Big Game James
Posted: October 17th, 2008 | Filed under: Baseball | 47 Comments »
Brilliant reader Gate brought up this point, one I have been thinking about for a while …
I’m a big James Shields fan. Big. I remember before the start of the year having an argument with a pretty prominent baseball guy about him. He said Shields was just another guy, a middle of the rotation, third starter, fourth starter guy. I didn’t feel that way at all. I said that he was one of the better pitchers in the American League. Shields was a big reason why I predicted that the Rays would be a contender in 2008. And yes, I’m going to break my arm patting myself on the back again.
That said, I have NO idea how he got this ridiculous Big Game James nickname. Big Game James was Lakers forward James Worthy, who averaged 21 points and shot 54% in the playoffs. He was the MVP of the 1988 finals. He was Big Game James. He earned that, you know, by playing well in big games.
Shields? I’m going to pull out my inner Biden here … I’ve already told you I love the guy, but this has to be the most inappropriate nickname in sports since Andre Rison decided, rather bizarrely, to call himself Spiderman. How many big games has James Shields played in? He was a 16th round pick in high school. He pitched for Hudson Valley, Charleston, Bakersfield, Montgomery and Durham for the better part of five years. He came up to a terrible Rays team, pitched pretty well. So there are 0.00 big games in those years.
So, I have to assume he picked up the nickname this year by pitching brilliantly in big games as the Rays shocked the world. I think, looking back, it’s obvious where the concept began: Shields threw nine shutout innings against Boston in late April, a two hitter. And I can see how a nickname can begin after a game like that. I can see all his teammates in the clubhouse patting him on the back and saying, “Yeah! Big Game James! Way to throw Big Game!”
Thing is, everybody should probably forget it the next day. Think about this: You ask James Shields, “Hey, how did you get the nickname ‘Big Game James’ anyway?” If his response is, “You know, I threw a shutout against the Red Sox in April one year,” that would probably not sound too convincing. This is especially true because the next time he faced the Red Sox he lasted exactly one inning and gave up four runs.
Did he pitch great games in big games? His best performances — that is his Game Scores of 70 or more– are as follows:
– He threw a one-hitter against Anaheim on May 9th. I guess that was a big game, sort of. May 9, though. Hey, every game counts the same, even if there is only one October.
– He allowed one run in seven innings during a 15-3 victory at Florida in late June. Probably doesn’t fit.
– He threw eight shutout innings against a death-sprialing Yankees team on September 13 … that legitimately was a big game, though probably not quite enough to write songs about.
So, that more or less is Big Game James’ “Big Game” resume. He threw lots of GOOD games — I’ve already said he’s a good pitcher — but the nickname isn’t “Pretty Good Game James” or “Quality Start James” or “Will Keep You In The Game James.” It’s Big Game James, which evokes images of bloody socks and Yogi jumping in your arms and Morris in Game 7 and Koufax in his prime and all that. I just want a bit more than a couple of late season victories against the Orioles.
And make no mistake: the nickname was already prominent — certainly in the eyes of the TBS announcers — when the playoffs began. Big Game James started Game 1 of the American League Division Series — his first, legitimately, big game — and he went 6 1/3 innings, gave up a three-run homer to Dewayne Wise, but won the game because Evan Longoria — whose name should be “James” because he actually HAS has had big games in big games — hit two home runs.
Shields then pitched Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, and he pitched quite well — 7 1/3 innings, two runs — though he lost.The announcers must have called him “Big Game James” about 25 times during the game. Joe the Plumber didn’t get that much nickname love.
Then, Joe Maddon skipped James in Game 5 for Scott Kazmir (who was electrifying). I think that was probably a good move by Maddon … Shields got absolutely lit up his only appearance at Fenway, and he has been much, much better at home (9-2, 2.59 ERA, .351 slugging against) than on the road (5-6, 4.82 ERA, .477 slugging against). But the point for our purposes is simple: I’m not sure you can keep the “Big Game James” thing going once a manager skips your start. Isn’t that a disqualifier? I suspect that Christy Mathewson didn’t get skipped much.
