RLakin
All Star
By Bob Ford
Inquirer Columnist
Curt Schilling wants to escape from the Arizona Diamondbacks, seeking an exit ramp less than three seasons after conducting a loud, sustained campaign to join that team.
Apparently, Schilling would like nothing better than to rejoin the Phillies, the team he ripped to shreds while filibustering for the July 2000 trade that granted his wish.
From a business standpoint, Schilling's desire to move again makes a lot of sense. The Diamondbacks are cutting costs and dropping in the standings. The Phillies are spending money and are headed north for the first time in a decade.
Schilling gets a chance to make a case with his arm tomorrow when he takes the mound for probably the last time at Veterans Stadium. He'll also have the opportunity to make a verbal plea before the series begins with tonight's game. There will be plenty of television cameras and tape recorders ready to preserve his thoughts, but Schilling doesn't provide much in those settings. He'll pledge his loyalty to the Diamondbacks - he's under contract through the 2004 season - and avoid deep speculation on whether his career might take a U-turn to Philadelphia.
Along with a great fastball, this is one of Schilling's trademarks. What he says isn't always what goes through his mind.
In Sunday's Inquirer, Jim Salisbury reported that Schilling sought out members of the Phillies' traveling party in Phoenix last week and said he definitely wanted to come back. He even had a trade scenario ready in case the Phillies had trouble coming up with one of their own. Helpful as always.
While it is tempting to have Schilling back in the rotation, there are several ways in which the price would be too high. Reason No. 1, however, is what has always been the best reason to have Schilling on someone else's team:
The guy's a jerk.
Yes, he does a lot for charity. Yes, he's a devoted family man. Yes, he has certainly matured over the years. But within the confines of a baseball clubhouse, Schilling has always violated the first rule of kindergarten - he doesn't play well with others.
It hasn't been all his fault, but Schilling's reputation as a me-first player is mostly deserved. There may be no "I" in team, but there are two in Schilling. His penchant for seeking out the spotlight, for ripping teammates, for placing himself ahead of the organization is nearly pathological.
Schilling, who warred with general manager Ed Wade during the latter stages of his tenure here, likes to laugh and quote Wade as saying, "Curt is a horse every fifth day, and the other four days, he's a horse's a-."
What Wade actually said in 1999 was: "Every fifth day, Curt has the opportunity to go out and be a horse on the mound. Unfortunately, on the other four days, he tends to say things which are detrimental to the club and clearly self-serving."
That's a lot more direct and a lot more accurate, like a good Schilling fastball. But not quite as funny.
Most of the problems between Wade and Schilling arose because Schilling felt the Phillies weren't spending enough money in order to win. And you have to observe that Schilling was absolutely right. Any team that kept a straight face while putting Rafael Quirico in a major-league uniform can't be taken too seriously.
Schilling's rants did nothing to make the Phillies better, however. They only intensified a dreadful clubhouse situation and left the impression that Schilling's chief gripe was that he personally deserved better.
There was plenty more. Scott Rolen told Schilling privately that the Vet turf would affect his decision to re-sign with the Phils, and Schilling blabbed that as soon as possible during one of his this-organization-stinks rants. He said during a Major League Baseball conference call with reporters that some of his teammates weren't good enough to win, which made him more popular with his buddies in uniform.
And every day he didn't pitch, Schilling lounged on the top step of the dugout to watch the game, a practice the rest of the Phillies believed was related to the amount of camera time he would receive there. No sense sitting back in the shadows of the dugout where no one could see you.
The Phillies are heading in the right directions these days, and it's no surprise that players from other teams want to get on board. Kevin Millwood joined the Phils in an off-season trade. Jim Thome and David Bell signed up last winter, breaking a long stretch in which major free agents treated Philadelphia as if it were radioactive.
Along the way, the Phils have developed a very good atmosphere in their clubhouse. The new additions are a big part of that. It is professional, purposeful and, as much as any office with 25 competing agendas, it is together.
Why the Phillies would contemplate tossing a human grenade like Schilling into the middle of that is anybody's guess. It could be they have no intention of doing so. After all, Schilling isn't the only pitcher who might be interested in joining a winner.
There are other reasons to take a pass on Schilling's overtures.
Trading for him would be expensive, with the Diamondbacks likely looking to pick up hot prospects such as Gavin Floyd in the transaction. It would also be expensive from a financial standpoint. The Phils are spending more these days, but their primary worry should be extending Millwood's contract past this season.
Schilling can obviously still pitch very well, but he will be 37 in November. He has thrown a lot of innings, and the list of power pitchers who retain their effectiveness past that age is a short one.
The bottom line, though, is that this has nothing to do with baseball. That one day on the mound is fine.
