Tonight, Curt Schilling will likely cement what I believe are his considerable qualificiations for the Hall of Fame. When he strikes out his first batter of the evening (and he has yet to strike out fewer than two batters in a game this season), he will become the 14th player to reach 3,000 Ks. Of the 13 who have previously done it, nine are in the Hall of Fame. Bert Blyleven should be. Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux will be.
“I don’t know where I’ll fall on that scale, as far as how many walks people had when they got to 3,000, but I hope up I’m up there in that," Schilling told the Globe in today’s editions. Schilling has just 683 walks entering tonight’s game, a fact he said he’s proud of.
It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out whether Schilling indeed will have the fewest walks among 3,000-K pitchers.
First, Curt Schilling is second all-time in K/BB ratio, with 4.29 strikeouts for every walk, one-hundredth of a strikeout ahead of Pedro Martinez. Ninetheenth-century pitcher Tommy Bond (879 strikeouts, 4.4 K/BB) is first. So it’s pretty likely that Schilling will have the fewest walks of any pitcher when he reaches his 3,000th, but let’s make sure..
The next closest 3,000-strikeout pitcher on the K/BB list is Greg Maddux (12th all-time), who finished his 2005 season with 3,052 strikeouts — but 907 walks. Randy Johnson is 19th, reaching 3,000 strikeouts in 2000. But he reached 683 walks (Schilling’s current total) in 1994. Fergie Jenkins had about 900 walks when he hit No. 3,000. Roger Clemens struck out his 3,000th batter in the 1998 season, and walked his 1,000th that same year.
Even Pedro, who entered the season ahead of Schilling in K/BB ratio, has 697 walks with 14 strikeouts left to go before No. 3,000.
So it’s pretty safe to say that Curt Schilling will make baseball history tonight. He will become the only pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters while allowing fewer than 700 walks.
93 comments… add one
a very impressive feat.
If you ever read Jay Jaffe’s JAWS stuff, he has Schilling as a borderline candidate. I’m guessing you right, and the 3000 k’s leads to his induction. The voters like the landmark stats.
Done and done. With a runner on 2nd and no outs, he strikes Swisher out swingin’. Now will Papi please be okay so he can finish chasing the Red Sox home run record?
The guy who writes for ESPN.coms soon to be defunct, Daily Quickie today said that if Ortiz doesnt play again this season he will still win the MVP.
Kelty ties it up with a homer.
“The guy who writes for ESPN.coms soon to be defunct, Daily Quickie today said that if Ortiz doesnt play again this season he will still win the MVP.”
that’s because he writes for ESPN.
Ellis homers to left to make it 2-1 Oaktown.
Kendall hits a 1-2 through the left side.
Swisher pops out to the infield; Lowell makes the play.
Kotsay singles to right center to advance Kendall to third. Big Hurt up.
Thomas singles to center to score Kendall, advancing Kotsay to second.
Blah blah blah, same old, same old. So far I’m glad I started Zito and not Schilling on my fantasy team.
Chavez grounds the ball to first; Pena throws to second to get Thomas but Schilling comes off the bag and miss the tag to lose the DP. Kotsay to third, two away.
Schilling misses low to walk Payton on four pitches to load them for Kelty.
Kielty rather.
Schilling is at 51 pitches. The 2-2 to Kielty is away to make it full.
Loaded, two away; here’s the payoff: fouled off. Reset the runners.
Schilling Ks Kielty on a high fastball to end the inning.
Lowell leads off for Boston. He grounds out 5-3 for the first out.
Kapler pops to 4.
Was there any Oakland ovation for Schilling’s K?
“The Red Sox have one healthy player on the bench, and that’s the back-up catcher Javy Lopez.”
Oof.
Mirabelli flies out to Kielty to end the Sox third.
There was. Quite a few people in A’s caps stood and applauded.
Sorry Paul, I wasn’t listening to the game yet. I would think so.
Glad I made this post — didn’t even know the Sox were playing in the afternoon…
Scutaro singles to left center on a 2-2 to lead of the A’s 4th.
I wasn’t sure if this was supposed to be the gamer or not, but it serves well for that purpose.
Hey, it works…
It’s the blogosphere, AG! Anything goes! It’s all crazy and loosey-goosey!
this is a test:
Joseph Torre
Schilling brings the count full to Ellis. Scutaro was running, but Ellis fouls it off. Youk makes a leaping grab at the track to take away a multi-base hit from Ellis. Scutaro back to first.
Kendall flies out to deep right for the second out.
Swisher hits it off the wall for a double to score Scutaro.
Kotsay grounds out 43 to end the inning.
Hinske is behind quickly to Zito 0-2. He takes inside. The 1-2 is a K on a curve.
Pedroia doubles off of Zito, doubling to left. One out to Pena.
Pena flies to Payton for the second out. Pedroia holds at second.
Zito walks Youk on four pitches. Cora up, two on, two out.
Cora behind 0-2 quickly. Zito brings it high and tight. The 1-2 is a fastball that misses outside. The next pitch is grounded to short; Scutaro tosses to Ellis for the force at second to end the inning.
Thomas singles to lead off the bottom of the fifth.
Man, this is just pathetic. I know the lineup is bad without Papi and Manny, but those players aren’t THIS bad…
So I have to endure this pummeling and stay at work late? Bah.
84 pitches for Schilling through 4+. Ouch.
