The baseball writers determined this year that no one was worthy of induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. As we’ve seen time and time again, however, opinions change over time, so it’ll be interesting to see whether players linked to the Steroids Era eventually gain enshrinement.
One player who was on the ballot for the first time this year, but failed to get in was Curt Schilling. Schilling has never been linked to steroids, so his snub was simply a product of the writers feeling that his numbers aren’t quite Hall of Fame worthy.
There are plenty Red Sox fans who might say otherwise, though. Schilling’s 2004 playoff heroics will forever live in baseball lore, and his postseason resume as a whole is very impressive.
Schilling, who has three World Series rings to his credit, was 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA in 19 career playoff starts, proving that the right-hander turned it on when the games mattered most. Of course, his most memorable performance — at least around Boston — was in Game 6 of the ALCS, when he shut down the Yankees for seven innings to help the Red Sox stay alive. We all know what happened after that.
Schilling is also highly regarded around Arizona because of his epic performance in the 2001 World Series, and there really is no denying his flair for the dramatic. His regular season numbers, while still impressive, are what ultimately could hold Schilling back.
The big righty went 216-146 with a 3.46 ERA over the course of 20 seasons. He earned six All-Star selections, finished second in Cy Young voting three times and won 20 games on two occasions.
That’s some impressive stuff, but Cooperstown is reserved for truly special players. Would you consider Schilling to truly be among the game’s all-time greats?
Tune in to the Red Sox Town Hall on NESN at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 19.