Look, I do understand. The Rays are new money, like Tom Hanks in Big, they’ve never had any success at all. So everyone — fans, media types, teammates, everybody — is running around giddily buying home vending machines and giant inside trampolines. They name perfectly fine shortstops their MVP when they have two of the most exciting young players in baseball and a first base masher. They play hilarious anti-baseball statistics cartoons on the scoreboard. They give Shields a big game nickname before he wins the big game. People are feverish, and they’re in a hurry, and I get that. It’s a fun time. Everybody’s jumping the gun a little bit.
And that takes me back to my Biden: I really do hope James Shields throws a Don Larsen at the Sox on Saturday. That would be great. I like Shields a lot, and would love to see him and Beckett get into a Marichal-Spahn duel for the ages. And if James would win that game — send the Rays to the most improbable World Series appearance since, what, I’d say, the Braves in ‘91 — then I’d be all for revisiting the nickname thing. But, and maybe it’s just me, I say we let Big Game James throw the big game first.
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Hard to earn the nickname when you’re with a perennial doormat. But he has won some important (not as big as Game 6) games in the regular season.
Now he has the opportunity to live up to his nickname .. or not. Hard to castigate the guy for not having the chance to play at this level before.
I always thought Jerry Koosman was “the best big-game pitcher who never got credit for it” that I ever saw.
Any chance they mean the name ironically? Like Josh Fogg of the Rockies last year, who picked up the nickname “Dragonslayer” after a couple of nice games vs. bigger names during the 21-1 run? Nobody thought Josh Fogg was actually any good, but it was fun to pretend he was for a while during that wild ride.
Being a Jamie, I always thought he should go by it too.
Nothing says ‘Underestimate me at your own peril’ like having a sexually ambiguous name.
Recycled nicknames always suck. But they catch on quickly. It is a bad combination.
LaDanian Tomlinson may be the best offensive football player in the league today, and he still ain’t no LT.
Every guy named Ray need not have the nickname “Sugar,” and every Jake isn’t “the Snake.” Stop it!
Why recycle unoriginal nicknames when RAISE DEFLECTOR SHIELDS! is right there for the taking. I mean, c’mon, this is obvious…
(or the oh so cute cute version: RAYS DEFLECTOR SHIELDS!)
I was under the impression that Chip Caray gave him that nickname, much like he gave Dustin Pedroia the nickname of “little pony”, I think it cablaito — my Spanish is muy rusty, which no one has ever called him; yet Caray thought was as prominent as Big Papi.
The lesson? Caray is a moron.
See I thought James Worthy’s nickname of ‘Big Game James’ was initially a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ nickname given to him by teammates for not coming up big in games. He obviously earned that name legitimately over time though.
Also, Chip Caray is awful.
I’ve been a season ticket holder here in St. Pete for two years, and I never heard him called “Big Game James” until Chip Caray started using it last week. Maybe that was his nickname around the clubhouse, or something, but I don’t remember the Rays’ broadcast team ever using it.
I actually hope Chip Caray continues to make up nicknames. There aren’t enough of them and they’re equally fun whether or not they have any basis on reality.
I’m hoping for a Mark Kotsay nickname. The local press and the TBS crew have fallen all over themselves talking about what a key addition to the Sox he’s been. If this were 1912, and slick fielding, powerless 1st basemen were still a necessity, I would be right on board with them.
He kind of looks crazy and he’s played for 5 teams. How about “The Drifter”?
Are there any guys called “Sour Lou”?
Gate, well Kotsay is better than playing without a first baseman, which apparently is what the Red Sox would have had to do, once Lowell got hurt, if Kotsay wasn’t around.
Maybe it has nothing to do with sports and more to do with liking 2 of something instead of 1, like the real Big Game James.
Also, Worthy IS Big Game James just like Lawrence Taylor is LT not that wimpy running back.
In my opinion, negating one’s “nickname” seems a bit odious. Karl Malone will forever be known as “The Mailman” – even though he could never deliver a championship to anyone. “Air” Jordan was never changed to “Fade Away” Jordan later in his career. I call my wife “Sparky,” but I guarantee you she would have NO clue what to do with flint and steel.
It’s a nickname. People are grasping for ANYTHING about the Rays because little attention has been given to them until the last couple of months.
Those of us that love baseball – everything about baseball – aren’t as clueless about the phenomenon that is the Tampa Bay Rays. Unfortunately, none of us are in the broadcast booth.
If the broadcast is bothersome – put on some music or something and mute the tube. I do that more times than not these days, it seems.
