Curt Schilling Offically Retired

[Abe Sargent]

HOF worthy? Discuss

[DaddyTorgo]

I say yes. But that's off my gut, without looking at any stats. I'm guessing an argument can be made for "no."

But I think given his history of WS rings with multiple clubs, as well as all the "bloody sock" heroics here in Boston he's probably fairly close to a lock?

[DaddyTorgo]

and this from Rob Neyer's blog

On the day Curt Schilling turned 30 -- in 1996 -- his career record in the majors was 52 wins and 52 losses. Nobody would have given you a plugged nickel for his chances of someday getting his own plaque in Cooperstown.

And since turning 30? 164 wins, 94 losses.

Perhaps this question has already been answered to your satisfaction, but I know I'm going to be asked a few dozen times in the next few days: Is Schilling a Hall of Famer?

Of course he is.

It's not his 216 career wins. It's not his .597 career winning percentage. It's not his 11-2 record in postseason games, or his 2.23 ERA. It's not even the bloody sock (http://redsoxgirl46.mlblogs.com/curt-schilling-bloody-sock.jpg).

It's all of those things.

Catfish Hunter was easily elected to the Hall of Fame, with a 224-166 record (http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hunteca01.shtml) and a bit of extra credit for going 9-6 with a 3.26 ERA in October. His career ERA+ was 104 (not that anybody who voted for him would have known that). Schilling's got nearly as many wins, significantly fewer losses, a better postseason record, and a blow-Catfish-out-of-the-water 127 ERA+ (which every voter today should know about).

[spleen1015]

It is close. I think he could very easily get in or flap in the wind like Blyleven

[Young Drachma]

Umm..if he is, it means Andy Pettitte is, but...maybe the HGH will be enough to keep him out.

[DaddyTorgo]

Umm..if he is, it means Andy Pettitte is, but...maybe the HGH will be enough to keep him out.

i think the roids will (hopefully) be a huge black-mark against pettitte and other roid-heads. course just cuz i hope they will be doesn't mean they actually will be.

[ISiddiqui]

It is close. I think he could very easily get in or flap in the wind like Blyleven

And, of course, Neyer would say Blyleven is a Hall of Famer, even if the idiot voters don't agree ;). And he'd be right.

[Logan]

Also without looking at stats I think he's a slam dunk HoF. I imagine his numbers could be hurt by some bad Phillies teams in the mid to late 90s. But I feel like I always thought of him as one of the best pitchers in baseball for a large part of his career. Add in his big game numbers noted above and it makes it easier for me.

[I. J. Reilly]

What the hell is ERA+?

[PackerFanatic]

What the hell is ERA+?

+1

[DaddyTorgo]

What the hell is ERA+?

Adjusted ERA+, often simply abbreviated to ERA+, is a statistic in baseball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball). It adjusts a pitcher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitcher)'s ERA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earned_Run_Average) according to the pitcher's ballpark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballpark) (does it favor batters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batter_(baseball)) or pitchers) and the ERA of the pitcher's league. Average is set to be 100; a score above 100 indicates the pitcher performed better than average, below 100 indicates worse than average.

[PackerFanatic]

Ah...makes sense. Interesting.

Baseball: the game of stats

[Abe Sargent]

As a huge Diamondbacks fan, I'd have to say yes. But I'm biased. That postseason was awesome.

[Atocep]

And to give you a reference point for how good 127 is;

Greg Maddux 132
Randy Johnson 137
Tom Glavine 118
Sandy Koufax 131
Steve Carlton 115
Tom Seaver 127
Bob Gibson 127

[MrBug708]

If he keeps his mouth shut, then ya

[Subby]

As a huge Diamondbacks fan, I'd have to say yes. But I'm biased. That postseason was awesome.
How huge are you? Four bills? More?

[spleen1015]

I wonder if he would do a Tony Gwynn HoF speech or a Call Ripken, Jr one.

[Big Fo]

If he keeps his mouth shut, then ya

You beat me to it. I was going to say put him in if he promises not to blog anymore.

[rowech]

I'm not going to argue with anybody either way. He's the ultimate 50-50 candidate. My vote would be no but man is it close.

[Maple Leafs]

I hope he can somehow find a way to stay in the public eye.

[Alan T]

Just out of curiosity , why do people want him to stop talking? I get utterly annoyed with the local sports radio choices around here since I am not from the area and don't really care about the Red Sox or Patriots, but I have to say I really enjoy when Schilling is on.

I wouldn't say it is rare to find a well spoken former-athelete on radio/tv, but it also is not as common as I would like. I guess I enjoy that he speaks his mind even if it means ticking off others. I am suprised to see so many against that.

Or is this more of a people can't stand Boston fans at times and this is an extension of that? If that is the case, I can understand where people are coming from as it is 10 times worse living here.

[molson]

You beat me to it. I was going to say put him in if he promises not to blog anymore.

What exactly pisses you off so much - the rabid anti-steroids stance that goes against his own union?

[Subby]

You beat me to it. I was going to say put him in if he promises not to blog anymore.
It sucks that it's in your contract to have to read that. Sorry man.

[jeff061]

Yes.

I am a Sox fan, but I don't even think it's a question.

[jeff061]

Just out of curiosity , why do people want him to stop talking? I get utterly annoyed with the local sports radio choices around here since I am not from the area and don't really care about the Red Sox or Patriots, but I have to say I really enjoy when Schilling is on.

I wouldn't say it is rare to find a well spoken former-athelete on radio/tv, but it also is not as common as I would like. I guess I enjoy that he speaks his mind even if it means ticking off others. I am suprised to see so many against that.

Or is this more of a people can't stand Boston fans at times and this is an extension of that? If that is the case, I can understand where people are coming from as it is 10 times worse living here.

I enjoyed him a lot early on in his Boston career. Still do in smaller doses. But he just wears on you. It's a mix of having an opinion on absolutely everything and a shit don't stink attitude, I think.

[lungs]

Like Neyer says, if Catfish Hunter is in, it's hard to argue against Schilling.