CSN Bay Area

Programming note: For the latest MLB Hot Stove news, tune in to SportsNet Central tonight at 6 p.m., 10:30 and midnight on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area

The Giants were said to be "out" on Kansas City Royals free agent starting pitcher James Shields last Friday, but it's unclear which teams are "in."

[RELATED: Giants 'out' on Shields]

The market for starting pitchers has dried up considerably as Shields and fellow frontline starter Max Scherzer are still available.

As Feb. 18 approaches -- when Giants pitchers and catchers report to spring training -- Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow believes Shield's price will come down.

"I am a bit surprised that Shields hasn't signed, and I think the longer he goes being unsigned, the price is going to come down, and I think that's what people perhaps are waiting for," Krukow said on KNBR-680 Friday morning.

Krukow cited Shields' heavy workload over the past eight seasons as one reason teams might be hesitant to enter a long-term agreement.

"Is he gonna be able to represent the last two or even, maybe, three years? So I don't believe the market feels he's worth the five-year contract and I think it's just waiting for it to correct itself."

Shields, 33, went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 34 starts last season and has started at least 31 games and pitched over 200 innings in each of his eight full seasons in the MLB.

The Giants are set to enter the 2015 season with a starting rotation that includes Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, Tim Hudson, Jake Peavy and Tim Lincecum with Yusmeiro Petit serving as the long man.

But Hudson underwent a procedure to remove bone spurs from his surgically repaired right ankle earlier this week, and vice president and assistant GM Bobby Evans acknowledged that the team could use an additional arm.

"It does require that we need to look at options for depth," Evans said on Tuesday.