The Tampa Bay Rays probably have some big decisions to make this offseason in terms of player personnel, but they took care of one of the easier ones on Tuesday.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that the Rays will pick up pitcher James Shields' option for the 2013 season. The 2012 option for the right-hander is worth $10.25 million.
Of course, there is still the chance that the Rays deal Shields before the start of the season. The club is at something of a crossroads, and could get a pretty nice package for an arm like Shields or ace David Price.
Shields was 15-10 in 2012 with a 3.52 ERA in 227 2/3 innings pitched. Shields has turned into a workhorse and is now a season removed from a 2011 campaign in which he tossed 11 complete games on his way to a 16-12 record and a 2.82 ERA that saw him finish third in American League Cy Young voting.
The 30-year-old (he'll be 31 on Opening Day) has also thrown at least 200 innings in each of his last six seasons.
