April 10, 2017

Curt Schilling proposes simple theory for Hall of Fame worthiness

By Michael Tanenbaum
PhillyVoice Staff

For the first time in seemingly forever, Curt Schilling is talking baseball instead of politics. We all know where the future POTUS stands on such issues—not at ESPN—but how about whether he honestly thinks he deserves a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Schilling fell short of immortality last year when he was subjected to a series of op-eds about whether his political views were turning voters off from enshrining him, as he suggested must have been the case. A New Jersey reporter Schilling once lumped in with the profession's "scumbags" explained that as a conservative himself, his refusal to vote Schilling in had nothing to do with some of the stuff the former ace has advocated, such as lynching journalists.

No, it was because Schilling's own teammates, including some 1993 Phillies, considered him the "worst teammate ever."

But does Schilling even believe he belongs in Cooperstown? On a recent episode of the "Pardon My Take" podcast hosted by Big Cat and PFT Commenter, Schilling laid out what he believes is the basic, gut-level criterion for Hall of Fame induction (h/t Sports Talk Philly for the transcript).

Curt Schilling: Want me to give you the litmus test?

Big Cat: Yeah.

Curt Schilling: So I'm going to name names, you say yes or no to Hall of Fame, OK?

Big Cat: OK.

Curt Schilling: Nolan Ryan?

Big Cat and PFT Commenter: Yes

Curt Schilling: Rickey Henderson?

Big Cat and PFT Commenter: Yes

Curt Schilling: Randy Johnson?

Big Cat and PFT Commenter: Yes

Curt Schilling: Mike Mussina

Big Cat: Ooh, I would have to look at his numbers.

Curt Schilling: As soon as you pause, it's a no. The Hall of Fame should be about people that you look at and go 'Yep, [expletive] best ever, no doubt'. I think I was pretty good, I think I was better than everyone in the history of the game in October, but was I a Hall of Famer in my Hall of Fame? No.