The San Diego Padres are now in a strange position, but one that gives them significant power to do something more to improve their roster before the season starts: They have too many starting pitchers.

Signing James Shields -- more on the contract itself in a moment -- gives them six pitchers who are capable of handling 150 or so innings in a major league rotation and three others who might contribute something less than that this year. That should be enough to get them 1,000 innings from their starters even if they choose to deal one of them.