Schilling in Bullpen

[riverside sluggers]

schilling has two more starts as reliever, tomorrow night and then sunday afternoon--which will of course have theo & co. if this could actually work

[whereisnomar]

Still, shouldn't Schilling have a few extra weeks, but come back as a starter?

[ARod2212]

My only logic for this is that Schilling can't physically handle starting anymore and throwing 9 innings of baseball. This makes absolutely no sense, to have Schilling close. Especially considering Timlin can do the job.

 

Either way, it is great news as a Yankee fan. Not only are they not getting their dominant starter back at the break as a midseason pickup, but they are going to put him in a spot where he has a huge chance of failure.

[riverside sluggers]

huge chance of failure, says the yanks...

[Sox fan in Tex]

Schil pitched very well tonight, and it really looks like he's getting back in the groove of what it's like to be a reliever. Here's tonight's stats along with the rest of this years:

 

                   H/A  IP  H R ER SO/BB HR BF   G/F  PC  GSc
04/13 C.Schilling.. H  5.2  9 5  5   5/1  2 27   5/7 108   35 L
04/18 C.Schilling.. H  5.0 10 5  3  10/2  0 29   2/3 117   39 W
04/23 C.Schilling.. A  7.0  9 6  6   5/0  1 29  10/6  94   40 L
04/29-15 day DL-bone bruise on right ankle
06/29 C.Schilling.. A  5.0  5 1  1   3/1  0 21   8/4   -   55*
07/04 C.Schilling.. H  5.0  8 5  5   8/2  1 25   2/5  92   37 L*
07/07 C.Schilling.. H  1.0  2 2  1   2/0  0  6   0/1  14    -*
07/09 C.Schilling.. A  1.0  0 0  0   1/0  0  3   1/1   7    -*

*for AAA Pawtucket

[JeterWifey213]

My only logic for this is that Schilling can't physically handle starting anymore and throwing 9 innings of baseball. This makes absolutely no sense, to have Schilling close. Especially considering Timlin can do the job.

 

Either way, it is great news as a Yankee fan. Not only are they not getting their dominant starter back at the break as a midseason pickup, but they are going to put him in a spot where he has a huge chance of failure.

 

Ok I am a Yankee fan, but I have to say something. How do you know that he will fail( Not that I wouldn't like it, lol) he might come out and be MO ( or as close as he can be). Lets not get too cocky, he has ruined our playoff dreams before he can do it again. I would love if he was a starter and then he would fail, cause then he can be lit up. Yankee fans lets not assume the guy is going to combust on the mound, but as a Yankee fan I will not rule it out either. Is he pitching in the series against us? Closer I mean.

[See Red]

Either way, it is great news as a Yankee fan. Not only are they not getting their dominant starter back at the break as a midseason pickup, but they are going to put him in a spot where he has a huge chance of failure.

 

He was in a spot where he had a huge chance of failure in Game 6 of ALCS -- he didn't fail not because of luck, but because of his character and his ability to rise to the occassion when his team needs him. You'll soon notice that to be a recurring theme with Curt Schilling.

[Manny Goes Boom]

Huge chance of failure...How so?

[riverside sluggers]

an article from redsox.com, very assuring he will be back in fenway if apperance today for the paw sox is as any good as last nite

 

Schilling makes second relief outing

 

Blink and you missed Curt Schilling's second relief appearance for the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Schilling, who is in the process of converting from the Red Sox's ace to a late-inning reliever because of Keith Foulke's knee injury, zipped through a 1-2-3, seven-pitch ninth inning on Saturday night that put the finishing touch on the Pawtucket Red Sox's 12-3 romp over the Syracuse SkyChiefs. Despite the miniscule number of pitches, on top of the modest 14 he threw in last Thursday's outing against Ottawa, Schilling doesn't feel those stats are a true indication of his status.

 

"I'm not sure that the amount of pitches I throw in a game is as big a barometer as just getting ready to pitch," the right-hander said. "I threw the other day and I was ready to go after that one because I knew I wasn't going to feel anything, and I don't feel like I'm probably going to [today]. "The priority, obviously, other than pitching is to continue to strengthen the

ankle. We'll use the schedule as best we can over the next couple days to do that."

 

Schilling, who'll pitch another inning of relief on Sunday afternoon, said his heavily-scrutinized ankle is OK. As for the ninth inning with the first batter, Kevin Barker struck out on three pitches -- the last a 92 mph fastball. John-Ford Griffin bounced a 1-1 pitch to first baseman Roberto Petagine for an easy out. Jason Alfaro then flied out to right field on the first pitch. "I went curveball, split, fastball to the first hitter," Schilling explained of his pitch selection. "I went fastball, fastball, split to the second guy, and fastball in [to Alfaro]." Schilling's pitches were clocked between 75 mph and 92 mph on the Alliance Bank Stadium radar gun. And just like in his rehab start against Charlotte on July 4 plus his relief outing against Ottawa, Schilling didn't have as much zip on his fastball as he would like.

