Posts tagged CurtSchilling at FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

It's official: Curt Schilling has re-signed with the Red Sox. Feel free to peruse the team's official press release, but the good stuff is on his blog. It's a one-year deal worth $8 million in base salary plus $6 million in incentives, which consists of $3 million for various numbers of innings pitched, $1 million for a Cy Young vote (any vote, doesn't matter how many) and $2 million for "six different weigh ins." Yes, Schilling knows and admits he was out of shape last year and is determined to prevent that happening again. From 38 Pitches:

I inserted the weigh in clause in the 2nd round of offers, counter offers. Given the mistakes I made last winter and into Spring Training I needed to show them I recognized that, and understood the importance of it. Being overweight and out of shape are two different things. I also was completely broad sided by the fact that your body doesn't act/react the same way as you get older. Even after being told that for the first 39 years of my life. Now I can't get on Dougie anymore, which sucks, and I am sure the clause will add 15-100 more jokes to Tito's Schilling joke book.

He went on to add that he thinks he may have left money on the table -- he's pretty sure he could have gotten a two-year deal worth $25-30 million had he tested the open market, but he only wanted to commit to one year and obviously wanted to stay in Boston.

Schilling expressed his appreciation for the Red Sox front office and ownership for getting the job done, but interestingly enough, also thanked Astros owner Drayton McLane and GM Ed Wade, D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes and Phillies owner Bill Giles for showing such a strong interest in him. I'm not sure if their interest means anything now that he's off the market, but fans of those teams may be encouraged to find out their team was considering giving a free agent an eight-digit contract.

Previously on FanHouse:
Schilling May Have Pared Down His List to Just One Team (Hint: Boston)

Remember those 12 other teams that Curt Schilling indicated had a chance to grab him for his final year in the big leagues? Well, looks like those teams are not going to get that chance to pitch their World Series chances and their school systems after the Red Sox' exclusive negotiating period ends. Talks with the Sox look like they're coming along to the point where Schilling will remain in Boston.

Schilling, when reached by phone last night, said that things "gathered momentum and if they continued to progress like they did (yesterday) something could potentially get done."

The deal is believed to be incentive-laden and, according to sources, might be simply contingent on a final physical. Schilling had initially been looking for a $13 million extension before last season.

And in fact, Schilling has confirmed this on his blog 38 Pitches:

Talks with the Red Sox are moving. Theo and I have spoken multiple times daily over the past week and given the current situation I am feeling very confident that we will be able to finalize a 1 year contract to allow us a chance to finish our career as members of the Red Sox organization.

There are some things to iron out and details that must be finalized for both sides but barring something unforseen or outrageously odd happening I feel very comfortable that I will finish my career here.

So there you have it. Those 12 other teams should start thinking about an alternate plan.

2007 was a pretty embarrassing year for the National League Central. If you weren't paying attention (and trust me, you probably weren't), the Cubs literally bought the division title this year by adding $300 million worth of contracts to a 66 win team that edged out the Brewers, who were the only other team in the division to finish above .500. Recent NL powers St. Louis and Houston (who repped the NL in the three World Series prior to '07) both took nosedives and the Pirates and Reds continued to be the Pirates and Reds.

So how do you fix such a terrible year? Apparently, the teams at the top of the division have decided that the best way to go about it is to talk to Curt Schilling. The Brewers are doing it and now new Cardinals' GM John Mozeliak has decided he'll give Curt a call, as well. Schilling put the Chicago Cubs on the list as well, though no one has any idea what kind of player they're going to be in free agency given their ownership situation.

When you really get down to it, moving to the NL would make a ton of sense for Schilling. As evidenced by this World Series, the gap between the two leagues is still gigantic and as a vet shooting for one more year, I would think the weaker league would be more appealing.

As an aside, this just goes to show what a fantastic idea Schilling's blog is. He writes last week what teams he wants to play for and within a few days, his phone is ringing off the hook. I'm sure Scott Boras is taking notes.

I love that Brewers' GM Doug Melvin's response to seeing his team named as one of the twelve Curt Schilling would consider signing with in 2008: it seems that he's going to pick up the phone, call Schilling's agent, and see what's going on. At least that's he told Tom Hardicourt at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

"It's nice to see we're on the baseball map," said Melvin, who has tried to build the Brewers to a point where big-name free agents would be interested in coming to Milwaukee.

"We have players expressing interest in our club now. We're open to (talking to Schilling). I'm always open to some one who is interested in us. I'm not interested in players who aren't interested in us.

I love that Mevlin sounds as surprised to see the Brewers on that list as anyone. Signing Schilling would make a lot of sense for the Brewers. A big part of their second-half collapse this year was their rotation being made up of Ben Sheets (when he wasn't hurt), rookie Yovani Gallardo, and a bunch of guys that couldn't get the job done. Schilling would help fill that rotation out nicely, I think.

