January 29th, 2007 → 11:30 am @ Seth Mnookin // No Comments
In other news:
* Schilling wants to see how many up-and-down years he can tack on to the end of his career, declaring he’ll play in 2008. He also says, “”It wouldn’t be in New York. No. I could not make that move.” I love when Red Sox folk heroes lay it on the line and say they’ll never play for the Yankees.
* Phildaelphia Inquirer columnist Jim Salisbury makes the point that revenue sharing is having some not-so-great effects on player salaries and small-market spending. Weird. I feel like I’ve heard something like that before.
* The world of baseball writers can be a pretty clubby place; it’s why I love guys like Keith Law, who think nothing of spanking colleagues for voting for Justin Morneau for MVP: “The reality of baseball is that a great offensive player at an up-the-middle position is substantially more valuable than a slightly better hitter at a corner position. And when that up-the-middle player is one of the best fielders at his position in baseball, there’s absolutely no comparison. Joe Mauer was more valuable than Justin Morneau this past season. … I have a hard time fathoming why any voter would put Morneau at the top of his ballot with so many obviously better candidates — Mauer, Jeter, Ortiz, Jermaine Dye, unanimous Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana or the criminally neglected Carlos Guillen (the best player on the AL pennant winner) — and in reality, more than half the voters did just that.”
Along those same lines, Sunday provided me with a reminder of why I love Bob Ryan. His column about the boneheads who left Ripken and Gwynn off their Hall of Fame ballots is a true classic; it’s not every day a sportswriter calls out his brethren for being, well, retarded. Some choice quotes:
“What if someone actually thought I were one of the eight who didn’t deem Cal a legit Hall of Famer or the 13 who didn’t think Gwynn had done enough to get in? I may not leave the house without a bag over my head.”
“Can you honestly look me in the eye and say that this man should not be in the Hall of Fame? Yes or no?”
“The primary reason, we are often told, is that some members of the voting body have a personal policy not to vote for someone the first year he is eligible. I cannot begin to comprehend the depths of such idiocy.”
“But please don’t think I’m one of them. I did the right thing. I swear.”
Awesome: the man is actually embarrassed that someone might confuse him for someone else from his profession.
Post Categories: Bob Ryan & Curt Schilling & Keith Law & Slate & Sports Reporters
tinisoli
17 years ago
Maybe Schilling’s new goal is to get to Cooperstown. If he can get another 35-40 wins, another ring or two, and another 400 Ks he’d have some pretty good numbers. There’ll be a lot of great pitchers getting into the Hall between 2013 and 2015: Clemens, Johnson, Maddux, Pedro, Glavine, Hoffman, etc. I’m sure Schilling would like to be in on that. And the bloody sock doesn’t hurt his chances. It must also be a nice idea that he can hang around for another two years as a mentor to Papelbon, Matsuzaka, and Beckett. I just hope he doesn’t drive them nuts.
And let’s hope we never again hear any utterances about running for office.
mikeb
17 years ago
Too bad Bob couldn’t bothered to remember whether he said 60 or 61 players.
In fact, I will now provide you with the full list of 60 players who should have been unanimous choices to become members of the Hall of Fame based on an affirmative answer to the following question:
“Can you honestly look me in the eye and say that this man should not be in the Hall of Fame? Yes or no?”
… But here, in alphabetical order, are the 61 men who should have gone in unanimously, No Questions Asked:
Not to mention he’s only a couple weeks late with this column.
(For the record, he listed 61.)
V06
17 years ago
Those idiot sportswriters who didn’t vote for Ripken and Gwynn… someone should smack them.
cursemyreverse
17 years ago
I would half love to see Curt get spanked running for office in MA as a hard core conservative. Hearing him or anyone go on about how great Joe Lieberman is just makes my blood run cold. Just go make your video games when you retire Curt… We love you, but save your stumping for the Legends Suite.
carnett
17 years ago
Schills a great pitcher that will be talked about in New England forever. His act however is getting a little old. His little hint to the Sox brass that if he’s not signed by spring training he’ll find a place to play? A lot of pink shirt fans are cool with this because he states, “I will not play for New York”. Shit, I guess Omar Minaya’s out a luck. The thing with Schill is his fucking mouth. The man never shuts up, and very rarely says something relevant. I like it when he said he was learning Japanese, what a riot! Shut the fuck up Curt, pitch and win. See you next to J.D. next year…..
Gee
17 years ago
We love you, but save your stumping for the Legends Suite.
A-MEN!
And carnett, I say, the more Japanese he speaks, the less English he’ll speak.
That works for me.
ben
17 years ago
Ryan should get off his high horse to explain why Yaz is a “no brainer” and Willie Stargell isn’t.