Could James Shields be the Cards' next Jeff Weaver?

With the MLB trading deadline just under two days away from storming its way through once again another season, according to multiple sources inside both the Cardinals and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, James Shields’ name is in heavy rotation about joining the 2011 defending world champs.

Will Shields join the team in part of a last second trade? That question has yet to be answered—but within the next thirty-three hours from now, everybody around the entire baseball world will know.

As a Cardinals fan, how do you yourself feel about the rumors spreading around this? Coming from myself, I would find myself very happy and excited about an acquisition that would land us the talent that he has out on the mound as a starting pitcher—or even if it came down to it—in the bullpen as well.

Sure, Shields isn’t a world beater; nor is he a Randy Johnson in his prime—but he’s a valuable starting pitcher that would surely eat up some innings to help save the current bullpen, as well as a pitcher with more than enough potential to make many believe he could most certainly help this team out in the long run.

So far this season, James has started twenty-one games—and while he hasn’t posted the greatest numbers in the world—a change of scenario may be just what the thirty year-old may be in the need of.

In his twenty-one starts in 2012, Shields owns a record of 8-7 with an overall earned-run average of 4.52—which as of right now, is his third highest ERA of his career (he finished at 5.18 in 2010; and 4.48 in 2006).

Considering the Cardinals loss the likes of Chris Carpenter due to surgery just less than a month ago, Shields could definitely help play a big role for this team if a deal was in fact made. Shields has given up a career-low at this point of seventeen home runs allowed this season—but yet again, he has also walked forty-four batters already.

Even though the rumors have continued to spread and get more indepth, a lot of people are still questioning whether or not a deal for Shields to the Cardinals will even happen—and while we may not find out until Wednesday afternoon—the thoughts and opinions are countless—but with the Reds being as hot as they are (7.5 games ahead of St. Louis for first) following there current ten game win streak, the vibe almost makes you feel like Mo has to make some sort of move—unless we are planning on tanking, which is not what I would ever expect this organization to do.

As of right now, through July 29^th, the Cardinals pitching staff has managed to allow just the eighth least amount of runs in the major leagues—and is still contending for both the NL Central division title—as well as the Wild Card spots.

While there has been no deal taken place at the moment—and is all speculated by rumors and second-guessing from inside sources, the possibility has me—as well as hopefully many others, pretty excited. Jeff Weaver showed us in 2006—so why can’t we all dream that James Shields’ could possibly do the same exact thing during this 2012 season?