Is Curt Schilling a Hall of Famer?

[Youk Of The Nation]

Regardless of your personal feelings for Curt Schilling, one way or the other, it cannot be denied that he was a huge, maybe even the huge, part of the Red Sox championship in 2004, and an important part of the 2007 championship as well.

 

His stats are pretty good, no one can deny that, but I have heard a lot of baseball fans online with their own analyses, and a lot of them seem to think he hovers just under the line for acceptance. I happen to disagree.

 

So, I created this thread as a place to discuss not only the answer to this question, but memories and opinions and stories about Curt Schilling's long and impressive career in baseball.

 

Have at it!

 

For myself, I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame. More than that, I think he will get in, either this year or next. Championships should not be the sole criteria on which one is inducted, (Craig Counsell has two, which is roughly the same number of home runs he has), but the championships he does have were due to him in such a large part that I think they, along with his on-field and clubhouse leadership, more than compensate for any alleged deficiency in the numbers.

[mvp 78]

Yes. He and Mussina need to be in.

[VA Sox Fan]

Are you kidding me? You started this thread?????? WOW!!! Not a good example for the newbies that start a thread with every single thought that pops into their head's!!!!

[Youk Of The Nation]

Are you kidding me? You started this thread?????? WOW!!! Not a good example for the newbies that start a thread with every single thought that pops into their head's!!!!

 

I think this is a good topic for debate, and there is no more suitable thread for it.

 

Of course, I'm pretty sure you're being ironic, and if so, now I'm going to have to ban you as an example to the others. Sorry. If you'd like, you can opt for a spanking instead. Let me know. Either way, my fingers are tingling!

[mvp 78]

Are you kidding me? You started this thread?????? WOW!!! Not a good example for the newbies that start a thread with every single thought that pops into their head's!!!!

 

!!!!!!!!!!

[Slasher9]

He's in for me. It's close though.

200+ wins

Sub 3.5 era in the roids era

3k+ strikeouts

11-2 postseason record

83 complete games

20 shutouts

No cy youngs hurt

Not a first ballot but he's in.

He was born in Alaska. So he has the Inuit vote...

Edited May 19, 2016 by Slasher9

[Youk Of The Nation]

He's in for me. It's close though.

200+ wins

Sub 3.5 era in the roids era

3k+ strikeouts

11-2 postseason record

Not a first ballot but he's in.

 

The wins are the thing that clinch it for me. A lot of people seem to think that 300 wins is the big hurdle for HOF membership, but I don't really think so. In this day and age of relief pitchers and closers and pitch counts, I think it's a lot more difficult to get wins, and using them as a standard for anything, really, seems kind of unfair.

[StephenCurry30]

Wins at this day in age are more-so about longevity then actually skill. Obvious if you pitch good, you will more then likely get a win, but look at guys like Felix Hernandez who have been screwed by being on a s***** team for a majority of is career and should have a much more dominant W/L record. On my perfect example. pedro Martinez - 219 career wins. Jamie Moyer 269 career wins. Pedro was one of most dominant pitchers of all time in his prime, Jamie Moyer was an average pitcher who somehow stuck around for literally 25 seasons.

 

That being said, yes, I think Big Schill is a hall of famer, he was a key cog on two world series teams that were amazing wins. Diamondbacks beat a yankees team in a crazy series and got their first and only championship, and obviously he was a HUGE part of 04 red sox.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Haha Jamie Moyer, the only guy who can be caught barehanded.

[Dojji]

The counting stats put him right on the borderline even without considering the postseason heroics he contributed to 2 different franchises. Postseason and pennant-run heroics matter a lot when considering a player's legacy. While 2001 and especially 2004 are what he'll be remembered for, Going out in 2007 with his last pitch thrown in a win of a World Series game ought to help too -- his performance in 2007 looks pedestrian until you remember that his pitching arm was being held together by duct tape and string. And being responsible for one of the most magical moments in recent baseball history in 2004 puts him way over the top.

 

It would be a travesty if... other factors kept the sportswriters from voting him in. And even if that miscarriage of justice does occur I think we can count on the veterans committee to make it right.

