Curt Schilling to Come back in 2008 as a Member of the Red Sox

Sox fans have heard this from many of their favorite players. Many players say they will retire and then comeback, lets look at Clemens or Jordan, or even Ryne Sandberg. So it did not surprise me when I heard that Curt Schilling was coming back to pitch in 2008. The other thing that did not surprise, and it should not surprise Sox fans either, is that Curt said he only plans on pitching with the Red Sox. We have heard this with many of the great athletes that have come through Yawkey Way.

Yes, Curt Schilling sounded very "Damon-like" by saying that he would not play for the Yankees. I truly believe that Schilling will never be a Yankee for the same reason that Pedro was never going to be a Yankee. The New York Yankees hate Schilling, just like they hated Pedro. The Yankees hate Schilling for a different reason than Pedro. The Yankees and their fans hate Pedro because of all the headhunting nonsense that went between Pedro when he was a member of the Sox, lets not even bring up the Zimmer toss. Schilling is hated by the Yankees because he never shuts up about the team, or let alone anything else, and because he has constantly beat them on the big stage. Besides that, I do not think the Yankees are looking to acquire a 41 year old pitcher any time soon.

I do think that Schilling be playing for the Red Sox in 2008, depending on the upcoming season. I think that Schilling still does have gas in the tank. And if he repeats last year performance I think that it will be imperative that the Sox' Brass keeps Schilling. Schilling did not have a great year last season, but he had pretty good one. Considering that Josh Beckett was suppose to come in and take the "Ace" title away from Schilling. I think we all know had that turned out. Schilling had a good year. He went 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA. He led the league in Strikeouts to Walk ratio (6.54-1), gave up the least Walks per 9IP (1.24), had the 6th lowest WHIP (1.216), and had the 6th highest winning percentage all while surpassing 200 innings and taking the mound to start more than 30 games. That tank that many questioned was empty after he came back from his ankle injury in 2005 as a "closer" (I will forget that period of Curt's career and I bet he hopes everyone else does too) was not as empty as everyone thought. He was the best pitcher on the team last year, besides young stud Papelbon, and showed that he can still handle the workload of a major league pitcher.

Schilling will be back for these reasons. He is a superstar in Boston. Schilling is everywhere, he is on sports radio, he is blogging online at night with fans, he is playing World of War Craft with Red Sox geeks, he is creating his own video game company, and I think he serves Bar at the Cask n' Flagons on Wednesdays that he does not pitch. He will be a Red Sox because he is also a hero. He helped bring the town a championship. The only one that many generations have ever seen. He slayed the dragon and did what Williams, Yaz, FIsk, Rice, Boggs, Clemens, Vaughn, and Nomar could not do. Schilling pulled a Willis Reed for Boston, except unlike Willis he did not just suit up, he actually played and was awesome. He will be on the Red Sox in 2008 because he can still pitch, and pitch effectively. And finally he will retire in Boston because it is the right thing to do, let #38 finish where he originally started, with the team that drafted him. Let Schilling finish off his legacy in Boston where the fans truly appreciate everything he has done for this town. I am certain that Theo, Lucchino, and Henry will do the right thing this time. And if not you never know, he could be wearing Pinstripes and eating every word that he has ever uttered like his buddy Johnny, in the Bronx.