Padres signing of James Shields is FRESH!

The Padres improvements during this off-season have definitely been exciting but the acquisition of James Shields early this morning, in my mind, gives them the push they need to finally contend in the NL West.  Suddenly it's at least seems possible that it could happen.  I'm now willing to let my imagination take me to a place where the Padres are in the hunt, not 15 games back at the All-Star Break.  When you take into account that deal cost the Padres in the neighborhood of $76 million and not all the team's best prospects, it looks even better.

The media and blogs like the deal, some though aren't quite convinced that the move was the best use of the team's limited resources.  It leaves the Padres with a relatively small window to succeed, with aging players eating up a good deal of the team's payroll in coming years.  It's certainly a risk, but one I'm willing to take every day of the week.

I'm still collecting reactions from around the internet and if you see more, leave me a link in the comments.  For now we've got a signing that is 82% fresh, on par with such movies as Super 8 and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Apologies to RottenTomatoes.com

James Shields and the Value of Relevance | FanGraphs Baseball
If the Padres end up as a .500ish team, and then have to pay the piper in future years when Upton leaves as a free agent while Shields and Kemp absorb one-third of the team’s payroll, this experiment could easily be viewed as an expensive failure.

James Shields Splash Cements San Diego Padres as 2015 NL Threat | Bleacher Report
But what this signing assures is that the "Big Game" part will arrive with Shields, only as a descriptor for what the Padres will play each day in 2015 rather than as an individual moniker. Shields now in the house. Matt Kemp. Justin Upton. Wil Myers. Derek Norris. Will Middlebrooks. All this while retaining their front three starters Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy and Andrew Cashner. You bet the Padres will contend in the NL West in 2015.

James Shields Can’t Solve The Biggest Padres Problem | FanGraphs Baseball
They’ve at least taken steps in the right direction this winter, and Shields is yet another one.

James Shields agrees to deal with San Diego Padres - ESPN
The agreement adds one of baseball’s biggest innings-eaters to the Padres, who continued a busy offseason with the deal.

@BusterOlney
Simple facts: in '14, the Padres were arguably the most unwatchable team in the majors. In 2015, the sport will be paying attention to them.

Shields signing makes others worthwhile | UTSanDiego.com
Without adding one pitcher like Shields, it wouldn’t have been enough. We still would have been saying "if." Now Black has another top-flight pitcher, an innings eater, a guy who can stop losing streaks and gives the Padres a rotation that could weather a postseason series.

@dszymborski
Man, 4 for under $80, even with loss of pick 13, is a really excellent price the Padres are getting for James Shields.

Report: Padres Sign James Shields | Padres Public
Anyway, what the Padres get in James Shields is the one thing they definitely needed to become a contender in 2015: a top of the rotation starter.

@PGammo
Ron Fowler's risky investment in Pads future:club 2010 payroll was $38M, Kemp/Shields get $37M in 2017

@UTKrasovic
Smart choice by new Padres RHP James Shields in terms of home ballpark, pitcher-savvy manager, sharp pitching coach, no DH, good trainers.

@AvengingJM
I've never been a fan of the "Big Game James" moniker, but make no mistake about it, the guy eats innings for breakfast. #BreakfastTown