Lowell makes a grab in foul territory to retire Chavez.
Payton misses the first pitch. The next pitch is low and out. THe 1-1 is popped up off first where Pena makes the catch for the second out. Kielty up.
Kielty works a full count out of Schilling, who then Ks Kielty on a splitter to retire the side.
I appreciate your doing this, AG. Not having the heart — or the time — to GameCast at work today, you’re my only source for the Sox game right now…
Loretta singles to lead off the sixth.
My pleasure, Paul. I’m listening on WEEI. Refreshing change from Sterling yelling at me all day.
Lowell flies to right. Kapler up. He falls behind 1-2.
Kapler Ks on a curve; two away to Mirabelli.
The 0-1 misses away. Next is high. The 2-1 is a line drive to left over Scutaro for a single. Loretta to second, Hinske to the plate.
Zito walks Hinske on four pitches to load them for Pedroia, who doubled his last time up.
Kiko Calero up in the pen for Oaktown.
Pedroia takes two pitches for strikes. The 0-2 is a curve taken in the dirt. The 1-2 is high away. The 2-2 is hit to shallow left. Kielty charges and makes the catch as the runners are stranded.
Go Zito! My fantasy team has a chance at victory–the Sox do not.
Scutaro ks for the first out in the bottom of the sixth.
Ellis triples off the wall in left. Youk played it too close to the wall and it hit high over his head, bouncing back toward the infield.
Kendall lines a single to right center to score Ellis.
My fantasy team is self-destructing, much like the Sox, as a matter of fact.
Tito is pulling Schilling.
Timlin on to face Swisher.
I moved into 1st place in my league for the first time this year three days ago. But I didn’t start Sabathia yesterday (complete game victory vs. Toronto). Now I’m in 2nd. Gah.
Timlin Ks Swisher on a full count. Kendall steals second on the play. Kotsay up.
Kotsay singles to right to score Kendall. The throw to the plate is cut off, freezing Kotsay. The play scores 9-3-6-4-6 as the run counts and the inning ends, Oakland 6, Boston 1.
Pena leads off with a first-pitch single in the top of the seventh off of Zito, who is at 101 pitches. Youk up.
Youk singles to left. Pena to second. Cora up.
Cora is now 0-4 looking at a 2-2 pitch at the knees for the first out. Zito leaves the game to an ovation.
A very solid game from my starting pitcher as the Sox do not score on Calero.
Loretta grounds into a FC; Pena to third, Youk out at second. Loretta to first.
Lowell hits a pop foul as Swisher makes a sliding catch in foul territory to retire the Sox. Heading to the stretch.
Thomas Ks.
Chavez doubles to deep right. Payton up.
Payton singles up the middle to score Chavez.
It’s just shameful…I hope you’re enjoying this game attackgerbil.
It’s top of the eighth. Kapler at first. Mirabelli flies out. Hinske doubles off the wall in left to make it second and third, one out.
Devine – I’m listening to it on WEEI. No I’m not enjoying it that much, I was hoping for a better matchup between Zito and Schill, that the one team or the other would eventually win 1-0 or 2-1 with both pitchers going nine.
Pedroia gets an RBI on a groundout to short. Hinske holds at second.
Papelbon in to get some work, one supposes.
Hey, no shutout!
It’s something, anyway.
And wouldn’t you know? They start it with a hit…a double, no less. Could you not let your ERA rise above 1.00 Papelbon, please?
Ah, Paul, not to rain on your (our) parade…there was actually a Red Sox lead in the 2nd (1-0, of course).
Ellis can’t move as Kendall strikes out.
Oops, that’s right. My bad… It just *feels* like we haven’t scored a run in three games…
Alllegiances aside, this is just depressing to watch.
A wild pitch by Papelbon moves Kendall to third, but Swisher also strikes out.
Kotsay grounds to short.
Thank you, Papelbon! He is part of our bright future.
From anybody else, YM, I would have taken that as somewhat snide — but you’ve been one of the saner YFs on the site…
Youk out on 3 pitches, Cora on 1.
Not snide, Paul. I truly feel bad for the Sox and for how fast the wheels came off…and thus I have incurred the wrath of my fellow YF co-workers. Heh.
Of course, this is horribly depressing to watch. It’s really an amazing slide, completely without precedent in my life as a Red Sox fan — never have I seen a team go from so good (12-game winning streak, 3.5 games up in the East) to soooo bad…
Loretta pops out to end the game as Oakland completes the sweep.
Loretta down on 1 more pitch to end the game. Jiminy Christmas. Could Ortiz and Manny please be okay for the next line-up? That would at least make the games fun to watch…and not a total effing embarrassment.
Well, congrats to Curt on the 3,000th strikeout. If only the rest of the game could have gone so well…
We need a new thread for Yanks/Tiggers game 2…
It’s up now, YM.
Thanks, Gerb!
Red Sox on verge of aquiring Varitek’s possible eventual replacement for David Wells.
Full Name: George Kottaras
Born: 05/16/1983
Birthplace: Scarborough, ON
College: Connors State JC, OK
Height: 6′ 0″
Weight: 185
Bats: L
Throws: R
He’s said to be a solid defender with pop in his bat.
Well, it gets worse.
The Herald now is reporting that Lester is in Boston being tested for cancer. He had enlarged lymph nodes on the most recent road trip.
Jon Lester is 22 years old.
Link to Lester story
Really really scary.