What if Schilling had stayed?
What if Curt Schilling had remained with the Phillies?
What if Schilling had stayed?
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Curt Schilling retired.
On his blog.
Perfect.
I used to wonder a lot what it might have been like if Schilling had stayed with the Phillies, of if he had come back that time when it seemed a possibility. Because there is no denying the big-game excellence of the guy, or the big mouth. I can argue that it would have been the kick they needed. I can just as easily argue that it would have been an annual firestorm that would have held them back. It is the beauty of you-never-know, and about arguing. Facts don't matter because there are no facts. With these kinds of arguments, as long as you have lungs you can stay in the game.
The man is a fascinating character. The man owned October. Given the chance to pitch in the post-season, again and again and again, Schilling came through for teams, again and again and again. It is impossible to demonstrate greatness without the opportunity, and Schilling was given tons of opportunity -- and he delivered. I don't vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame and I don't want to, but he will be a fascinating case -- because if the post-season can deliver a player to Cooperstown, it will deliver Curt Schilling.
And, like I said, I used to wonder about what might have happened if Schilling had stayed -- if the Phillies had had the money to spend, if Ed Wade hadn't been the general manager. But I really don't wonder anymore. I mean, they won, and winning provides the great absolution. Winning does not answer all questions but it renders a lot of them meaningless. So it is with this one.
Besides, Schilling and a television career seem predestined, no? My guess is that we'll be seeing him more than ever, and soon.
Thank god he didn't. He's classless. He bad mouths Philadelphia and the fans and could careless about them.— jt126- It is good to know that Curt will go into Hall before Roger.— chak06880
- What if Eleanor Roosevelt could fly? What if Napolean had a B52 at the battle of Waterloo? This question ranks up with those SNL skits. Coulda, shoulda, woulda. Would have been nice to see him retire as a Phil.— bjps1353
- Schilling equals over rated jerk. Towel over his head in 1993 and Ketchup on his Sock in '04, is worse then steroids. Good Riddance. No HOF for you.— jaybird52
- After the Phillies went to '93 Series, Mgmt sat on thier rears, with the thought process, we good enough with what we spent already, to make it again soon, Schil saw otherwise, and vented for the fans, it took Mgmt over 14 years later to finally spend, to put a winner on the field, possibly pushed by watching Schil goes elsewhere, and get ring after ring.— GalRand
- Curt left us, we didn't push him out the door. So, in a way, he did Phillies a favor by leaving and letting us win a World Series without him.— Tom5576
- What if the Daily News and Inquirer had actual sports "writers" and editors who did their jobs ?— Gino D.
- Actually, If dumbo Eddie Wade hadn't traded the great Schil, the Phils would have made the playoffs in 2001, 2002,2004, and maybe one or twice more. All the Phils had to do was get to a 7th game. Schil would have won that game.
Comment removed.- Who cares, we got our ring. He gonna look like Todd Maccalough in 5 yrs, he gonna be the Charles Barkley of MLB for the next 20 yrs. I truly hope he is not one of the 103. No 300 wins, no HOF. 11-2 in playoffs doesnt equal HOF.— Onlineps2beast
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I was always a big fan...Schilling kinda reminds me a bit of 'Charles' and I like people like that... I have a lot of favorite moments, but here is one you may not remember: Mickey Morandini turned an unassisted triple play behind Curt Schilling, who, interestingly, for me anyway, struck out the leadoff hitter in that inning. As my main man Casey Stengel used to say "You could look it up."- I was at the playoff game where Curt struck out the first five Braves batters to start the game . Unbelievable dominance by a power pitcher .— Joe R.
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- I remember a Playoff series against, I think Atlanta, where he came out and struck out the first 7 or 8 batters. For many years he was the only player on that team that had any spirit as management was happy to just go on year after year at a very mediocre level of play. It was clear at the time he left that there was no point in keeping him here, no point in watching a career end with a team that was going nowhere. leaving gave him the opportunity to play with teams as good as he was, and left the Phils so bad that management could no longer slide by and finally had to build a team worthy of winning a Series. So his leaving was a Win-Win situation.— atp2007