But the other four will kill you.
Inquirer Columnist
Curt Schilling wants to escape from the Arizona Diamondbacks, seeking an exit ramp less than three seasons after conducting a loud, sustained campaign to join that team.
Apparently, Schilling would like nothing better than to rejoin the Phillies, the team he ripped to shreds while filibustering for the July 2000 trade that granted his wish.
From a business standpoint, Schilling's desire to move again makes a lot of sense. The Diamondbacks are cutting costs and dropping in the standings. The Phillies are spending money and are headed north for the first time in a decade.
Schilling gets a chance to make a case with his arm tomorrow when he takes the mound for probably the last time at Veterans Stadium. He'll also have the opportunity to make a verbal plea before the series begins with tonight's game. There will be plenty of television cameras and tape recorders ready to preserve his thoughts, but Schilling doesn't provide much in those settings. He'll pledge his loyalty to the Diamondbacks - he's under contract through the 2004 season - and avoid deep speculation on whether his career might take a U-turn to Philadelphia.
Along with a great fastball, this is one of Schilling's trademarks. What he says isn't always what goes through his mind.
In Sunday's Inquirer, Jim Salisbury reported that Schilling sought out members of the Phillies' traveling party in Phoenix last week and said he definitely wanted to come back. He even had a trade scenario ready in case the Phillies had trouble coming up with one of their own. Helpful as always.
While it is tempting to have Schilling back in the rotation, there are several ways in which the price would be too high. Reason No. 1, however, is what has always been the best reason to have Schilling on someone else's team:
The guy's a jerk.
Yes, he does a lot for charity. Yes, he's a devoted family man. Yes, he has certainly matured over the years. But within the confines of a baseball clubhouse, Schilling has always violated the first rule of kindergarten - he doesn't play well with others.
It hasn't been all his fault, but Schilling's reputation as a me-first player is mostly deserved. There may be no "I" in team, but there are two in Schilling. His penchant for seeking out the spotlight, for ripping teammates, for placing himself ahead of the organization is nearly pathological.
Schilling, who warred with general manager Ed Wade during the latter stages of his tenure here, likes to laugh and quote Wade as saying, "Curt is a horse every fifth day, and the other four days, he's a horse's a-."
What Wade actually said in 1999 was: "Every fifth day, Curt has the opportunity to go out and be a horse on the mound. Unfortunately, on the other four days, he tends to say things which are detrimental to the club and clearly self-serving."
That's a lot more direct and a lot more accurate, like a good Schilling fastball. But not quite as funny.
Most of the problems between Wade and Schilling arose because Schilling felt the Phillies weren't spending enough money in order to win. And you have to observe that Schilling was absolutely right. Any team that kept a straight face while putting Rafael Quirico in a major-league uniform can't be taken too seriously.
Schilling's rants did nothing to make the Phillies better, however. They only intensified a dreadful clubhouse situation and left the impression that Schilling's chief gripe was that he personally deserved better.
There was plenty more. Scott Rolen told Schilling privately that the Vet turf would affect his decision to re-sign with the Phils, and Schilling blabbed that as soon as possible during one of his this-organization-stinks rants. He said during a Major League Baseball conference call with reporters that some of his teammates weren't good enough to win, which made him more popular with his buddies in uniform.
And every day he didn't pitch, Schilling lounged on the top step of the dugout to watch the game, a practice the rest of the Phillies believed was related to the amount of camera time he would receive there. No sense sitting back in the shadows of the dugout where no one could see you.
The Phillies are heading in the right directions these days, and it's no surprise that players from other teams want to get on board. Kevin Millwood joined the Phils in an off-season trade. Jim Thome and David Bell signed up last winter, breaking a long stretch in which major free agents treated Philadelphia as if it were radioactive.
Along the way, the Phils have developed a very good atmosphere in their clubhouse. The new additions are a big part of that. It is professional, purposeful and, as much as any office with 25 competing agendas, it is together.
Why the Phillies would contemplate tossing a human grenade like Schilling into the middle of that is anybody's guess. It could be they have no intention of doing so. After all, Schilling isn't the only pitcher who might be interested in joining a winner.
There are other reasons to take a pass on Schilling's overtures.
Trading for him would be expensive, with the Diamondbacks likely looking to pick up hot prospects such as Gavin Floyd in the transaction. It would also be expensive from a financial standpoint. The Phils are spending more these days, but their primary worry should be extending Millwood's contract past this season.
Schilling can obviously still pitch very well, but he will be 37 in November. He has thrown a lot of innings, and the list of power pitchers who retain their effectiveness past that age is a short one.
The bottom line, though, is that this has nothing to do with baseball. That one day on the mound is fine.
But the other four will kill you.
