Former Rays play important part in Royals success, World Series run
October's main event has arrived, and the World Series features Tampa Bay Rays ties.
There are three men -- two players and a pitching coach, all with the Kansas City Royals -- who own Rays connections as they begin the Fall Classic against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium. A seven-player blockbuster trade in December 2012 proved to be a seminal moment for the Royals in their attempt to become relevant in the American League, and Kansas City has witnessed its vision gain focus.
Before the Royals play in their first World Series since 1985, it's worth examining the contributions of right-hander James Shields, reliever Wade Davis and pitching coach Dave Eiland in Kansas City's drive to 89 victories and a memorable postseason run.
JAMES SHIELDS
Devil Rays debut: May 31, 2006 (vs. Baltimore Orioles)
Devil Rays/Rays career: He became a valuable face of the transformation from Devil Rays struggle to the Rays' way of contending for postseason berths annually. He spent seven seasons with Tampa Bay from 2006 to 2012, and he finished with at least 203 1/3 innings pitched in six of those. He went 87-73 with a 3.89 ERA in the regular season with 1,250 strikeouts in 218 appearances (217 starts). He produced 19 complete games. He was selected for the All-Star Game in 2011, and he became a trusted mentor to left-hander David Price, who grew into the rotation's ace. It's hard to imagine the Rays maturing into a perennial AL East contender without him, and his tireless drive is why the Royals viewed him as worth the price in executing the seven-player trade with the Rays.
2014 season: Like with the Rays, Shields was a workhorse. He threw a team-high 227 innings in the regular season as one of just two Kansas City pitchers to break the 200-inning mark (right-hander Jeremy Guthrie was the other with 202 2/3). Shields finished the regular season with a 14-8 record and a 3.21 ERA in 34 starts, a slight decline from the 3.15 ERA he posted in 34 starts with the Royals last year. He had fewer strikeouts this year -- 180 compared to the 196 he earned in 2013 -- but he has still totaled at least 180 strikeouts in each of his past five seasons. His WAR declined from 4.1 last year to 3.3 this season, but since it's difficult to imagine the Royals reaching the World Series without him, the trade to gain him should be viewed as a success.
Playoff production: He's 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA and 15 strikeouts in three starts. He hasn't looked as sharp as he did in parts of the regular season. He allowed four runs each against the Oakland Athletics in the AL wild-card game and against the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series. His best outing came when he allowed just two runs and six hits in six innings in a victory over the Los Angeles Angels in Game 3 of the AL Division Series. Still, he has served as the staple of the Royals' rotation, and that's why he'll receive the start opposite left-hander Madison Bumgarner in Game 1 of the World Series.
WADE DAVIS
Rays debut: Sept. 6, 2009 (vs. Detroit Tigers)
Rays career: He spent four seasons with Tampa Bay from 2009 to 2012, and the early part of his time with the Rays was completed as a starter. He made six regular-season starts in 2009, then 29 apiece in 2010 and 2011. He posted an ERA no better than 4.07 (2010) in any of the seasons in which he made at least seven starts. Still, he finished fourth in the voting for AL Rookie of the Year in 2010, and when he made the transition to the bullpen in 2012, he started to evolve into an effective reliever. He was 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA in 54 appearances (70 1/3 innings) in 2012.
2014 season: This was Davis' best campaign yet. He went 9-2 with a 1.00 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 71 appearances (72 innings), serving primarily as the setup man for closer Greg Holland. Davis allowed just eight earned runs and 38 hits, both career-best totals. His WAR was a career-best 3.7 this season, much improved on the minus-2.1 he posted last year with Kansas City, when he went 8-11 with a 5.32 ERA in 31 appearances (24 starts). He could be considered a future closer after proving himself as an effective late-inning option.
Playoff production: Eight appearances, few quibbles. He has allowed just one run and five hits during the Royals' sprint throughout the playoffs, continuing his excellence from the regular season. He received his heaviest workload during the ALCS, when he allowed just two hits and struck out six in five innings. Expect him to be a familiar face in the World Series if the Royals hold a late lead.
DAVE EILAND
Devil Rays debut: Sept. 25, 1998 (vs. New York Yankees)
Devil Rays career: As a player in his twilight, he was 6-12 with a 6.54 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 39 appearances (26 starts) from 1998 to 2000. His best season came in 1999, when he went 4-8 with a 5.60 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 21 appearances (15 starts). He accepted an advisory role with the Rays after the Yankees fired him following a stint as pitching coach there from 2008 to 2010. He has served as Kansas City's pitching coach since 2011.
2014 season: Like the Rays, the Royals are built on pitching and defense. Kansas City's staff under Eiland performed well, ranking 12th in the majors in ERA (3.51) and 15th in hits allowed (1,386). Royals relievers earned 53 saves, which ranks behind only the St. Louis Cardinals' 55 and Atlanta Braves' 54.
Playoff production: Not many can argue with how Kansas City pitching has performed in October. The Royals are 8-0 with a 2.93 ERA and 69 strikeouts. Shields leads his team with 16 innings pitched in the postseason, but left-hander Jason Vargas has been the Royals' most reliable arm this month by posting a 1-0 record with a rotation-best 2.38 ERA in two starts (11 1/3 innings). Holland is 6 for 6 in save opportunities, and he has allowed just one run and three hits with 10 strikeouts in eight innings.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