Curt Schilling has been a busy man. Less than a week after helping his team win its second World Series in four years, Schilling has filed for free agency and has already been in contact with three teams. Schilling, "speaking" on his blog, would not identify the three teams, but he was quick to confirm that he has been, and continues to be, in contact with the Red Sox.

I also wanted to mention something else. For anyone interested please just assume things are happening with Boston without me mentioning it. Theo and I have spoken more than once but there will be no details or updates of these discussions. I am in contact with the Sox and talking.

In addition to Schilling's thoughts on free agency at age 40, free agency without an agent, and his 38 Studios venture, Curt shares a very intriguing piece of his life with the fans. With Theo's permission, Schill has published, in entirety, the letter that the Red Sox management sent to him prior to the historic Thanksgiving meeting that brought him to Boston. Then Curt adds this:

The letter was signed by Larry and Theo.As a player here I can tell you that from the first day I was officially a member of this family, through the parade on Tuesday, they owned up to every letter of the contract. This ownership group has put together something special here, and their commitment to players and players families is a pretty big thing.

Compelling reading from a compelling man. In addition to the "re-sign Lowell" chants, Boston should be lobbying hard for another year of Curt.

Wow. All I can say is "wow". Ladies and gentlemen, we had to pull some strings, so many strings, but we made this thing happen. We got several of the biggest names in baseball to take the time out of their busy, so busy, days to field some questions from you, the readers. They frequent FanHouse and are big fans of the Dugout, so they thought it would be fun to close the gap between their conversations and you reading them. All you have to do is post your questions in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

A few ground rules:

First and foremost no cursing. None of the players featured in the Dugout appreciate foul language.

Make your posts count. An entire nation will be reading this, so try to sound as informed and professional as possible.

Have fun!

Alright guys. Without further ado here are the stars.

The same day his team celebrated its World Series title with a parade, Curt Schilling filed for free agency. It's not a big surprise considering the man was already saying his goodbyes, but the timing is somewhat questionable. Regardless of timing, Schilling will be a highly coveted free agent this winter, and he has already listed 13 teams for whom he's interested in playing in a blog post on Tuesday evening:

The list of teams that our family has talked over, that we think would be a fit for next year, should we not come back, are pretty much teams in cities we agree would be ok for our last year, and teams I think have a legitimate shot at being in the post season and/or World Series. Teams we didn't include aren't for any one reason. There are a million little things that go into this from stadiums to school districts to travel to spring training to etc. etc. etc. but the list represents the teams after Boston that have some of the off the field things that are big to us, plus the potential to go into October next year.

Cleveland, Detroit, Anaheim, New York Mets, Philadelphia, Atlanta, L.A., S.D., Arizona, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis, Milwaukee

The one team noticeably missing from the list: the Yankees. Looks like Schilling does have some respect for Red Sox fans. Boston remains Curt's first choice, and I could see the Red Sox extending an offer to Schilling. As for other suitors, I have to believe a team that can provide some offense would be best for Curt considering he's not as dominant as he was the last time around in the National League. The Phillies, anyone?

Will Curt Schilling pitch for the Red Sox next year? Right now, no ones the answer to that question, not even Schilling or GM Theo Epstein. But just in case the World Series really was his swan song with the Sox, Schilling penned a blog post thanking, well, everyone he's ever come into contact with in Boston. Last but not least, on behalf of him and his wife Shonda, he thanked the fans:

To Red Sox Nation we'd like to offer our deepest and most profound thank you for making the last four years some of the greatest moments personally and professionally, of our lives. Much like the fans in Philadelphia, and Arizona, you always treated my wife and my children with respect. You were far better to me than I deserved at times, and never worse than I deserved at others. The only thing I know I can say without a doubt is that I took the ball, every single time, and never ever left anything in the tank.

If October 28, 2007, was the last time I ever wear this uniform, thank you. It was an honor and a privelage to be allowed to play here.

Schilling pitched well in the playoffs so I can understand those who'd like to see him return in 2008, but the fact remains that he turns 41 years old next month and probably can't be counted on over the course of a full regular season. If he's demanding to be paid like an ace, that money is better served going elsewhere.

Schilling also gave credit to the Rockies, acknowledging their fantastic run to get to the World Series and pointing out that their eight-day layoff between games almost certainly worked in Boston's favor, even if no one on the Rockies wanted to use it as an excuse.

For years in baseball, it's always been the Yankees that were the most hated team in baseball. Of course Yankees fans love them, but if you asked any other baseball fan about the Yankees, you generally always got the same sort of response.

"[Expletive] the Yankees!"

