Free-agent right-hander James Shields has been throwing for teams virtually every week since the start of the season.



Planned showcases?



“No, they just call me up and they want to come see me throw,” Shields says, chuckling. “I’ve thrown in front of the Tigers and Yankees and Orioles and Indians, you name it. I’ve thrown in front of quite a few teams, especially those I feel need starting pitching.”



The Rangers, as first reported by MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi, are another team that has scouted Shields near his home in San Diego. Yet Shields, 37, remains unsigned after pitching 204 2/3 innings with the White Sox last season and producing a park-adjusted ERA not far below the league average.



He knows he is no longer “Big Game James.” He has no intention of robbing a team like Jesse James. But here’s guessing Shields is one of the 150 best starting pitchers in the world, which is the minimal...