Danny Salazar. They added Gavin Floyd for a veteran presence, but if the team is willing break the bank, Shields could help it win the AL Central.



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