Curt Schilling on Joe Buck’s 2001 World Series story: ‘I never in my life asked out of a game’

Curt Schilling probably won’t be reading MLB play-by-play man Joe Buck’s new book, Lucky Bastard.

The memoir doesn’t hit bookstore shelves until Nov. 15, but VICE Sports reviewed the piece and highlighted an especially juicy excerpt about former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling and his exit in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series.

Sitting at 88 pitches through seven frames of three-hit ball and with the game tied 1-1, mic’d manager Bob Brenly was caught telling Schilling his night was over. But according to Buck’s book, Schilling had previously requested to be removed from the game and was only playing to the microphones by showing displeasure with the move.

On Arizona Sports 98.7 FM’s Burns and Gambo show Wednesday, Schilling refuted the story.

“I’ve always kind of been a Joe Buck guy despite the fact that he continues to get more and more unpopular in the World Series. Now I’m going to tell you he’s an assclown,” Schilling said. “I would tell you, I never in my life asked out of a game. And if I did, if I was coming out of a game, I went to the manager.”

Schilling said he only asked out at the tail end of his career, in the 2006-07 seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

“It’s like the bloody sock thing,” he said, comparing Buck’s story to the theory his bleeding ankle in the 2004 ALCS with the Red Sox was not real. “If you’re going to sit on the fence about whether it’s real or not, you’re an idiot.

“There’s no logic to it,” he added. “There’s no sequence to the comments, they don’t make sense. Listen, I was pitching Game 4 of the World Series, I had no idea who had a mic on, I just knew I didn’t.”

Schilling, via Twitter, said Brenly and Miller would back his story.

And I'll tell you right now, Joe Buck is a liar, 100% through and through. Damian Miller, Bob Brenly would say so as well

— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) November 2, 2016

Here is the excerpt from Buck’s book, courtesy of VICE Sports:

Here is what we didn’t know. Earlier in that inning, Schilling had told his catcher, Damian Miller, that he was running out of gas: ‘Whatever happens, this is my last inning. Don’t let him put me back out there again.’ Naturally, Miller told Brenly.

But Schilling could see the microphone on Brenly’s uniform. He knew he would look better if he begged to keep pitching on national television. So he asked Brenly to keep him the game…They both knew he was coming out.”

…

Brenly got lots of heat for pulling Schilling against his will—the whole country had heard Schilling protest in the dugout. But Brenly couldn’t call out one of his aces for being a glory hound. He had to take the heat, and he did—with a great sense of humor.

On the FOX Sports broadcast, the crew replayed Brenly telling Schilling he was done in favor of reliever Byung-Hyung Kim (2:12.10 mark below).

“That’s enough, that’s enough,” Brenly said.

“No, no, I’m alright,” Schilling said.

“Listen you’re at 88 right now,” Brenly added. “We got B.K. locked and loaded for the last six outs. You’re a hero already.”

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