One current Padres pitcher and three former position players celebrate birthdays today. Of course, by the time Opening Day comes around, there might be four former Friars born on December 20. There's no telling what AJ Preller is apt to do, the market for starting pitching has been strong all offseason, and there have been rumors regarding James Shields swirling around.
But for now, James Shields is celebrating his thirty-fourth birthday while still a member of the Padres. The top free agent acquisition by Preller before last season, Shields didn't have that great of a year by his standards, but I can't really say anything, because I didn't have that great of a year by anybody's standards.