The question I've been wrestling with the last few weeks is if it's now officially time to start hating the Red Sox. I've never hated them before, and I was probably one of a whole lot of non-Boston fans rooting for them to beat the Yankees in 2003, and in 2004.

Now I'm starting to wonder how the Red Sox are any different than the "Evil Empire" they once accused the Yankees of being. They have more money to spend than anybody else, just like the Yankees, and now they're winning World Series titles all the time. Just like the Yankees used to.

So throughout the ALCS and World Series, I was rooting for Cleveland and Colorado. I was trying to convince myself that I hate the Red Sox, but for some reason, I was never able to convince myself that I meant it. I mean, how can you hate Big Papi? Not only is he an amazing baseball player, but he's probably one of the nicest people on the planet as well.

Manny? You can't hate Manny! You can get mad at him, but you can't hate him. Really, he's no different than your children. Sure, sometimes they do things that drive you insane, but then you remember the kid just doesn't know any better, and you forgive them.

I go up and down the Red Sox roster, and there's only one player on the team this year that's genuinely worthy of my hatred: Curt Schilling. That's it, though. And even then, I don't hate Schilling. I just find him to be really annoying.

So no, no matter how hard I try to convince myself that the Red Sox are just as evil as the Yankees were, I can't do it. Of course, if they win it all again next season, that opinion may change.

That's right, folks: the Boston Red Sox are your 2007 World Series Champions.

Holding off the Rockies in a nail-biter of a win -- one of two such wins; the other two were blowouts -- the Red Sox sealed their year of dominance with a close by, who else, Jonathan Papelbon.

OK, so they robbed us of a little extra baseball. Their fans are really starting to wear on the rest of the country's. The recipe for bitterness is there. But in a season in which they led from wire to wire and then thoroughly dominated the playoffs almost with brief struggles the Indians, it's hard to hate these Red Sox. It's more like respect, and lots of it.

A mere glance up and down the lineup breeds that respect: a power-heavy, OBP-craving group of professional hitters anchored by one surefire Hall of Famer (Manny Ramirez) and one arguable one (David Ortiz). Both of those players are not only top-flight professional hitters, they're endearingly goofy in a way that makes their constant efficiency impossible to hate.

The pitching staff? As self-aggrandizing as Curt Schilling is, it's impossible to argue his pitcher's intellect. That he existed on a diet of slow fastballs and timely breaking pitches is probably more impressive than his former power-infused success. Papelbon? Absolutely out of his mind, and also quite possibly the closer of his generation at the age of 27. All you can do is congratulate these players and appreciate them for their sheer ability.

So if there's anything to hate about these Red Sox, it's that they make everything look too easy, too clinical, too out of the modern organizational handbook. Get high OBP guys, hit home runs, pitch well. That the Red Sox make that formula seem so easy to accomplish is what makes me hate them more than anything; if they can do it, why can't my team?

If there's a bright side for the Rockies, it's this: a few hits here and there, a Matt Holliday baserunning plan that doesn't prominently feature giant first-base leadoffs, and they might be looking at a 1-1 series. Instead, Holliday got picked off on a casual move from Jonathan Papelbon, Denver never added to its first inning run, the Red Sox' bullpen dominated, and the Rockies now face a flight home with two momentum-crushing losses in tow.

After a shaky first inning, Curt Schilling closed down the Rockies lineup through the fifth, giving Boston's Hideki Okajima and Papelbon the chance to close out the game, which they did, and convincingly. The only late sign of progress was Holliday's rocket single up the middle, but Holliday inexplicably decided to take a huge lead at first. He failed to touch the base (sound familiar?) before being picked off by Papelbon and closing the door on any glimpse at a Rockies revival in the closing innings. (To be fair, Holliday was 4-4, and deserves as much praise as scorn for his night.)

The good news for the Rockies is that neither of these two games were must-wins; the bad news is that they lost both of them in diverse and disappointing ways. The other good news is that momentum is only as important as tomorrow's starting pitcher is effective. When Daisuke Matsuzaka takes the mound in Denver, a shaky performance is not out of the question. A series rebound? Considerably more so.

The bad news for the Rockies: Curt Schilling seems to have found his groove, is settled in, and striking people out with regularity through three innings. The good news for the Rockies: They're not getting destroyed!

Yes, through three, the Rockies are not only not getting their brains beat out like last night -- a game that wasn't close even from the first pitch -- the boys from Denver are actually, you know, winning. Can you believe it?

Ubaldo Jimenez has looked tremendous and, unlike The Nibbler That Is Jeff Francis, has been willing to go right at Boston's uber-patient hitters. In the meantime, the Rockies snuck a run across in the first on a ground ball out from Todd Helton; that was before Schilling seemed to settle in. Now, with little margin for error, it will be up to the Rockies' defense, and Jimenez, to make the most of their early lead.

