Angels Great Scot Shields Retires

by Rev Halofan on Mar 19, 2011 12:01 AM PDT in Angels News

Florida's own Scot Shields was born four days after Torii Hunter and five days before Alex Rodriguez. He was the greatest set-up reliever in Angels franchise history. Shields announced his retirement on Friday as reported by UKHALO in a FANSHOT here on Halos Heaven. He played from 2001 - 2010 and only for the Angels, the team that drafted him.

Scot is pictured here celebrating the 2005 division title in a bar in San Francisco, the team having clinched earlier that night in Oakland. He was wearing the team's "Rally Beads" from a stadium giveaway earlier that season. I asked him why he was wearing fan merchandise and he told me he was superstitious. I asked him if he actually wore the cheap plastic beads during games while other relievers wore gold chains and crosses. Taking a slug from his Bud Lite he told me "No, I gotta wear them to the bars. I'm superstitious about partying."

One irony about his retirement is that, in having pitched in two injury-plagued seasons, he actually tarnished his legacy for greatness - had he retired prior to the 2007 season he would have had a higher statistical place in franchise lore.

Still, his accomplishments are remarkable considering that he was drafted in the 38th round of the 1997 draft.

In our Amazon.com-available book TOP 50 ANGELS, we ranked him 37th All Time in franchise history, the only set-up man who made our prestigious, definitive list.

Among pitchers who tossed more than 500 innings as an Angel, Scot with one T established some great marks in club history:

3.18 ERA (7th in club history)

1.2 WHIP (9th in club history)

7.6 Hits per 9 IP (5th in club history)

8.14 K thru 9 (3rd in club history, just behind Nolan Ryan and Troy Percival)

Single Season (2005) Club Pitching Record of 78 Games Appeared

491 Games Played (2nd in Club History for a Pitcher, behind Troy Percival; Shields threw 111 more innings as an Angel than Percy)

2.2 K per BB (9th in Club History)

OOPS! In 697 Innings Pitched, Scot threw 49 Wild Pitches, good for 5th most as an Angel. In 6th place was Kirk McCaskill who threw 48 WP... in 1,221 IP as an Angel. But it was that movement on those pitches from that legendary rubber arm that delivered

His adjusted ERA+ of 139 is second only to Troy Percival's 157 among Angels pitchers. Had he ended his Angels career after 2006, Shields would have the club record as his mark stood at 159 after that stupendous campaign.

His 10.6% Win Probability added is 6th all time as an Angel, and it ranks 163rd in baseball history for pitchers and is the highest rank in the game's long history for a pitcher who was primarily a setup man. Sounds like Cooperstown to this biased fan, how about to you?

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HENDERSON!!

That is all.

You've been Bourjos'd!
RIP Nick Adenhart.

by WillGoAngels27 on Mar 19, 2011 12:26 AM PDT reply actions

You the man Scot, us Halo fans love you!

YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....

by halofolife on Mar 19, 2011 12:26 AM PDT reply actions

When you consider

where his career started (i.e., 38th round draft choice), his success is truly remarkable.

He pitched effectively as a starter in 2003, and probably could have carved out a nice and lucrative career as a #3 or #4 starter on a lot of teams.

by jjackflash on Mar 19, 2011 12:35 AM PDT reply actions

Haha oh man! Bad picture!!

We’ll miss you Rubberband Man! Wish you could have thrown a 16 inning, 261 pitch game for us!

by Howie's Batting Title on Mar 19, 2011 1:33 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

If Cooperstown had much of a track record for role players being admitted

he’d be one of the first on the list.

But don’t count on a career west coast player to break that mold.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Mar 19, 2011 1:56 AM PDT reply actions

One of my fondest Shields memories:

Watching him pull out the side-arm two seamer to strike out David Ortiz looking. That pitch was just NASTY.

Anyone else remember that?

