James Shields thrives after heeding cousin Aaron Rowand's advice
Found this pretty impressive when I read it today. What a turn around for that James Shields, after going to that doctor.
Hell, I didn't even know those two were cousins. I get a kick out of what Rowand said about Shields first base hit of his career.
Jul. 10, 2007
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Big leaguers' path to success is all relative
Shields thrives after heeding cousin Rowand's advice
When James Shields first walked into Tim Soder's physical therapy practice in southwest Las Vegas, he could barely lift his right arm above his head. Three years later, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitcher is enjoying a breakout major league season.
Shields, who started 6-0, was introduced to Soder by Shields' cousin, Summerlin resident Aaron Rowand, the fearless Philadelphia Phillies center fielder who was named to his first All-Star Game this year.
Both players attribute much of their success to grueling offseason workouts with Soder.
"It's amazing that I'm actually where I'm at today because I thought I'd never pick up a baseball again," said Shields, who missed the 2002 season after shoulder surgery and suffered nerve damage in his shoulder in 2004. "It's definitely changed my career around. If I never started working out there, I probably wouldn't be playing today."
Rowand, who moved to Las Vegas in 2000, said he thought he had a strong work ethic until he met Soder.
"It wasn't until I got here that I realized I wasn't doing as much as I thought I was," said Rowand, batting .310 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs this year. "It's made my career. The offseason is when you've got to try to build up and try to get strong and stay flexible."
Shortly after each season ends, Rowand, Shields and other local big leaguers -- including Toronto's Reed Johnson and Josh Towers and Philadelphia's Shane Victorino -- arrive at Soder's spacious, state-of-the-art facility at 6 a.m. and push each other for 3 1/2 hours four days a week.
Rowand said his cousin always had talent but couldn't stay healthy, so he told him to "get off his butt and start working out."
"He kept having injuries because he wasn't doing anything in the offseason. He was young and didn't understand what he had to do to get to the next level and compete," Rowand said. "But he showed up every day, did his work and now he has one of the best work ethics of anyone I know."
Shields, 25, said he always has admired Rowand, 29.
"I always said if I can work out half as hard as him I'd be all right, because he's one of the hardest-working guys in baseball, hands down," Shields said.
Rowand's mother and Shields' mother are sisters. Rowand said growing up he was closer to Shields' older brother, Jason, than he was to James.
"Jamie always was an annoying little twerp who wanted to play games we were playing, but he was too young and small," said Rowand, who still gives "Jamie" a hard time for shedding his nickname in favor of James when he reached the majors. "Now he's taller than any of us."
The 6-foot-4-inch, 215-pound Shields, who was drafted by Tampa Bay in the 16th round in 2000, saw his first action in the big leagues last year, going 6-8 with a 4.84 ERA, and he hasn't looked back.
He opened this season with 13 straight unbeaten starts and stands 7-4 with a 3.82 ERA, 116 strikeouts and just 19 walks in 129 2/3 innings.
Rowand said Shields should have made the American League All-Star team.
"He didn't have the run support to help him out, but he's definitely improved, and the sky's the limit," he said. "I know I'm only his cousin and not his dad, but I feel very proud of him for what he's done and all the work he's put in. He's overcome a lot of things and he's really grown up."
Rowand, traded to the Phillies for Jim Thome shortly after helping the White Sox win the 2005 World Series, has bounced back strong from an injury-plagued season in his first year with Philadelphia.
He was hitting .310 last season when he crashed face-first into the outfield wall at Citizen's Bank Park while making a game-saving catch in a May 11 victory over the New York Mets. Rowand suffered a broken nose and fractured bones around his left eye.
"I've run into a lot of walls in my career," said Rowand, who also crashed into a cinder-block wall while playing at Cal State Fullerton.
After returning to action, Rowand fractured his left ankle in a collision with teammate Chase Utley on Aug. 21 at Wrigley Field.
"It was definitely frustrating," said Rowand, who batted .262 with 12 homers and 47 RBIs in 109 games last season. "Every time I started hitting the ball good, I got hurt."
Rowand was 20th in fan balloting for the All-Star Game but was picked by National League manager Tony La Russa for his defensive prowess.
"I was in shock. To be part of the All-Star Game is something every kid dreams of," Rowand said. "It's a great honor to be part of it, and I'm really excited to go."
Shields also has dreamed of playing in the All-Star Game but realized another lifelong goal last year when he faced his cousin in an interleague game.
Rowand went 1-for-3 against Shields, who, in the same game, went 2-for-3 with his first two big league hits.
"It was pretty fun," Shields said. "I got him a couple times, and he got me once. He wanted to get a hit off me real bad, but I always bag on him because I got more hits than him in that game."
Rowand rifled the ball back up the box for his hit.
"The first at-bat he broke my bat on a ground ball, but the second at-bat I hit a line drive past his ear and almost took his head off," Rowand said.
Despite the close call, Shields fondly recalls the confrontation.
"I kind of turned around and he was smiling at me as he was running down to first," he said.
Rowand said he pretty much gave his cousin his first big league hit when Shields hit a flare to right-center field that he decided not to dive for.