 

"I think [the velocity is] the same," he said. "If it is the same, which it has been, then it's something I'm going to have to deal with. That's my fastball right now, and I'm going to have to pitch with it. "I think that's the adjustment I made tonight. I went out and threw a couple of different pitches and got some guys sitting on something else and made pitches."

 

One adjustment Schilling has yet to make in his two relief outings is pitching in an actual save situation. When he worked against Ottawa, the Lynx led, 5-3, in the ninth and clipped Schilling for two runs (one earned). On Saturday, the PawSox scored their most runs in one game since June 23. But PawSox pitching coach Mike Griffin emphasized that Schilling must be prepared for any situation, regardless of score.

 

"He's getting used to the role of coming in late in a ball game and especially in a ninth-inning role," Griffin said. "We were just fortunate to score some runs [saturday]. But he's going to be asked to handle that kind of role or go pitch in innings to get an inning's worth of work if [the Red Sox] are up by 'X' amount. So, he has to learn that type of role, also. "But I think [on Saturday] it was a little bit more relaxing for him for the first time coming in in that situation. I'm sure everybody would like to see him come in in a close game, but we have to take what comes and work with what we've got."

 

Even though it's been a long time since Schilling last pitched in relief, the last thing he's concerned about is his personal enjoyment quotient. "You like any job if you have success at it," he said. "[if] you go out and blow saves, this job rots. You've got to fill a role. Whatever that role ends up being, hopefully it's something that will make us better.

 

"The goal here is not for me to like this job, or for [boston] to make me happy. The goal is to win a World Series. If I'm going back there to do this for a brief period of time or for the rest of the year, whatever it has to be, I'll do it."

[YanksHater213]

...I still dont like this idea.

[ARod2212]

Look, I'm just saying I much prefer the idea of hitting off Bronson Arroyo for 7 innings and Schilling for 1 or 2 in a short series. Schilling starting 3 games in the ALCS scares me a lot more than him throwing 5 innings out of the bullpen.

[elsrbueno]

Look, I'm just saying I much prefer the idea of hitting off Bronson Arroyo for 7 innings and Schilling for 1 or 2 in a short series. Schilling starting 3 games in the ALCS scares me a lot more than him throwing 5 innings out of the bullpen.

 

He's got a point. This team is still best served with Schilling as a dominant starter. Now, if it takes a few appearances out of the bullpen to get his mechanics straightened out, then so be it. I just hope this doesn't become a permanent situation.

[riverside sluggers]

now that makes 2 great back to back starts out of the bullpen for schilling :thumbsup:

 

Schilling anxious to return to Sox

 

Pawtucket Red Sox manager Ron Johnson has never claimed to be proficient at reading minds. But apparently he can read faces. Johnson was at his "face-reading" best Sunday when rehabbing Curt Schilling walked off the mound following a scoreless eighth inning during Pawtucket's 4-0 victory over the Syracuse SkyChiefs. "He was really confident [saturday night] and today you could tell when he came in the dugout he was like, 'Hey, you need another one?' You could just see it in his face. If I had said, 'Yes,' he would have walked back out there. But I've grown accustomed to eating and I'm going to make my living by doing exactly what I'm told by the people I work for."

 

While Johnson joked about what might have happened if he had not followed orders, there was no joking about Schilling's performance -- his second relief outing in less than 24 hours. And there certainly was no joking about why Johnson brought him in for the eighth as opposed to the ninth, when he had pitched in his two previous relief outings.

 

"The only reason he pitched the eighth and not the ninth was because we didn't want to take any possible chance that we wouldn't have a lead in the ninth inning on the road, and he came here to pitch," Johnson said. "When the game remained 2-0 (that was the score entering the top of the eighth, when Justin Sherrod belted a two-run homer) we wanted him to go an inning. If you send somebody else out there and all of a sudden you get a walk and a home run, or a walk, an error, a home run, now we're behind.

 

"You can't take a chance with that type of situation. We talked with Curt before and he was up for that." Schilling this time got up to 93 mph on the Alliance Bank Stadium radar gun. He hit that number twice against lefty-swinging Kevin Barker (.350, 12 homers, 46 RBIs) when he painted the outside corner for fastballs, the second for a called third strike.

Prior to Barker's at-bat, Schilling was tagged for a single to right by leadoff batter Anton French (on a split) and then retired Bryant Nelson on a pop out to third (on another split). He recorded the final out on a fly ball to left by John-Ford Griffin (on yet another split).

