The Great Debate: Curt Schilling’s Hall of Fame Status

As you probably already know, Curt Schilling announced his retirement earlier this week on his blog and the proper “Is he a Hall of Famer?” questions began. This debate always surfaces when you have a guy who does not have the complete resume for Cooperstown. How do voters reconcile regular versus postseason success? Can World Series rings and big game ability compensate for a lack in career numbers?

It’s tough to get inside the minds of HOF voters, mostly because each voter has a different set of standards when casting their ballot. Which prompts even more debate as to whether or not there should be some prerequisites by position before consideration even begins. I suppose there are some unofficial milestones that need to be met, but the plain and simple fact is that there are so many variables that borderline HOF players can be left in limbo for an extended period of time.

My guess is that Schilling will get in based on the fact that he dominated for several seasons; he was runner up for the Cy Young three times. And you want to talk about bad luck; these are the numbers he posted in those three seasons:

2001: 22-6 record; 256.2 IP; 293 Ks; 2.98 ERA (Randy Johnson got the Cy Young)
2002: 23-7 record; 259.1 IP; 316 Ks; 3.23 ERA (Randy Johnson got the Cy Young)
2004: 21-6 record; 226.2 IP; 203 Ks; 3.26 ERA (Johan Santana got the Cy Young)

So we’ve established that Schilling is currently using some form of witchcraft or voodoo on Randy Johnson as we speak, seeing as the lanky, southpaw fireballer may actually have an impact on which way the vote swings on Schilling. Needless to say, if Schilling gets the Cy Young even just one of those years, he’s that much closer to Cooperstown.

I think he gets in, but it won’t be on the first try. Voters will make him sweat it out, for several reasons. One, because they can. Two, because he wasn’t exactly the most well received personality in the media’s eyes. Three, because he doesn’t have the overall numbers and had the misfortune of being overshadowed in his best seasons. But, in the end, he helped the Red Sox overcome the curse. He won World Series starts with three different teams. He has three rings. He has a World Series MVP trophy (well, co-MVP with the aforementioned Johnson). And he has a bloody sock.  You may not like him, you may not think he was one of the best, but he dominated in several years, and, in my eyes, his big game ability does make up for the lack of career Ws.

If you had a vote, would you vote him in? The first time around?

[ad]