Have fastball, will travel

(Associated Press photo)

Curt Schilling becomes the first pitcher to start a World Series game for three different teams 19 years ago today as he works the first six innings of Boston’s 6-2 victory over St. Louis in Game 2 of the 2004 World Series before a Sunday night crowd of 35,001 at Fenway Park.

Schilling previously makes starts in the World Series for Philadelphia in 1993 and Arizona in 2001.

(Associated Press photo)

Schilling performs extraordinarily well in the postseason for all three teams, going 11-2 in 19 starts with a 2.23 ERA.

Seven of those 19 starts come in the World Series, where Schilling is 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA and – most important – three championship rings.

All part of Schilling’s Hall of Fame-worthy resume, which includes a 212-135 record over the final 16 seasons of his 20-year career in the majors.

Getting into the Hall of Fame, though, has been a problem for the politically polarizing, love-him-or-loathe-him Schilling, who has exhausted his full 10 years on the writers’ ballot.

He now must wait for, and hope, one of the Hall’s myriad veterans’ committees to eventually elect him.

Schilling may already be in the Hall, but he petulantly asks the Hall of Fame and its voting writers prior to his 10th and final season on the ballot in 2022 to take his name out of consideration.

Schilling does this despite steadily rising in the voting from 45 percent in 2017 to 51.2 percent in 2018, followed by 60.9 percent in 2019, 70 percent in 2020 and 71.1 percent in 2021.

Former players that close to the 75 percent needed for election almost always find themselves getting the votes they need in their final year of eligibility.

Schilling, though? Thank you, no, he wants his name off of the ballot. He says he no longer trusts the process, especially the voting writers he has come to despise.

(Sporting News photo)

Seems there that Schilling is not thrilled with how the media have covered his failed business dealings, his ultra-conservative political views or his occasional cleat-in-the-mouth postings on social media.

The Hall, though, declines Schilling’s request and keeps his name on the writers’ ballot for a final time, although voters oblige Schilling by awarding him with only 58.6 percent of the vote.

Now, the 56-year-old Schilling must wait for who knows how many years before, if ever, getting into the Hall.

“I’ll defer to the Veterans Committee and men whose opinions actually matter and who are in a position to actually judge a player,” Schilling says. “I don’t think I’m a Hall of Famer, as I’ve often stated, but if former players think I am, then I’ll accept that with honor.”