Jeff Mathis career: WAR = -2.3, oWAR = -1.5, dWAR = -0.8 , Jeff Mathis's bank account: $2,492,000.

Free Agency: 2013.

by jtkelly86 on Mar 19, 2011 2:29 AM PDT reply actions

Which Time?

Peanuts...Get your Overpriced Peanuts!

by Angel Hawker on Mar 19, 2011 6:31 AM PDT up reply actions

It is weird to think of

But Scot Shields is the best set up man in Baseball history.

"Jeff Mathis is like Robb Quinlan without the sex appeal" - Sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher

by ryanfea on Mar 19, 2011 7:22 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

It's a specialized role, sure

But I agree. At his peak there was no one better. He actually “saved” more games than Frankie by shutting down rallies and taking care of dangerous hitters. He was fearless and a true team player.

He could’ve been a decent starter or a good closer on another team. I think his heart was right where it needed to be — an Angel fireman.

I doubt he’ll get much of a sniff from Cooperstown but, like GA, his number should be retired by the team.

by WateringTheGarden on Mar 19, 2011 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

You might be right.

Few guys are career set-up guys, and even among them consistency is hard to find. Usually if a guy is great in the bull-pen, he gets promoted to closer. I always thought Shields was able to maximize his talents more in that role than any other. I think he might have made a solid closer, but not a great one. K-Rod better write Shieldsy a thank you note for all the opportunities he gave him. A closer is only as good as his set-up guy.

by moralesforpresident on Mar 19, 2011 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions

A true aberration

I can’t think of any other consistently good reliever who didn’t chase the cash or get promoted to the closer role after a year or two of setting up.

It is ironic that setup guys (the “second best” relievers) are expected to come in and shut down rallies with men on base and/or pitch more than an inning while most managers refuse to use their closers that way.

by GoAngels! on Mar 19, 2011 8:23 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs

That's a fairly new phenomenon

Prior to Eckersley, the best relievers routinely did come in to put out fires in the 7th or 8th inning. Goose Gossage regularly did that. Rollie Fingers did that. Hoyt Wilhelm did that.

Managers have begun putting pitcher in to maximize their saves rather than maximizing their team’s chance of winning. The team that figures out that the most important inning isn’t always the 9th will have a leg up on the competition.

Having Shields and K-Rod made it so that it didn’t matter that much that the closer only worked the 9th with a lead of 3 runs or less. When your 2nd best reliever is Scot Shields, you can put out a lot of fires.

by jco on Mar 19, 2011 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions

I love that picture...

Scot Shields is a true Angel. A huge contributor on our greatest teams. For all accounts, a great clubhouse guy. And a goofball (in the good sense of the word, if the posted picture means anything).

I honor his contributions to the team and I will miss him.

Thanks Scot, and good luck in the rest of your life.

by waters96 on Mar 19, 2011 8:48 AM PDT reply actions

A Great Guy

Scot Shields will always be a favorite of my kids. A few years back, we arrived early to a Saturday afternoon game, and my kids wanted to hang out down the left field line to catch foul balls, etc. No one was around us, and Shields walks over to my boys and says, “Hi. I’m Scot Shields,” and shakes their hands. My oldest says, he knows who he is, and Shields gets this big grin on his face.

For the next few minutes, Shields is talking to my boys about pitching, showing them how to grip the ball and the proper arm motion (which I thought was entertaining, seeing how Shields’ motion could look like a broken screen door).

By now a small crowd starts gathering around us, but before he leaves, Shields pulls a Sharpie out of his back pocket and autographs my boys’ thermal cup giveaway. He was a genuinely nice guy.

by Designerguy on Mar 19, 2011 9:05 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs

Scot signed my daughter's jersey at Yankee Stadium back in 2004

never mind that it was a Garret Anderson jersey. She was thrilled and he was a family favorite through thick and thin. Thanks for the memories, Scot.

