Lester, Maddon Working Phones for Shields

James Shields could be close to making a decision on where to sign. The Padres are considered the front runner for the San Diego resident and eventually it's likely that big money will win out in the end. Rumors earlier in the day Saturday went from "Shields, Padres close" to "Shields, Padres at an impasse". These are common tactics for this stage of negotiations.

What is not common is for a late push from the Cubs from two guys who have yet to appear at Wrigley Field as members of the organization. Word late on Saturday indicated manager Joe Maddon and pitcher Jon Lester both made calls to Shields to convince him to come to the North Side.

You can argue the merits of signing a 33-year-old top of the rotation pitcher at this stage in the rebuild. But what can't be argued is the change in tenor coming out of Clark and Addison. It's not just the stadium that is undergoing huge transformations. It's one thing for young, up and coming stars like Anthony Rizzo to try and convince a veteran of Theo's vision. It's a whole other thing when it's proven winners like Lester and Maddon. They have bought into not just the young ok players being funneled into the big leagues, but the change of culture from perennial bottom dwellers to annual contenders.

These guys carry weight. Maddon and Shields worked together in Tampa and are very familiar with what they expect of each other. Lester is a two-time World Series champion who knows what it takes to win. These guys can pitch knowledge and experience, not just hope.

Shields is thought to prefer the west coast to stay closer to home. The Padres likely have more room financially (in the short term) to commit. But the fact that it is taking so long shows just how much pull the new look Cubs are carrying these days.