The Return of The Schilling Options

[The Gray Eagle]

Since the thread was started, Schilling has allowed 5 earned runs in 21 IP, with 16 Ks and 1 BB. We've won all 3 of his starts, including today's bigtime stopper that was essential after a 4-game losing streak, with one run to work with, followed by a trip to red-hot Arizona.

If Schilling gives up 2 runs today, we're working on a 5 game losing streak with another road series against a hot team coming up. Instead, the division lead is back up to 10 and no one needs to panic.

6-2, 3.49 is actually a little better than I expected from his this season so far. Hopefully he'll keep his command all year, that's everything to him now.

[Marbleheader]

First shutout of his Red Sox career, and it couldn't have come at a better time. This team really needed someone to step up, the offense is still slumbering. He really executed well today, even when falling behind in the count on occasion, he bounced back and made the pitches he had to. Would have liked to see the no hitter, but a complete game shutout is just what the doctor ordered.

[tailwind]

The whole "losing streak" was a bit overblown. Our pitching was not that bad, and Ortiz came close to winning two games by himself, once by inches, the other by about 10 feet with the wind blowing in. There was Abreu's catch on Pedroia's almost-sure hit, as well. A few things didn't break the team's way, but they weren't getting killed.

On the main point of the topic, Schill has had pinpoint command of his fastball, a good split, and consistent 91-92mph velocity since the beginning of the Cleveland start. That's exactly what he needs to succeed, so there's no reason to worry for the time being. It looks like his struggles were a bump in the road.

[DJnVa]

Hershiser on ESPN after the game was talking about something Farrell found to help Schilling get back on top of his pitches and make it easier to bury them down in the zone. I was in and out of the room, did anyone get a bit more of what he said?

[Smiling Joe Hesk...]

The drama of the no-no attempt was pretty exciting, but more important was the fact that he got only 1 run to work with and delivered a badly-needed win. Oakland was a disaster area for the Sox this week, and their offense decided to take the series off, but to come up big in a game the team desperately needed and deliver a shutout victory is quite a relief.

Much better control today from Schilling than in the times we've seen him recently. No wildness out of the zone, and more crucially no wildness within the zone.

He laughed in his post-game interview and said that Tek wanted a slider to Stewart in the 9th, but he shook him off in favor of the fastball. Since he had thrown nothing but fastballs in the 9th up to that point, Stewart was probably looking for one. Oh well. What was key to me was seeing him maintain that focus and get Ellis to preserve the win. Think about the reaction Mussina had when Everett broke up his prefect game in 2001 (also a 1-0 game), and compare that to how Schilling reacted today; which is to say, Schilling didn't react at all.

[Manny's Hammies]

Think about the reaction Mussina had when Everett broke up his prefect game in 2001 (also a 1-0 game), and compare that to how Schilling reacted today; which is to say, Schilling didn't react at all.

What'd Mussina do? All I remember is Red Sox fans high fiving Everett like he'd just hit a walk-off HR...

[Smiling Joe Hesk...]

What'd Mussina do? All I remember is Red Sox fans high fiving Everett like he'd just hit a walk-off HR...

Rolled his eyes, put his hands on his hips in disgust, and looked like someone had spat in his face.

[Rudy Pemberton]

A huge win from a guy who thrives on the big games. He's not the pitcher he was several years ago, but he's still a damn good one who is going to give you 6-7 innings every start and allow 2-3 runs for the most part. Just attacked the zone today, which was great to say. Looking at the peripherals now, I don't think there's too much to worry about. One step closer to the HOF, would have been great to get the no-no but I don't think Curt is too concerned.

Personally, I hope they extend him over the AS break.

[Pumpsie]

The whole "losing streak" was a bit overblown.

I don't think so at all. The team is in a pronounced hitting slump and still is, btw. Today's hitting performance against a right-handed pitcher this time, the great Joe Blanton, was abysmal. Worse than the 2-0 shutout loss to DiNardo in that, today, we couldn't even draw walks. Only one swing from Papi changed today from disaster to triumph, even with Schilling's HOF performance.

Maybe we just need to get out of Oakland, but Arizona is playing really well. We're not out of the woods yet.

Anyway, all honors and kudos to Curt Schilling for his tremendous and direly-needed performance today. What a job!

[Pumpsie]

Rolled his eyes, put his hands on his hips in disgust, and looked like someone had spat in his face.

Yeah, I remember that, and that's one additional reason why Mike Mussina falls short of Hall of Fame to me. He's a turkey.

That was the highlight of Everett's days as a Red Sox. Positive highlight, that is. I also remember the CHB's awful and ridiculous, and venomous article criticizing Red Sox fans for celebrating Everett's hit.

I wonder if the CHB will write a similar one tomorrow criticizing A's fans and ridiculing Shannon Stewart for spoiling his day. No, I don't wonder. He'll come up with something snide to say about Schilling shaking off Tek.

[irinmike]

A pitched game like today is what keeps championship teams from falling into long slumps when the bats are not working. I was hoping for a well pitched game today to end the mini slump but had no idea it would be this good.

[underhandtofirst]

I don't think so at all. The team is in a pronounced hitting slump and still is, btw. Today's hitting performance against a right-handed pitcher this time, the great Joe Blanton, was abysmal. Worse than the 2-0 shutout loss to DiNardo in that, today, we couldn't even draw walks. Only one swing from Papi changed today from disaster to triumph, even with Schilling's HOF performance.

hitting was brutal, but 3 BB in 7IP against a guy that averages 2BB per 9IP isnt terrible. That said, Blanton shouldnt shut the Sox down like that

This post has been edited by underhandtofirst: Jun 7 2007, 08:44 PM

[Rooster Crows]

A huge win from a guy who thrives on the big games. He's not the pitcher he was several years ago, but he's still a damn good one who is going to give you 6-7 innings every start and allow 2-3 runs for the most part. Just attacked the zone today, which was great to say. Looking at the peripherals now, I don't think there's too much to worry about. One step closer to the HOF, would have been great to get the no-no but I don't think Curt is too concerned.