Well, come see a fat old man some time!

by Moondoggy on Mar 19, 2011 9:29 AM PDT reply actions

3rd place in K/9 surprised me

he was our USA rep for the first WBC = American hero.

by Rex Fregosi on Mar 19, 2011 9:41 AM PDT reply actions

Darin

"It's our money," owner Arte Moreno said.

by 44FAN on Mar 19, 2011 10:10 AM PDT reply actions

Scot Shiels photobomb

Jeff Mathis career: WAR = -2.3, oWAR = -1.5, dWAR = -0.8 , Jeff Mathis's bank account: $2,492,000.

Free Agency: 2013.

by jtkelly86 on Mar 19, 2011 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Shields*

Jeff Mathis career: WAR = -2.3, oWAR = -1.5, dWAR = -0.8 , Jeff Mathis's bank account: $2,492,000.

Free Agency: 2013.

by jtkelly86 on Mar 19, 2011 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions

two-fisted photobombing

by Rev Halofan on Mar 19, 2011 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Scot was always one of my favorites

I would listen to the games on the radio and when Shields was brought in I knew the game was won. Those were the days. “Fair winds and following seas” to you, Scot, as you move forward in life.

I meant the OTHER Howard!

by agent_99 on Mar 19, 2011 9:10 PM PDT reply actions

AZ Republic noted that he was only the third player to play his entire 10+ year career with the Halos.

Timmy was one, who was the third? I’m stumped.

Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch

by red floyd on Mar 19, 2011 10:31 PM PDT reply actions

intials were G.D.

Also the initials of what i screamed all ten of those seasons whenever he would ground out weakly to end a threat.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 20, 2011 12:33 AM PDT up reply actions

DiSar

Good guy. Extremely overrated by teammates. Career OPS+ of 66. But the 2005 season definitely went down the drain the minute he got hurt.

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." - Woody Hayes

by johnnyangel101 on Mar 20, 2011 6:15 AM PDT up reply actions

* 1995 season

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." - Woody Hayes

by johnnyangel101 on Mar 20, 2011 6:16 AM PDT up reply actions

1995 was not lost because of DiSar's absence

He had peaked anyway, it was a group effort.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 20, 2011 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions

1995 was DiSar's best offensive year, according to BBR.

Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch

by red floyd on Mar 21, 2011 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions

History lesson

Chronicle of the Lads (a 3-part story)… and how I came to find Halos Heaven…

Provided some good insight into “the great collapse” that I had blocked out of my mind.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Mar 21, 2011 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Part Two:

http://anaheimangelsblog.blogspot.com/2005/04/rise-fall-and-rise-again-1995-angels_27.html

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Mar 21, 2011 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Part 3

Look under (RISE, FALL, AND RISE AGAIN: THE 1995 ANGELS — PART 3 OF 3: HERE LIES MARK LANGSTON)
http://anaheimangelsblog.blogspot.com/2005_04_01_anaheimangelsblog_archive.html

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Mar 21, 2011 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Wicked-good links!

Thanks for those. Just bookmarked ’em to read on the plane… Probably.

(I, like you, lived through that in slow, gory, live Technicolor horror and I still have emotional scars. I’m a little, um, heh… scared!).

"That's the true harbinger of spring, not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on a ball." ~Bill Veeck

by LAASurfin on Mar 21, 2011 6:57 PM PDT up reply actions

You know, I remember reading this a long time ago

And you pretty much nailed it.

I can handle thinking about 1995 in this kind of depth about every 10 years or so, and then only under heavy medication.

Good stuff, Downing.

by Zaius on Mar 21, 2011 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions

“another big factor in the Angel collapse was the absolute sinkhole that was Damion Easley and the second base situation. Easley played 114 of the Angels’ 145 games, and hit a microscopic 216/288/300. It’s really hard to win a division when a guy like that is getting a lot of playing time,”

Not if he was premium! We would take those numbers.

by Barca on Mar 21, 2011 9:43 PM PDT up reply actions