I get my baseball fix satisfied, and appreciate the greatness that is Wilco (yeah Joe…I went there).
A quick Google News search reveals references to Julio Lugo calling him “Big Game” as far back as 2006. Mid-to-late 2007 seems to be when the name started taking hold, however.
I think I’ll just go with Big Game Beckett instead.
…..sorry James
Hey back off!!
Hudson Valley is literally an hour away from my home!
And yes, he needs to earn the nickname tomorrow and in the W.S.
Brent, honestly I’d prefer to see Casey at 1b or Lowrie at 3b at Cora at ss. Not a fan of either, but they get on base. The difference in the 3 options is pretty marginal, but I just think it’s funny that Kotsay is seen as a key cog by some, as opposed to someone we trot out there b/c, as you point out, you need 9 guys on the field to play.
This is coming from “Chip” Caray, son of “Skip” Caray, grandson of “Harry” Caray, so you can see he comes from a family that values goofy nicknames. I heard a rumor that he’s going to break out a few more in Game 6. There was a TBS memo leaked earlier today with some of them listed.
Beetle Juice Upton
Crusher Carlos Pena
Rockledge Baldelli
Big Ups Bartlett
Dinger Navarro
Big Wheelin’ Wheeler
Bountiful Balfour
Pain and Strain Percival
Larrupin’ Longoria
Hockey Iwamura
Professor Maddon
I prefer “RockPaperScissors” Baldelli
And I can hear Chip Carey saying it, too.
Larrupin’ Longoria! Heh. Not enough people have larruped since Lou Gehrig.
Heck, back then everyone worth knowing in baseball had at least one nickname – and many had TWO. Larrupin’ Lou, the Iron Horse… The Babe, the Sultan of Swat (and the House he Built)… The Splendid Splinter, Ted “the Kid” Williams… The Yankee Clipper, “Joltin’ Joe”…
Of course people used the term “circuit clout” back then, so proceed at your own risk.
Did anyone ln in Tampa actually refer to him as “Big Game James” before the playoffs?
Calling any Tampa Bay pitcher “Big Game” anything before about August of this year seems to make sense only as an ironic thing like The Mets old “Marvelous Marv” guy who actually was anything but marvelous. [That doesn't make sense because Shields, even though he never got the opportunity to pitch in big games until recently, is pretty good.. If this is what they were going for, something like "Big Game [Dewon] Brazelton” would have been far better.
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My suspicion though is it’s something Chippy Caray made up, and it that case it sort of makes sense if you put yourself in the scary and barren place that is Chippy’s brain:
-”It sounds like the nickname an ACE pitcher would have and I love the Rays so much that I want to make them sound really awsome and they should have an ACE pitcher with an awesome sounding name!”
-”Some basketball dude had that name once so if somebody else thought oof it before I don’t have to worry about people blaming me if it sounds dumb!”
-”It rhymes sort of!”
-My ducklike voice sounds cool when I squawk out “biiiiig gaaaame Jaaaames!” really slow!
I don’t know why B.J. Upton doesn’t use his real name sans initials. “Bossman Junior Upton” has to be one of the best sports names ever.
OK maybe nix the “junior” but “Bases juiced and heer comes the BOSSMAN!” Doesn’t that sound awesome? Unless you are an opposing pitcher that is.
But how can you be the “Bossman Junior”? You’re middle management, that’s what you are.
Sorry Joe, but you just pulled one of my least favorite sports tricks there:
“How many big games has James Shields played in? He was a 16th round pick in high school. He pitched for Hudson Valley, Charleston, Bakersfield, Montgomery and Durham for the better part of five years. He came up to a terrible Rays team, pitched pretty well. So there are 0.00 big games in those years.”
OK, how to begin this?
When James Shields was in high school, he pitched for William S. Hart High School. The Hart High Indians were not a bad ballclub — they won 12 of 14 Foothill League Championships from 1988 through 2001 — but 1999 was the only season in which Hart won the California Division II Championship. During that season, Shields was 11-0 with a 2.35 ERA, and also hit 11 HR and 45 RBI. He was named Valley Player of the Year by the LA Times, and also Division II Player of the Year. He probably had a few ‘big games’ in there. (I got most of this from Shields’s Wikipedia page, and the rest by following the link to WS Hart HS’s Wikipedia page and then the link to WS Hart HS’s website.)
