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AP: Schilling, Sox reach preliminary agreement »
November 2, 2007
Here's hoping Big Schill enjoys playing for either the Indians, Angels, Phillies, D'backs, Cubs, Cards, Tigers, Mets, Braves, Dodgers, Brewers, or Padres -- the teams he says he'd consider, now that he's a free agent.
Good for him for not including the Yankees on that list.
The Red Sox are, of course, on the list, too -- perhaps even at the top. But, if it's going to cost them another $13 million for his services in 2008, as it did this season, then they should take a pass.
Schilling was only 9-8 overall during the regular season, and was just 3-6 after June 7th. He pitched well in the playoffs, relying on guts and guile. But he'll be 41 on Nov. 16, and those two attributes, admirable as they are, won't get him through all of the 2008 season.
Speaking of ''guts,'' Schilling wasn't in the best of shape when he showed up in the spring, and never did slim down the way the Sox had hoped.
The fact is that Boston doesn't really need him next year, with Clay Buchholz ready to step into his spot in a rotation headed by the sensational Josh Beckett, and including Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester and either Tim Wakefield or Julian Tavarez.
Sox GM Theo Epstein has a history of overpaying for players -- $70 million over five years for J.D. Drew; $36 million over four years for Julio Lugo; $51 million for the negotiating rights to Matsuzaka -- and he's going to have to overpay now if he intends to re-sign team RBI leader and World Series MVP Mike Lowell, who's sure to draw a big bucks offer from the Yankees.
But Theo shouldn't shell out for Schill.
Schilling will forever be a part of Red Sox history. They never would have won the World Series without him in '04, and his ``Bloody Sock" win in Game Six of the ALCS against the Yankees that year was unforgettable.
Now, unless he wants to take a pay cut (fat chance), Schilling should be history in Boston.
Posted by Jim Donaldson 
at 11:18 PM | Permalink
Madwoman | November 3, 2007 9:45 AM link
Brian Blanche | November 3, 2007 1:57 PM link
Jerry Gutlon | November 4, 2007 3:03 AM link
Snaggletoof | November 4, 2007 11:52 AM link
If you're going to use Schilling's W/L as a criterion, you should at least also consider this: among the 142 pitchers who started games in the AL last season, Schilling's run support ranked 107. The Sox scored 4.29 rpg for Curt, compared to 6.59 for Beckett.
Surely the Sox should also consider this fact: after the All-Star break, when he came back from the injury, Schilling put up the 11th best ERA in the league among starters.
And why you would say "perhaps" Boston is at the top of his list, when Schilling has repeatedly and directly said Boston is number one, I can't imagine.