A SCHILLING COMEBACK IN 2006 WILL BE GOOD FOR SOX AND HIM

In the second of our series breaking down this year’s roster, we look at Josh Beckett’s new rotation mate, Curt Schilling.

For the Red Sox to contend in 2006, conventional wisdom dictates that the team needs Curt Schilling healthy and winning games.  Schilling was magnificent in 2004, posting a 21-6 record with an ERA of 3.26 in 226 innings.  And his exploits in the postseason are the stuff of legend – the bloody sock in game six of the ALCS, and the heroic win on a blustery night in game two of the World Series where he could barely walk.

Unfortunately, Schilling’s momentous achievement in 2004 contributed to an ankle problem that cost him almost the entire 2005 campaign.  The right-hander compiled just 93 innings pitched last year, mostly in relief, with limited effectiveness.  He recently claimed on sports radio that he seriously contemplated retirement.

After a difficult off season of non-stop rehabilitation, Schilling threw against the BC Eagles baseball team yesterday and looked good.  He struck out three and reported no serious problems.  That’s really good news for Sox fans, because the team needs – perhaps expects – that he will find a way to make it all work out despite the severity of his injury and the normal wear and tear that comes with age.

Schilling is an interesting player.  He is on the verge of 200 career wins, a serious achievement.  His numbers are good – he has appeared in close to 3000 innings, tenth among active pitchers behind first ballot Hall of Famers Roger Clemens, Greg Maddox and Randy Johnson and six others.  Another season or two and he will reach the top 100 all time for innings pitched.  His best stat is his strikeout to walk ratio, which is otherworldly.  For his career, Schilling has 2832 strikeouts and 660 walks, a ratio of 4.3 to 1, third in all of baseball history behind Ireland-born Tommy Bond and Pedro Martinez.  (This means in 2004, the Sox had the two, all-time greatest strikeout-to-walk pitchers in modern history.)

Schilling’s notoriety results from his having played in a lot of big games.  Unlike some stars, who go an entire career largely outside the spotlight, Schilling has found his way into four postseasons (he sat out the 2005 Division Series), and three World Series.  In those situations, he has delivered.  He has 7 postseason wins in 15 starts with an ERA of 2.06 (take away his disastrous start in game one of the 2004 ALCS and he’d be under 2.00).  And on the biggest stage of all, the World Series, Schilling has a record of 3-1 with an ERA of 2.11 in six starts.

Still, official, individual honors largely have eluded him.  He has appeared in six All Star games, and he was the 2001 World Series MVP with the Diamondbacks.  But he has never won a Cy Young Award, despite three twenty-win seasons.  In fact, in his entire career he has only gotten two first place votes.

I think Curt Schilling has had a career worthy of the Hall of Fame.  Unless he continues into his forties ala Roger Clemens and achieves great success in doing so, his win total – just over 200 – will put him on the low end of the spectrum.  This will only be highlighted by the fact that some guys with crazy win totals like Clemens (341), Maddox (318), Tom Glavine (275) and Johnson (263) will be up for a vote at about the same time and make his numbers look less stellar by comparison.  Still, one must take due note of Schilling’s incredible notoriety, his track record of postseason success, and his undeniable place in the recent history of the game.

If Schilling can deliver more goods in 2006, it will be great for the Red Sox and great for his place in history.