 

Schilling threw 11 of his 16 pitches for strikes, a mix that included exclusively fastballs and splitters. But he spent more time on the mound than he did discussing his performance. "I want to be in the big leagues pitching. I'm anxious to get back," Schilling said before boarding a private van for a ride to Hancock International Airport and a flight to Boston. "I felt good today. I felt stronger than I was [saturday], which is good.

 

"I'm ready to go back there Thursday. I hope so ... that's the hope. Maybe we'll be winning [against the Yankees at Fenway Park] by a large enough score so I don't have to pitch. [Physically], I felt fine. There was no problem." PawSox catcher Kelly Shoppach felt Schilling may have seen the last of the International League. "He seemed to be in good enough shape," Shoppach said. "He came back today with no problems after [saturday], which is something he hasn't done. He said he felt fine and he looked fine. It's tough to come back [twice in 24 hours] especially for a starter, and he's been a starter forever.

 

"He threw the ball well [saturday] and today, and he didn't go against easy hitters. These were pretty good hitters that he faced and he pretty much ran through them easy." Shoppach, like Johnson, was able to see that Schilling brought his "game face" to the park. "His face coming to the mound was a positive to me," Shoppach said. "He looked excited. Usually, with a starter's mentality, you have five days to prep for it. All the jitters are gone. Obviously, he knew he was going to pitch today. But coming out of the bullpen, normally it's a tight game and you get a little adrenaline rush."

 

Schilling's three relief outings with Pawtucket encompassed three innings and included three hits, two runs (one earned), no walks and four strikeouts. The next step is for Schilling to discuss with Boston what the future holds in store. "You're not talking about a Minor League pitcher who's trying to assume a different role," Johnson said. "You're talking about Curt Schilling. We know what he's done and what he can do. He will let you know what he's ready to do. I wouldn't bet against the guy. He's pitched more big games than you can think of."

 

Ironically, given this transition, Schilling's next game with Boston could be his biggest.

[Bostonfan34]

well u might have a point i dont know if he can do it i think they are rushing him up to the majors to fast

[Sizzlin22]

I don't like the idea I still say we need him as a starter but if he doesn't have the stamina then he might as well help the team somehow. My only problem is how will he be able to get that stamina back up again as a reliever? Normal starters who have problems with stamina jsut throw during off days and gradually increse the ammount of pitches they throw untill they are as high as they can physically go. WIth Schilling being a reliever he can't have these side sessions because he made need to come up and close the game that night, plus if he throws 2 days in a row we can't make him throw a side session or we'll kill his arm.

 

Unless there is something I'm missing here, this seems like an all or nothing move. All being great closer nothing being pretty much done for season.

[Bostonfan34]

well idk maby he should but im thinking on the down side if he gets hurt again there are so many things that could go wrong but it would also help the team so i have no clue how francona decides this crap

[Soxalltheway30]

well he ant very good in the pen, IMO. I think he is a better ace.

[riverside sluggers]

he has had 2 great back to back starts in the bullpen in pawtucket. first game just throwing 7 pitches to get the final 3 outs, and then 16 pitches to get 3 outs in the eighth inning of a pawtucket win 4-0... both last 2 games he didnt allow any runs. and it wasnt just tito's decision god; a meeting was held with theo, tito, schilling and dave wallace and that is what they came up with

[riverside sluggers]

by the way dude, "ain't" is not a word, i think its "isn't" you are trying to say

[Soxalltheway30]

Ok, so your going to sit here and correct my spelling because i think schiklling shouldn't be in the bullpen.

[riverside sluggers]

it wasnt spelling dude, correcting grammer, it gets on my nerves when people use aint instead of isnt. "aint" is for rednecks to use

[Bostonfan34]

ok well im a redneck im from maine what do u expect?

[Sizzlin22]

Redneck from the northern most state hmmmmm.

[Bostonfan34]

aint aint aint aint aint aint aint aint aint aint aint aint aint aint

and 1 more thing r u n enlish teacher??????????? this is about redsox not grammar!! :harhar:

[Soxalltheway30]

hahaha dylan your a redneck?

[Bostonfan34]

yep and proud of it haha i bet u that the english teacher is from NY

[Soxalltheway30]

i smell new yorker.

[Bostonfan34]

haha good 1

[Bostonfan34]

i think that u should be banned from the sight if u talk good about fags like the yankees this is a redsox site right?

[Bostonfan34]

i think that ppl from newyork just come on this site to piss me off jeez i mean like what the hell r they doing on this site if they like the yankees or maby they are just jeoloues