Curt Schilling made it official today, announcing his retirement from baseball. There will be no late-season signing and stretch run with the Cubs or Rays for Schilling.
What’s interesting is that Schilling has eschewed the traditional press conference (though that may come later) and announced this decision through his 38Pitches blog: Calling It Quits.
The guy was polarizing off the field, but Red Sox fans cannot complain one bit about his performance on the field, and the impact he had in finally bringing the World Series championship back to Boston.
We’ll also miss his sometime contentious relationship with the media, particularly Dan Shaughnessy, though that might just continue as well.
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I think his feud with Shank will continue, in fact I think it will probably get nastier…..bet on it
As one who does not like his politics I’m still and always will be a fan of Schilling the player. I will never forget watching the “bloody sock” game. Here’s a guy who put the rest of his career and his long term health at risk so the Sox could win the World Series. Gutsy, very gutsy.
And I won’t soon forget his pitching problems he had the next year – but only for the “still can’t stop whining” press who forget his courage just a few months after that night.
His contributions in the short time he played here greatly outweigh those of CHB who’ll be be forgotten 5 minutes after he retires. I look forward to seeing Schilling inducted in the HOF.
And yeah his calling into WEEI was probably my favorite Boston sports media event of all time.
Don’t forget that Schilling also closed out the 2007 ALDS on the road at Anaheim, won the very important 6th game of the ALCS against Cleveland, and also won Game 2 of the World Series against the Rockies (probably his best outing of that post-season).
He was absolutely one of the best money pitchers in Red Sox history (the short list includes Tiant, Pedro, Beckett, Hurst and probably Babe Ruth too)
Schilling is feuding with Shaughnessy, stooping to such lows as reflecting on “toolness,” and generally playing to the cheap seats with continuous rips at Shaughnessy that read like a transcript of a Bill Cardell interview with Bulldog Brower on the Ch.56 Saturday morning wrasslin’ show.
But I’m not so sure Shaughnessy is feuding with Schilling. Sure, there are frequent jabs, but the columnist writes pieces that reflect his situation-by-situation views on Schilling’s on-field performance and off-field bloviating, but is capable of according Schilling praise where praise is deserved.
Obtuse Bruce…
If Shank’s 38cliches column was fair and honest, you need some serious psychiatric assistance. Face it, the CHB simply was pissed because Schilling decided he’d address fans directly without having to go through the media.