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After 23 years in the Major Leagues, Curt Schilling has decided to retire from the game.
And what better way to do it than to announce it on your blog, 38 Pitches.
Schilling made the announcement on the post, properly titled Calling it Quits:
After being blessed to experience 23 years of playing professional baseball in front of the world’s best fans in so many different places, it is with zero regrets that I am making my retirement official.
Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1986, he played for Houston, Philadelphia, Arizona and, of course, the Boston Red Sox, where he is most famous for pitching with the “bloody sock” in the 2004 World Series.
Schilling finishes with a career record of 216-146 record, 3.46 ERA and 3,116 strikeouts.
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Curt Schilling has never shied away from stating his opinion on his blog and with the release of the Mitchell Report, he’s sure not going to back away from this.
In his blog 38pitches.com, Schilling called out Roger Clemens to clear his name of using performance enhancing drugs or return the 4 Cy Young awards he has won. Schilling says states if Clemens can’t clear his name, that his career technically should have been considered over in 1997 when he had a win total of only 192 games instead of his now 354, because after that, his numbers are tainted.
These are strong words coming from a man who stated that when he was a rookie prospect in Boston, it was Roger Clemens who helped change his career. His “undressing of me and lecture were a major turning point,” Schilling wrote. “I’ve always respected his career accomplishments and regarded him as the greatest pitcher to ever play the game.”
I think Schilling is right. Although it will be hard to prove his innocence on whether or not he took performance enhancing drugs in the past, but if Clemens did take steroids, he should come clean and own up to it. I don’t know how much steroids or HGH can actually help benefit a pitcher, but if you look at the time period he took them and his numbers, then they look like they obviously work.
Although he has issued a statement denying steroid or HGH use, Clemens should try much harder to clear his name rather than stay in hiding from the world. The only things on the line are his legacy and what was once a sure first ballot entry in the Hall of Fame.
Source: Fox Sports, 38pitches.com
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Well, Curt Schilling and the Boston Red Sox both got what they wanted yesterday.
Schilling wanted to stay in Beantown and the Red Sox got back a vital piece of their championship rotation for another year. But if anyone came out on top of this deal, it has to be Schilling.
Schilling signed a one year contract with the Sox with a base salary of $8 million with incentives and bonuses for an additional $2 million. But there is one little catch.
If Schilling gets 1 vote. Just 1 first, second or third place vote in next year’s Cy Young voting, he’ll receive $1 million.
I don’t know how he worked that out, but wow. That’s an awfully easy way to earn a cool million bucks.
OK, so maybe the Sox did get a good deal regardless how silly the bonus is, seeing how Schilling could have gotten much more on the free agent market, but I still want to say my two cents.
You know there is going to be one writer out there who’s gonna want to get a good laugh and just check that 3rd place vote box to get Schilling his money. And why not. Sure it’ll be a bit unethical for a journalist to vote for Schilling if he didn’t earn it, but wouldn’t it be funny to see the Sox fork over the money because they agreed to this silly demand.
But hey, more power to you Schilling. I hope you get your money.
To read about Schilling’s contract, go to his blog at 38pitches.com.
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