Agent: James Shields will be 'lucky' to get $60 million

As spring training draws nearer, it appears veteran right-hander James Shields will have to settle for a contract that doesn't come close to the nine-figure deal he was reportedly seeking when the offseason began.

"(Shields) was an obvious $100-million guy, who now if he signs for $60 million he’ll be lucky," one baseball agent told Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star.

Though Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reported Tuesday that Shields is expected to sign by the end of the week, it's unlikely his new deal will even approximate the $110-million offer he reportedly rejected in January.

"I feel bad for the guy," one agent said. "But he should have looked at what happened to (Kyle) Lohse and Ervin (Santana)."

Lohse attempted to wait out the market following the 2012 campaign in the hopes of landing a mammoth contract, but ended up settling for a three-year, $33-million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Santana, meanwhile, attempted a similar tactic last winter, but ultimately inked a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves after the market for his services crumbled. 

The lack of available resources could've caused Shields' market to collapse, one agent noted, as most teams allocated the majority of their 2015 budget earlier this winter.

"I don't know if in February you’re going to find a team with the money (Shields) is looking for, unless you heavily backload it," he said.