Tigers Scouting Shields, Astros Willing to Move Wandy

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports wrote today that the Detroit Tigers will have not one, but two scouts in attendance tonight as the Rays take on the Yankees. Their target: Rays right hander James Shields.

While Shields would certainly be a prize on the market, Knobler cites an official from “an interested team” as saying “you’d have to give them a lot (to get Shields), but you should have to.”

Knobler’s report goes on to quote someone described as an “official of one rival team” who said “they’re not moving Shields” while also adding that he expected the club to add pieces this month rather than subtract.

Now certainly, the Tigers must still think they have at least an outside shot at landing him, or they wouldn’t bother sending those two scouts to take in the game, but the price figures to be very high if they actually want to pry loose the all-star hurler.

Speaking of high prices, we learned last week, via Peter Gammons, that the Astros were asking for a package of talent in return for lefty Wandy Rodriguez that would rival what Colorado would want for Ubaldo Jimenez. In other words, your conversation starts with Jacob Turner.

Rodriguez, like Jimenez and Shields, is signed to a long-term contract, but Wandy’s pays him significantly more than the other two hurlers earn and he hasn’t matched either or their production levels. But he’s left handed, so I guess that puts a premium on his services.

Earlier today, ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote that Houston was “making it clear” they were open to dealing Rodriguez, but with a price so “Astro-nomically” high, the chances of prying him loose seem remote.

Of course, all of this is coming a full ten days before the deadline, so there is plenty of time left for things to change. It could be that a week from now, Tampa is looking up at a nine or ten game deficit and maybe they’d be more willing to move Shields. It could happen that the Astros realize their demands are unrealistic and lower the price on Rodriguez. Or it could happen that the Tigers wind up landing a different starter in the meantime and all of this becomes for naught.

Whatever happens, the trade season sure is entertaining. Stay tuned.

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