Tampa Bay Rays trade Shields and Davis to Kansas City for 4 prospects – MLB News
For many years, it has been a part of Tampa Bay Rays’ culture to sell present for the future and the team completed arguably one of the biggest moves in its history when they traded James Shields and Wade Davis to Kansas City Royals for four prospects.
The Rays finalised the trade on Sunday that involved sending pitchers Wade and Shields to Royals for four prospects, including one of the most promising prospects in Royals’ farm system; Wil Myers.
The young outfielder posted some impressive numbers in the Double A and Triple A clubs league in 2012 as he combined to hit .314 with 37 home runs and 109 RBI’s. In addition to being an excellent hitter, Myers has unmatchable defensive skills, which makes
him one of the most wanted prospects in Major League Baseball right now.
For his impressive performances in the minor league, the 22 year old was named the minor league players of the year by Baseball America, Topps/Minor League Baseball and USA Today. Other three prospects coming to Tampa Bay include third baseman Patrick Leonard,
lefty pitcher Mike Montgomery and right handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi.
"We are constantly working to balance the present and the future and always trying to thread the needle," Rays executive vice president of baseball Andrew Friedman said. "As an organization, we rely on the contributions of our young players basically more
than anyone else in baseball.
"With this trade we're hoping to replenish our system and add a lot of players that we feel like can help us sustain this run of success that we've had the last five years."
Friedman believes Odorizzi, Leonard and Montgomery can help the Rays become a strong club in 2012. However, in doing so the Rays lost two of their fines starting pitchers. Shield, who pitched at least 200 innings in each of his last six big league season,
was the franchise leader in shutouts, losses, wins, complete games, strikeouts and innings pitched and starts.
Davis, on the other hand, was a reliable hard throwing right hander who played two seasons as a starter before moving to the bullpen in the past season.
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