Personally, I hope they extend him over the AS break.

I AGREE. realize this is not the game thread, and so should be doing more than simply agreeing with a post, BUT the game thread has been hijacked, and I think G38's accomplishment can do with a few more accolades. He not only had a one-hitter, but did it with only a 1-run cushion the whole 9 innings and did it in one of the biggest moments of the season to date (in my view). They needed to get back on track and get their edge back, as Papi's comments attest to this morning:

We're playing well, but, I don't know, it's just not there. We don't have the same intensity we've had before."

Ortiz,
Leave it to Schilling to come through just when you really need him to. Thanks AGAIN for a really great game and a big lift!

[Carlos Cowart]

I also remember the CHB's awful and ridiculous, and venomous article criticizing Red Sox fans for celebrating Everett's hit.

The one I remember was Bob Ryan who bitched about such a loathesme character depriving us of seeing something really special.

Schilling can still throw a mid-90s FB (OK, low to mid-90s) and could during his poor outings this year. His problem was location. Control you can fix at any age. When velocity goes you're probably toast. I had faith.

[TallerThanPedroi...]

Hershiser on ESPN after the game was talking about something Farrell found to help Schilling get back on top of his pitches and make it easier to bury them down in the zone. I was in and out of the room, did anyone get a bit more of what he said?

I remember something on NESN about Farrell used to throw a splitter but it was more over the top than Curt's been throwing his and so they've been working towards that kind of delivery, which has more of a dropping action on the pitch.

[singaporesoxfan]

The one I remember was Bob Ryan who bitched about such a loathesme character depriving us of seeing something really special.

Yeah, I remember the Bob Ryan one too - was there even a CHB one?

But with the Yankees leading, 1-0, and Mussina having retired the first 26 men he had faced, it became a matter of seeing some history. No true baseball fan wanted to see Carl Everett (ugh) get a hit. A Red Sox victory would have meant nothing in the big scheme of things as opposed to seeing a perfect game. To me, it must start with, and always be about, the baseball, not the blind loyalty to a team. That, I guess, is where I part company with many contemporary Red Sox followers

Ryan claims to be better than us

Where's the vomiting icon when you need it?

[Madison33]

Obviously, the game was a pleasure to listen to/watch. For some reason, I felt like Stewart would come up swinging at the first pitch...I was just hoping for a fly ball.

Curt's commitment to "pitch to contact" this season seemed very evident yesterday (moreso, in my opinion, than his previous couple of starts). He went into the 9th with 4K's and 90 pitches thrown...to me that was an excellent management of what he was throwing and getting guys to make contact to get the outs. Even the first two outs of the ninth showed it...he wasn't trying to mow batters down, just get them to make the outs, however the outs came.

After Stewart's hit, he dropped his head, it seemed like he gave himself about 4 seconds to "mourn" his loss of the no hitter then he went right after Ellis.

I wouldn't want to see the FO give him a new ink-not-even-dry-yet contract this morning as a "reaction" to the game yesterday, but I will be surprised if a deal isn't struck around the ASB. I think any lingering worries they may have had about his age should be diminishing...

[ObstructedView]

Yeah, I remember the Bob Ryan one too - was there even a CHB one?
Ryan claims to be better than us

Where's the vomiting icon when you need it?

Not to hijack a well-deserved attaboy thread, but I also seem to remember CHB spewing righteous indignation after the Sox had the temerity to actually get Cal Ripken out during his last Fenway at-bat. I happened to be at that game and remember that the crowd was very gracious, but of course appreciated the effort by the Sox to, you know, play baseball -- even though they'd been out of contention for a while at that point.

[DJnVa]

Curt's commitment to "pitch to contact" this season seemed very evident yesterday (moreso, in my opinion, than his previous couple of starts). He went into the 9th with 4K's and 90 pitches thrown...to me that was an excellent management of what he was throwing and getting guys to make contact to get the outs. Even the first two outs of the ninth showed it...he wasn't trying to mow batters down, just get them to make the outs, however the outs came.

Question--since it's known (or at least theorized) that pitchers have little to no control over their BABIP, wouldn't pitching to contact be akin to the pitcher simply counting on a bit of luck? A pitcher like Schilling, that doesn't walk many at all simply lacks the strikeout pitch of previous seasons. I think it's more a case of rationalizing what his skills are than any conscious effort on his part.

[The Gray Eagle]

"Personally, I hope they extend him over the AS break."

I do too. He seems as likely a bet as pretty much any pitcher available to win 15 games next year with an ERA around 4.00. He wouldn't cost any players to acquire, you'd only have a one-year commitment, and you know he's not going to melt in Boston.

I know a lot of people want to hand out rotation slots to 23 year olds next year, but if we're going to realistically contend for the division, there will be room for Schilling as a key part of the rotation. The kids will earn their innings if they are ready, and there will be plenty of need for them. If Schilling does fall off next year or get hurt, then the kids will pitch anyway. It just makes sense to bring him back for one more year IMO. If we can offer Big Rog $18 million this year, we can certainly have $13 million for a guy who actually is a big game pitcher.