"If I (had) laid out for it, I probably had a good chance to catch it," Rowand said. "But I didn't lay out because I wanted to see him get his first major league hit."
Hell, I didn't even know those two were cousins. I get a kick out of what Rowand said about Shields first base hit of his career.
Jul. 10, 2007
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Big leaguers' path to success is all relative
Shields thrives after heeding cousin Rowand's advice
When James Shields first walked into Tim Soder's physical therapy practice in southwest Las Vegas, he could barely lift his right arm above his head. Three years later, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitcher is enjoying a breakout major league season.
Shields, who started 6-0, was introduced to Soder by Shields' cousin, Summerlin resident Aaron Rowand, the fearless Philadelphia Phillies center fielder who was named to his first All-Star Game this year.
Both players attribute much of their success to grueling offseason workouts with Soder.
"It's amazing that I'm actually where I'm at today because I thought I'd never pick up a baseball again," said Shields, who missed the 2002 season after shoulder surgery and suffered nerve damage in his shoulder in 2004. "It's definitely changed my career around. If I never started working out there, I probably wouldn't be playing today."
Rowand, who moved to Las Vegas in 2000, said he thought he had a strong work ethic until he met Soder.
"It wasn't until I got here that I realized I wasn't doing as much as I thought I was," said Rowand, batting .310 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs this year. "It's made my career. The offseason is when you've got to try to build up and try to get strong and stay flexible."
Shortly after each season ends, Rowand, Shields and other local big leaguers -- including Toronto's Reed Johnson and Josh Towers and Philadelphia's Shane Victorino -- arrive at Soder's spacious, state-of-the-art facility at 6 a.m. and push each other for 3 1/2 hours four days a week.
Rowand said his cousin always had talent but couldn't stay healthy, so he told him to "get off his butt and start working out."
"He kept having injuries because he wasn't doing anything in the offseason. He was young and didn't understand what he had to do to get to the next level and compete," Rowand said. "But he showed up every day, did his work and now he has one of the best work ethics of anyone I know."
Shields, 25, said he always has admired Rowand, 29.
"I always said if I can work out half as hard as him I'd be all right, because he's one of the hardest-working guys in baseball, hands down," Shields said.
Rowand's mother and Shields' mother are sisters. Rowand said growing up he was closer to Shields' older brother, Jason, than he was to James.
"Jamie always was an annoying little twerp who wanted to play games we were playing, but he was too young and small," said Rowand, who still gives "Jamie" a hard time for shedding his nickname in favor of James when he reached the majors. "Now he's taller than any of us."
The 6-foot-4-inch, 215-pound Shields, who was drafted by Tampa Bay in the 16th round in 2000, saw his first action in the big leagues last year, going 6-8 with a 4.84 ERA, and he hasn't looked back.
He opened this season with 13 straight unbeaten starts and stands 7-4 with a 3.82 ERA, 116 strikeouts and just 19 walks in 129 2/3 innings.
Rowand said Shields should have made the American League All-Star team.
"He didn't have the run support to help him out, but he's definitely improved, and the sky's the limit," he said. "I know I'm only his cousin and not his dad, but I feel very proud of him for what he's done and all the work he's put in. He's overcome a lot of things and he's really grown up."
Rowand, traded to the Phillies for Jim Thome shortly after helping the White Sox win the 2005 World Series, has bounced back strong from an injury-plagued season in his first year with Philadelphia.
He was hitting .310 last season when he crashed face-first into the outfield wall at Citizen's Bank Park while making a game-saving catch in a May 11 victory over the New York Mets. Rowand suffered a broken nose and fractured bones around his left eye.
"I've run into a lot of walls in my career," said Rowand, who also crashed into a cinder-block wall while playing at Cal State Fullerton.
After returning to action, Rowand fractured his left ankle in a collision with teammate Chase Utley on Aug. 21 at Wrigley Field.
"It was definitely frustrating," said Rowand, who batted .262 with 12 homers and 47 RBIs in 109 games last season. "Every time I started hitting the ball good, I got hurt."
Rowand was 20th in fan balloting for the All-Star Game but was picked by National League manager Tony La Russa for his defensive prowess.
"I was in shock. To be part of the All-Star Game is something every kid dreams of," Rowand said. "It's a great honor to be part of it, and I'm really excited to go."
Shields also has dreamed of playing in the All-Star Game but realized another lifelong goal last year when he faced his cousin in an interleague game.
Rowand went 1-for-3 against Shields, who, in the same game, went 2-for-3 with his first two big league hits.
"It was pretty fun," Shields said. "I got him a couple times, and he got me once. He wanted to get a hit off me real bad, but I always bag on him because I got more hits than him in that game."
Rowand rifled the ball back up the box for his hit.
"The first at-bat he broke my bat on a ground ball, but the second at-bat I hit a line drive past his ear and almost took his head off," Rowand said.
Despite the close call, Shields fondly recalls the confrontation.
"I kind of turned around and he was smiling at me as he was running down to first," he said.
Rowand said he pretty much gave his cousin his first big league hit when Shields hit a flare to right-center field that he decided not to dive for.
"If I (had) laid out for it, I probably had a good chance to catch it," Rowand said. "But I didn't lay out because I wanted to see him get his first major league hit."