Curt Schilling is Not a HOFer, but Not for Political Reasons

I, like everyone else, waited eagerly for the results of the Baseball Hall of Fame 2021 ballot.  It used to be a sure thing, you knew who was going to get in, and who would not.  You could look at the votes from the previous years of eligibility and figure who would possibly make the leap.  Then there are the no-brainers that are first ballot hall of famers.  The committee, to me, along with the way they go about it, is flawed beyond reproach.  But I think they got it right this time.  Not only in my book does Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens not belong in the hall of fame, neither does Curt Schilling. But, it has nothing to do with his political views, or his sometimes acting like a horse's ass.  He doesn't have the stats.

Take an honest look at Curt Schilling's stats.  A long honest look.  215 wins, career.  How is that Hall of Fame worthy?  Seriously.  Three  years of 20 wins or over in his long career, ok, not bowling me over.  ERA of about 3.50.  Ok, I guess.  Does that make him an all time great.  No it doesn't.  Yes he had great playoff runs with Boston, Philadelphia and Arizona.  World Series rings, yes he has had them.    He helped Boston get rid of a huge monkey off their backs with the World Series Rings in 2004 and 07, but does that automatically give him a seat in Cooperstown?   If it does, then we need to change the Hall of Fame, to The Hall of Above Average, or Very good.

Curt Schilling is 2000's version of Jack Morris.  Jack Morris was the Major League's winningest pitcher of the decade of the 80s.  He won 254 games with three different teams.  He won a World Series with Detroit in 1984, with Minnesota in 1991, and with Toronto in 1993.  Jack Morris won one of the greatest pitching performances of all time in World Series History, the 1-0 10 inning effort in game 7 of The 1991 World Series for Minnesota over Atlanta and John  Smoltz.  That is better than the glorified bloody sock effort by Curt Schilling for the Red Sox.  Not even close.  Don't let the East coast bias of Boston and Philadelphia lead you otherwise.  Oh did I mention it took the veterans committee to elect Jack Morris to the Hall of Fame?  Why shouldn't it take Curt Schilling that long to get in.

If Jack Morris would have pitched one season for Boston, LA, or New York, or for that matter Philadelphia, then yes he would have gotten into the Hall of Fame the right way.  Curt Schilling has had the benefit of this bias to inflate his case to get in, and blinding most of you with false hopes of getting in.

Now, I know the threshold of getting in to the Hall of Fame will soon be lowered.  The days of seeing a 300 win pitcher are just about gone.  You will need 600 home runs now to be a sure thing,  due to the home run era.  2500 hits will probably be the threshold.   And a case could be made for Schilling getting in, because of that.  But he only has 215 wins.  That sticks out to me.  Jack Morris was a better pitcher.  Jack Morris did not get along with writers, and that hurt him.  Especially with the East coast writers, oh and the 12 writers from the New York Post that have a vote.  What a travesty that is.  Curt Schilling has the same issue, just a different reason.  His is political.  And that should not make a difference.  He just isn't good enough to make it.

Now, like I said, The hall of fame is a travesty.  No doubt.  You have people that don't even go to games anymore with a vote.  You have guys that won't vote in someone unanimous, because it may affect the outcome of a player they covered and their chances to get in.    You have voters that are older that admittedly don't even watch the games anymore that still vote.  This isn't the Supreme Court.  You aren't given a lifetime pass to vote on this.

Sorry, but again Curt Schilling is not a Hall of Fame worthy recipient.  Hall of Very Good?  Possibly.  Hall of Above Average, of course.  But Hall of Fame, no.  And NO, it's not political.    I don't care who he votes for and who he likes.  I care about what he did between the lines.  And if Jack Morris didn't deserves the votes, neither does Curt Schilling.