Trump: Former D-back Schilling deserves to be in Hall of Fame
Jan 21, 2019, 4:44 PM | Updated: 5:08 pm
Curt Schilling is a well known Republican, so it should be no surprise that he is receiving full support from President Trump.
Trump tweeted Sunday he wants the former D-backs great to make the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame on Tuesday will announce its 2019 class.
Curt Schilling deserves to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Great record, especially when under pressure and when it mattered most. Do what everyone in Baseball knows is right! @marklevinshow
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2019
Whether Schilling will make the Hall of Fame this season following Trump’s endorsement will soon be known, but it doesn’t look promising.
According to Yahoo! Sports’ Mike Oz, Schilling should not expect to get approval from Hall of Fame voters this time around.
“With the results of this year’s vote coming Tuesday, it seems like a safe bet that neither Bonds, Clemens nor Schilling should be waiting by the phone,” Oz explained.
“This won’t be their year unless everything we think we know about Hall of Fame voting turns upside down. But they should at least jot down any speech ideas they have, because it’s starting to look like Bonds, Clemens and Schilling will get in. Eventually.”
With about 53 percent of the Hall of Fame votes known as of Monday, Schilling had 70.4 percent of the 75 percent necessary of the vote to be elected.
With 216 ballots revealed/~52.4% of the vote known:
Rivera – 100%
Halladay – 92.6%
Edgar – 90.7%
Mussina – 81.5%
—
Clemens – 70.8%
Bonds – 70.4%
Schilling – 70.4%
Walker – 65.3%
McGriff – 38.9%
Vizquel – 38.0%
Manny – 24.5%
Rolen – 20.4%
Helton – 18.1%https://t.co/8ISx82oWgM— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) January 21, 2019
Regardless if Schilling is elected into the 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame class, he will be forever ingrained into the memories of every Arizona Diamondbacks fan.
In 2001, Schilling posted a 22-6 record in 256.2 innings pitched (both led MLB) with a 2.98 ERA and 293 strikeouts (both second in MLB), a 1.075 WHIP (fifth in MLB) and 10.3 SO/9 (third in MLB).
He finished second in Cy Young Award voting that season behind teammate Randy Johnson.
Schilling was named the World Series co-MVP with Johnson following the D-backs’ game 7 walk-off win over the New York Yankees.
In only their fourth year of existence, the D-backs brought Arizona the only championship amongst its four major professional sports.
Schilling’s 2001 postseason performance is one of the best of all-time.
The right-hander went 4-0 in 48.1 innings pitched (both second best all-time in one postseason) to go along with six starts and 56 strikeouts (both lead MLB all-time in one postseason).
Schilling had an even better year in 2002, as the then-35-year-old produced a 3.23 ERA and finished second in the MLB in wins (23), strikeouts (316), WHIP (0.968), SO/9 (10.967) and innings pitched (259.1).
Once again, Schilling finished second to teammate Johnson in not only Cy Young Award voting, but all statistics in which Schilling finished second in the MLB.
Prior to his tenure in the Valley, Schilling won the NLCS MVP on the way to the 1993 World Series with the Phillies, but lost to the Blue Jays on Joe Carter’s famous walk-off homerun.
In November 2003, Schilling was traded to the Boston Red Sox.
His performance in game six of the 2004 ALCS forced a game seven in what would become the greatest and only 3-0 series comeback in MLB history.
Ironically, his famous “bloody sock” from that game is already in the Hall of Fame.
Schilling would go on to win the 2004 and 2007 World Series with the Red Sox before retiring following the 2008 season.
The three-time World Series winner has career 216 wins, 3.46 ERA, 3,116 strikeouts (15th all-time) and a 1.137 WHIP.
