Scot Shields
| IP | 697 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.176 |
| WHIP | 1.244 |
| BB/9 | 3.59 |
| SO/9 | 8.148 |
- Full name Robert Scot Shields
- Born 07/22/1975 in Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Lincoln Memorial University
- Debut 05/26/2001
- Drafted in the 38th round (1,137th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 1997.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Like Steve Green and Bart Miadich, Shields was overlooked on his ascent to the major leagues, which culminated with a callup last May. Drafted in the 38th round out of tiny Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) in 1997, he's not an imposing figure on the hill. But he continues to prove at every level that he can get hitters out. His fastball doesn't have overwhelming velocity at 88-92 mph, but Shields keeps hitters off balance by combining it with a darting slider, a changeup and a recently added curveball. Everything he throws moves, and his unorthodox, across-the-body release serves as another weapon. Shields learned to repeat his delivery last year, slashing his walk rate in half. After pitching 11 scoreless innings for Anaheim last summer, he heads into spring training as a viable option for the bullpen role vacated by Shigetoshi Hasegawa. -
As a late-round pick, Shields was consigned to bullpen duty for his first two seasons as a pro. He earned a promotion to a starting job in 1999 and won 14 games and finished third in the minors in strikeouts. He found the going rockier in Triple-A last season, leading the Pacific Coast League in losses. But he also led the league in strikeouts and finished second to Mariners prospect Ryan Anderson with 8.61 whiffs per nine innings, an indication that Shields has quality stuff. His slider is his best pitch, his fastball fluctuates from 88-93 mph and his changeup has the potential to be average. Shields got into trouble last season by nibbling too much with his pitches, then falling behind in the count and becoming vulnerable. He pitched better toward the end of 2000, and he'll get a shot in Anaheim if he continues to make progress.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Shields was not coddled in his time in the league, cut short by a promotion to Double-A Erie. The Angels once allowed him to throw 138 pitches in a game, and the all-star responded with a victory. He also went eight innings in three consecutive August starts. Shields continued his success after his promotion by dealing a fastball with movement and a hard breaking pitch that was considered one of the Cal League's best. Mound presence was another Shields strength. "He had better stuff and better deception than you're used to seeing here," said Akerfelds, a former major leaguer.
