I actually agree... I thought all along losing Odorizzi might be what pushes the trade over the top. It's one thing to trade one position for another... then throw in another player that plays the same position you just traded for.
That said... I do believe there's been an intangible effect of having Shields on the staff. The pitching staff two years ago was beyond terrible. Bruce Chen was our opening day starter. Shields helped give the team direction. I think it's been a positive for both Ventura and Duffy to have a legit top of the rotation starter to learn from.
I wonder sometimes if it would help all of our "elite" hitting prospects to have a veteran to hold them accountable and learn from. This group of hitters has never had that.
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