Let's just get this out of the way now. Kansas City's nERD of 2.03 - meaning over a 27-out game, Shields would have given up 2.03 runs a game less than a league average pitcher. That was eighth-best in all of baseball. He won 14 games, had an ERA of 3.21, and pitched 227 innings with a 3.3 Wins Above Replacement from Baseball Reference (bWAR).
Shields was really darn good this year, and as a pending free agent, will likely score a big contract this offseason.
All that being said, the man nicknamed "Big Game" James was throwing batting practice last night in Game 1 of the World Series against the Giants. He lasted just three-plus innings, gave up seven hits, and was responsible for five Giants' runs in San Francisco's eventual 7-1 victory.
In 10 career postseason starts, including last night, Shields' ERA is 5.74. In this year's playoffs, he's made four starts and hasn't made it past six innings in any of them. He's given up 15 runs in 19 innings, and his three inning outing last night was the shortest of his career since June of 2008 against the Red Sox. Opponents are now hitting .337 against Shields in this postseason.
His nickname, which he did not give himself, should be retired for a while.
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 22, 2014He's also apparently one heck of a spitter.
Madison Bumgarner just spit nine times (NINE TIMES ) during a postgame World Series television interview.
Last night, the turning point came in the bottom of the third with San Francisco leading 3-0. The Royals had runners on second and third with no out, thanks to an error by shortstop #WorldSeries has gone on to win the Fall Classic 68 times (62.4%).
— MLB Stat of the Day (@MLBStatoftheDay) October 22, 2014And with last night's victory, San Francisco is now 31-11 in the postseason since 2010.
The Royals now turn to young fireballer Yordano Ventura against veteran Jake Peavy for the Giants in Game 2. Ventura had a nERD of 1.72 and an ERA of 3.20 during the regular season, while Peavy's nERD was 1.80, with an ERA of 3.73.
Tonight's game is a virtual must-win for Kansas City. Teams that fall behind 0-2 in the World Series have gone on to lose 44 of 52 Fall Classics (although the last time the Royals won it all, 1985, that team did fall behind 0-2 and 1-3 before winning three straight). And currently, after one game, our algorithms give the Giants a near 74% chance to take home the title.
The Royals will look to start another postseason winning streak tonight.