It’s true that Shields didn’t get to pitch in many ‘big games’ in the minors — the closest he got to a minor-league winner was in his age 21 season when his Bakersfield club finished three games behind Stockton in the first-half of the 2003 California League season. Shields did lead Bakersfield in wins, though.
My peeve is when sports people in general seem to think that nothing that happens outside the major leagues has any significance or relevance to a player’s makeup or ability. It’s this kind of thinking that makes baseball men dismiss minor league statistics, ’cause they’re not against ‘real pitching’. It’s this kind of thinking that causes people to be perennially surprised when a player emerges from a division III school to play outstanding NFL football, or from a ‘lesser’ conference to dazzle the NBA.
I mean, sure, it makes sense that a player with a big performance in a College World Series game or an NIT Championship contest might not really be as good as that single performance — flukes and miracles happen often enough. But why go to the other extreme and say that only big games in the ‘bigs’ matter, when those games are subject to as many flukes and miracles as the lesser games? Shouldn’t they all be pointless, then? But no — Jack Morris in Game 7 of the World Series is evidence he should be in the Hall of Fame, while his pitching for the Highland Park Scots in 1973-1974, when they were two-time co-champions of St. Paul City Conference doesn’t mean a danged thing. (OK, so it shouldn’t get him into the Hall, either, but is it really meaningless in discussing his career?)
Speaking of recycled nicknames, it’s even worse when the athletes are contemporaries. It’s kind of ridiculous that Donald Driver “gave” Aaron Rodgers the nickname A-Rod. Not even A-Rodge? Or Air-Rod? Anything?
Heck, the way he scrambles, you could steal back Rodger the Dodger from Staubach.
But come on, Donald… A-Rod? That’s the best you can do? You do know it was in use already, right?
“My peeve is when sports people in general seem to think that nothing that happens outside the major leagues has any significance or relevance to a player’s makeup or ability.”
Joe said nothing like this. He said Shields has pitched in ZERO big games and it is simply true.
Isn’t baseball a game of inches, if not centimeters? Do you really not understand the difference in pressure between a St. Paul City Championship game and Game 7 of a nationally televised World Series. Do you not understand the difference in pressure for the clear superstar of a good amateur team and one of many on a professional team? Have you ever played team sports?
Do you really think that NOT having any big game experience is an advantage over someone who has – meaning a win or go home situation with the national press and legions of die hard fans in a stadium of 30,000 plus hostile or expectant people hanging on every single pitch – not to mention your contract, livelihood and reputation on the line?
There’s big and then there’s BIG I mean let’s just be real and to call Joe out for this post is just odd. Amazing.
Also, I don’t know why J-Roll is pronounced “J-Role” … that’s not how his last name is pronounced.
@David Wintheiser
Here’s the thing, almost every MLB pitcher has had that route and pitched big games in high school, in college and in the minors. If you’re in the majors, odds are you’ve pitched in some pretty intense, high pressure high school, college and minor league games.
Therefore, it really does come down to: Have you pitched in big, high pressure MAJOR LEAGUE games. I agree with Joe in the sense that the nickname is probably not worthy. However, it’s just a nickname and hell like someone else said, I’m all for more nicknames. It adds a little spice, ya know what I mean.
here’s the explanation for the nickname:
Funny thing, Shields’ nickname. He has been called that for years, since a minor-league teammate named Chris Flynn — a fan of Lakers forward “Big Game” James Worthy — hung it on him.
that quote comes from here:
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article860350.ece
I’m a Rays fan, and will be at the game tonight. Shields is in the process of earning that nickname – he did pitch in the Rays’ first playoff game ever, and the Rays won it. That game wasn’t as much of a “big game” as today’s will be, but medium big anyway. He may not have quite earned the nick yet, but winning tonight will be a step in that direction. Rays in six.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but in the pro bball ranks there are two “Big Shots” – Robert Horry and Chauncey Billups. Only one deserves the moniker. In my lifetime, Kobe and MJ and Lebron (looks like) and maybe Reggie Miller deserve it too. Why does Chauncey get it? I think cause he is poised, doesn’t turn it over and shoots a high ft pct on a perenially winning team. But I’ve watched MJ and Horry, and, perhaps for less opportunities (no fault of his), he is no MJ or Horry.