To keep up with all the action, be sure to check in on our Live Blog.

I wondered last week what kind of effect the nine day layoff was going to have on the Rockies, and I guess I got my answer watching last night's massacre. That was not the same Rockies team I've seen the last few weeks playing last night.

It's obvious that the Rockies had a few cobwebs they had to shake off before they got back in the flow of things. Unfortunately, by the time it happened they were already trailing 13-1.

Now I don't think the only reason Colorado got destroyed last night was because of all the time off, I just don't think it helped much. The reason the Rockies looked like World Series virgins being sacrificed to the baseball gods last night is because of Josh Beckett and the Boston lineup.

While the Rockies were forced to sit around and wait, the Red Sox had to battle back from a 3-1 deficit in the ALCS, and they're hotter than hell because of it. Sure, a three game win streak isn't comparable to winning 20 of 21, but three games is all it takes to get into a groove. The way the Red Sox are swinging the bats right now, I'm not even sure Josh Beckett could get them out on a consistent basis.

If there's any good news for the Rockies, it's that game one is over, and they get to start from scratch tonight. Sure, they have to face Curt Schilling tonight, he of the 10-2 postseason record, but at least it's not Beckett! Facing Curt will probably feel like playing softball for the Rockies hitters after having to watch Beckett paint the corners with 96 MPH fastballs all night on Wednesday.

Here's to hoping they've knocked all the rust off, because even though last night reinforced my thoughts on how this series would go, I'd still like to see the Rockies at least stay competitive.

So the Rockies were obliterated in Game 1. Chalk it up to rust. But it's not like Colorado can't come back and even the series in Game 2, right? Of course not ... but they better hope that Ubaldo Jimenez has a poor sense of history.

The rookie will face crafty veteran and perennial playoff hero Curt Schilling in Game 2 tomorrow. Jimenez has had his fair share of success so far (he's allowed just two earned runs in 11 innings) but Schilling has multiple World Series rings, two postseason wins this year and as much veteran guile as anyone in the game.

Okay, okay, you got me: lauding a pitcher's "craftiness" and "guile" is akin to complimenting a position player's "hustle" and "grit," but here's on tangible attribute the Rockies definitely need to worry about: just like Josh Beckett, Schilling doesn't give away bases. He may have lost a few ticks off the radar gun, but he's walked just one batter in his last three starts. Contrast that to Jimenez, who's given up eight walks in two starts.

Drawing a free pass is important for any lineup, but that's been one of Colorado's tricks all season: they ranked fifth in the majors (and second in the NL) in total walks and first in sacrifice hits. And let's face it, a sacrifice hit without anyone already on base kind of defeats the purpose, right? So unless Colorado's bats heat up (Troy Tulowitzki, Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins are all below the Mendoza mark thus far in the postseason), there's really not much hope.

Previously on FanHouse:
World Series Live Blog, Game 1: Innings 1-3 | 4-6 | 7-9

From the moment Curt Schilling began his tenure in Boston, he became the self-appointed spokesman for everything from Dunkin Donuts to religion and sexual preference. He made a series of commercials (Do you know why home plate is sixty feet, six inches away from the mound?), called in to a local sports radio show as "Curt in the car" to "Butch-slap" a certain FOX sports guy, appeared on Jeopardy, and even helped Medfield police capture a drunken driver. In short, he has been heard from early and often.

When the Red Sox opted not to offer Schilling a contract extension in pre-season, the effect was like stuffing a sock (bloody or not) in Curt's pie-hole. Schilling has still made weekly appearances on WEEI, but has been rather reserved and much less opinionated than in the past. The one instance Curt did speak his mind regarding Barry Bonds, he was reprimanded and ended up apologizing.

October, as everyone knows, is Schilling season. He generally lets his performance on the mound speak for itself, but he recently updated his personal blog, 38 Pitches, with his views on the post-season, the Indians, the Rockies, Josh Beckett, Terry Francona, and even Joe Torre. Schilling, in his praise of Tito, took a moment to lash out at Philly reporters:

The 'know it alls' in Philadelphia, from Conlin to Cataldi to Macnow, aren't really know it alls are they? Their people who's life it is, who's entire job description, revolves around creating news or stories where there is none, to make you think their 'in' and you're not, and if you want to truly know or get smarter, listen to them. Pretty cool when you can be wrong pretty much 90% of the time and still be considered an expert.

Wonder how smart Tito looks to the guys that hacked him in Philly now? 3 post seasons, 2 world series appearances in 4 years here. Nice to know he gets that last laugh.

Say what you want about Schill, but you can be assured his opinions are honest and he doesn't pull any punches. Red Sox fans can only hope he does the same in game two.