Edited May 19, 2016 by Dojji

[Youk Of The Nation]

I doubt those other factors will factor into it. Plenty of guys who were outright hated by most people got into the HOF. Ty Cobb springs to mind. And no one dislikes Schilling as much as anyone despised Ty Cobb.

[Dojji]

true, and even those who have issues with Schill for one thing and another have to admit that his performance in 2004 was nothing short of legendary. I think people forget that Schilling was 37 in 2004 and he did things that year that you wouldn't ask of an ace in his prime.

[Bellhorn04]

I say yes. His postseason resume is among the best ever, if not the best. Add that on to some truly epic seasons and that crazy K-BB ratio.

[Bellhorn04]

Schilling has the 2nd-best K-BB ratio in history. First is an Irishman named Tommy Bond, who pitched from the years 1874 to 1884.

[Dojji]

if I'm not very much mistaken, Tommy Bond is a Hall of Famer.

 

EDIT: Nope. Not sure why, he led the league in categories that don't exist anymore. Probably just because he was before the so-called modern era. A guy who had 2 40 win seasons and a 43 win season for such a team as the Boston Red Stockings in the 1880's should probably be in the Hall.

 

(no it wasn't quite us. I suspect the Red Sox called back to those Red Stockings though)

Edited May 19, 2016 by Dojji

[Palodios]

 

Old baseball photos are always hilarious.

[Slasher9]

hahahaha. that is some part.

[sk7326]

Oh, easy yes. Advanced Stats are very kind to him. His career is quite similar to Pedro's in terms of overall value.

[Youk Of The Nation]

http://www.talksox.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=345&stc=1

 

Old baseball photos are always hilarious.

 

It looks like he narrowly missed being beaned by a comebacker.

[Spudboy]

Yes, He belongs.

 

I'm just wondering if fans outside of Boston feel a positively about Schill as we do here.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Yes, He belongs.

 

I'm just wondering if fans outside of Boston feel a positively about Schill as we do here.

 

I imagine Diamondback fans, at least, love the guy as much as Sox fans. Maybe even more in some ways, since Johnson and Schilling brought Arizona their only championship, as opposed to another one. Then again, Arizona's fanbase is quite a bit smaller than the Red Sox fanbase, and therefore not nearly as vocal. However, other than the Sox and D-Backs, I doubt most other fanbases care about him one way or the other. He was a great pitcher, but he was never a household name among every other team's fans like Johnson was, or like Clemens was, or like Kershaw is now. Most fans know who he was, but I doubt a lot of fans outside of the NL West or AL East know exactly how good he was statistically.

[Spudboy]

I imagine Diamondback fans, at least, love the guy as much as Sox fans. Maybe even more in some ways, since Johnson and Schilling brought Arizona their only championship, as opposed to another one. Then again, Arizona's fanbase is quite a bit smaller than the Red Sox fanbase, and therefore not nearly as vocal. However, other than the Sox and D-Backs, I doubt most other fanbases care about him one way or the other. He was a great pitcher, but he was never a household name among every other team's fans like Johnson was, or like Clemens was, or like Kershaw is now. Most fans know who he was, but I doubt a lot of fans outside of the NL West or AL East know exactly how good he was statistically.

 

Which is why I asked the question. I believe that your assessment is close to spot-on.

[illinoisredsox]

I imagine Diamondback fans, at least, love the guy as much as Sox fans. Maybe even more in some ways, since Johnson and Schilling brought Arizona their only championship, as opposed to another one. Then again, Arizona's fanbase is quite a bit smaller than the Red Sox fanbase, and therefore not nearly as vocal. However, other than the Sox and D-Backs, I doubt most other fanbases care about him one way or the other. He was a great pitcher, but he was never a household name among every other team's fans like Johnson was, or like Clemens was, or like Kershaw is now. Most fans know who he was, but I doubt a lot of fans outside of the NL West or AL East know exactly how good he was statistically.

 

Well said. Schilling was Drysdale with Johnson being Koufax. Bob Lemon to Bob Feller. Not quite as good an analogy due to longevity, but Bruce Hurst to the Sox Clemens.

[Dojji]

Or Curt Schilling to Pedro Martinez.

[willy mo pop up]

I have to think he gets in . Not having CY young is going to hurt . I will always support Father Curt ! I say second time he makes it !