Also, on the subject of nicknames, there is something to be said for not having one. Take Brian Westbrook. Unless there’s some small inner Eagles culture that I’m not aware of, there’s no good nickname for an elite NFL star. B-West or some such garbage? I think it’s cool when great players don’t need them. (come to think of it, has there ever been a GREAT qb that has had/needed a nickname? A nickname that was more prominent than his real name?)
Hey baseball fans,
I wrote this song for SNL but it didn’t get on. Now Sarah Palin is coming on this week and we’re not gonna do it. But I thought some of you who really like comedic videos would dig this. Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR9V_aOCga0
Here is an interesting bit on Mr. Samberg…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOSioIQhszk
“He threw a one-hitter against Anaheim on May 9th.”
I know it’s been a few years, but when I see “Anaheim” I think hockey not baseball. That name will simply never, ever sound right.
shields got his nickname from his teammate in the minors, chris flinn. it’s more or less just for fun but the boys like it and it stuck.
I was really afraid after tonight’s game I’d have to post a comment to the effect of, “Oh. So that’s why they call him Big Game James.”
Big Game Josh.
Big game James is now 0 for 2 in big games. How about Lame James??
Sorry. The Rays have big heads. And now they are being schooled. Who knows what happens in game 7, but if I had to bet the farm, all of it would be on the Sox.
Talent doesn’t win. Teams win. And the Rays lately have not been a team. They have been individuals who have done nothing but swing for the fences. And the elder Red Sox, like a blood hound, have sniffed it out and are attacking.
The Red Sox may be the greatest “team” baseball has seen in a long, long time.
Now, the Rays have to figure something out. They can’t approach game 7 the way they’ve approached the rest of the series. If they do, Lester will make them look like fools.
Joe,
Just wanted to say I don’t feel very good with the economy, and especially when the Star just raised my paper price. $.75? lol. Inflation is rampant.
I hope Kevin didn’t bet the farm.
J, I hope he did.
Not pinch hitting for Jason Varitek in the 7th was criminal. I love Tito, but it boggles my mind that the fact that Varitek homered the night before, was enough for him to abandon his (rational) strategy of pinch hitting Casey for Varitek in any high leverage situation.
At least if Varitek’s high profile futility at the plate results in less pressure for the Sox to re-sign him, it won’t all be for naught.
Got to hand it to the Rays, though. They won more games than the Sox during the regular season, they beat them in the season series, and now in the ALCS. Can’t really have any complaints that the best team in the AL isn’t going to the WS (Jon Lackey’s irrepressible rage notwithstanding).
I mostly agree about recycled nicknames. However, “Hillbilly Baldelli” is too good not to revive, even though “Hillbilly Bill Dilly” had it first. (Bill James mentioned Bill Dilly in the NBJHBA, but I can’t find him on BBref. Was he a minor leaguer only?)
Carey did not create the nickname. It has been circulating on Rays’ sites all year and reflects the affection and esteem Rays’ fans have for Shields.
He may not have earned it yet by winning a series of big games, but Rays’ fans are confident that he will keep his team in any game. Shields exudes a calm and focused presence, and the very fact that he was unheralded but has become the steadiest performer on the staff merits the nickname even if it is hyperbole at this point.
Nicknames are often less a measure of achievement than they are of fans’ attitudes towards a player and Rays’ fans simply expect Shields to perform well consistently. He has done that and was entrusted to start games one in the playoffs for good reason-because he most likely will provide about 7 innings of solid work. He did exactly that in the ALDS and ALCS games 1. He did not in game 6, but even then, and despite the fact that he was way off his game, he managed 5+ innings and left with just a one run deficit. Typical of Big Game James that he persevered despite not having his typical command.
If you watch him regularly (and it helps if you are a Rays’ fan, I admit), the nickname is absolutely appropriate.
[...] is a solid pitcher, but to get a nickname like that, you should have to win some actual big games. Shields was given that nickname before he ever won even ONE big game. (To be fair, he did get the win in the only game the Devil Rays won in the World Series last year, [...]
He’s fkn Big Game Jame not Big Game James. He earned that name by being himself cause he is so damn Big Game w everything he does, you see his chin hair? thats big game. u see that rosin bag flip? that was big game too. Tip your cap n stop hating on the young man