Schilling Signs for 1 yr/$8 M + Incentives to Stay w/ Boston

[Butterscup1679666578]

I'd love to land Schilling, if we couldn't sign A-Rod, Fukudome, or someone else to fill our SS/CF/RF needs. If Hendry could cut ties with Marquis's contract and replace it with a 1 yr/~$12-13M deal, I'd be all for it. A rotation of Z/Lilly/Schilling/Hill/Marshall-Gallagher would be excellent.

[SouthSideRyan]

He'd have to be an official game thread starter.

 

We would also need a daily thread on how great Curt Shilling is.

 

Curt could start it.

[shnsajax]

He'd have to be an official game thread starter.

 

We would also need a daily thread on how great Curt Shilling is.

 

Curt could start it.

 

Would he post with his own name or his everquest character name?

[MikeyLikesCubbies]

What about offering him something like 9-10M with incentives based mostly on innings, like they did with Maddux a few years back. My main concern with him is health, but he's the kind of pitcher who could get us over the hump.

[seanimal]

I think he fits better in Cleveland.

[Guest]

With our pitching the way it is (rotation basically filled, and expensively at that), the only types of SPs Hendry should look at are near-aces, worthy of pushing a couple guys down a slot (IOW, an impact player), or very value-priced #3-4 guys that could allow Marquis/Hill/Marshall to be unloaded or used as trade bait.

 

edit: and I don't think Schilling fits either of these molds.

 

As The Rocket and Ted Lilly have shown, the NL central aint the NL east. You don't think he'd take advantage of getting 16-20 starts against the Pittsburghs and Houstons of the world?

 

Plus he's a Proven Big Game Pitcher(trademark) and wouldn't give up first pitch homers to Chris Young.

 

Which will cost an extra 4M a season. Can we stop fixing holes that aren't there?

 

And starting more than half his starts against 2 teams would have to be some sort of record. Wish somebody sent the memo to Trachsel that the NL Central is worth a free point in ERA from the AL East.

 

Completely agree.

 

I don't know how many times it needs to be posted on here but the pitching staff was not the problem last year. It's the offense that needs to be upgraded.

[nilodnayr]

I think he fits better in Cleveland.

 

I think he fits best in Detroit.

[AlwaysaCub]

With our pitching the way it is (rotation basically filled, and expensively at that), the only types of SPs Hendry should look at are near-aces, worthy of pushing a couple guys down a slot (IOW, an impact player), or very value-priced #3-4 guys that could allow Marquis/Hill/Marshall to be unloaded or used as trade bait.

 

edit: and I don't think Schilling fits either of these molds.

 

As The Rocket and Ted Lilly have shown, the NL central aint the NL east. You don't think he'd take advantage of getting 16-20 starts against the Pittsburghs and Houstons of the world?

 

Plus he's a Proven Big Game Pitcher(trademark) and wouldn't give up first pitch homers to Chris Young.

 

Which will cost an extra 4M a season. Can we stop fixing holes that aren't there?

 

And starting more than half his starts against 2 teams would have to be some sort of record. Wish somebody sent the memo to Trachsel that the NL Central is worth a free point in ERA from the AL East.

 

Completely agree.

 

I don't know how many times it needs to be posted on here but the pitching staff was not the problem last year. It's the offense that needs to be upgraded.

 

Runs are runs are runs are runs. It doesn't matter if you're improving the run prevention or the run production, you're improving. And seriously, you don't think we have a hole at the 4th/5th starter spot?

[erik316wttn]

With our pitching the way it is (rotation basically filled, and expensively at that), the only types of SPs Hendry should look at are near-aces, worthy of pushing a couple guys down a slot (IOW, an impact player), or very value-priced #3-4 guys that could allow Marquis/Hill/Marshall to be unloaded or used as trade bait.

 

edit: and I don't think Schilling fits either of these molds.

 

As The Rocket and Ted Lilly have shown, the NL central aint the NL east. You don't think he'd take advantage of getting 16-20 starts against the Pittsburghs and Houstons of the world?

 

Plus he's a Proven Big Game Pitcher(trademark) and wouldn't give up first pitch homers to Chris Young.

 

Which will cost an extra 4M a season. Can we stop fixing holes that aren't there?

 

And starting more than half his starts against 2 teams would have to be some sort of record. Wish somebody sent the memo to Trachsel that the NL Central is worth a free point in ERA from the AL East.

 

Completely agree.

 

I don't know how many times it needs to be posted on here but the pitching staff was not the problem last year. It's the offense that needs to be upgraded.

 

While you have a valid point, it would still be an upgrade.

 

Would I rather improve the offense? You bet. However, if the staff gets upgraded instead, at least its an upgrade and the team has been bettered. Schilling would push Marquis out of the rotation. That is an upgrade no matter what.

[JeffH]

Schilling would push Marquis out of the rotation.

 

I doubt that very much.

[erik316wttn]

Schilling would push Marquis out of the rotation.

 

I doubt that very much.

 

Our rotation is:

 

Z

Lilly

Hill

Marshall

Marquis

 

Any of those top 3 wouldn't move. It would be either Marshall or Marquis. Marshall gives us a better chance of winning than Marquis does, and I hope Lou and Hendry would realize that too.

 

Even over Marshall he'd be an upgrade.

[USSoccer]

Upgrading the offense needs to be the first priority. If this is done, and there's room in the budget, I would make an attempt at signing him. Keep in mind going from the AL East to the NL Central would give him a boost as far as effectiveness.

[Guest]

With our pitching the way it is (rotation basically filled, and expensively at that), the only types of SPs Hendry should look at are near-aces, worthy of pushing a couple guys down a slot (IOW, an impact player), or very value-priced #3-4 guys that could allow Marquis/Hill/Marshall to be unloaded or used as trade bait.

 

edit: and I don't think Schilling fits either of these molds.

 

As The Rocket and Ted Lilly have shown, the NL central aint the NL east. You don't think he'd take advantage of getting 16-20 starts against the Pittsburghs and Houstons of the world?

 

Plus he's a Proven Big Game Pitcher(trademark) and wouldn't give up first pitch homers to Chris Young.

 

Which will cost an extra 4M a season. Can we stop fixing holes that aren't there?

 

And starting more than half his starts against 2 teams would have to be some sort of record. Wish somebody sent the memo to Trachsel that the NL Central is worth a free point in ERA from the AL East.

 

Completely agree.

 

I don't know how many times it needs to be posted on here but the pitching staff was not the problem last year. It's the offense that needs to be upgraded.

 

Runs are runs are runs are runs. It doesn't matter if you're improving the run prevention or the run production, you're improving. And seriously, you don't think we have a hole at the 4th/5th starter spot?

 

Yes runs are runs but an upgrade at SS improves the offense a hell of a lot more than an upgrade at 4th/5th starter improves the pitching staff. There is a lot more room to improve at SS.

 

And I don't think there is a big hole at the 4th/5th starter spot. Marshall was more than adequate and while Marquis wasn't great, you're not going to find many 5th starters better than he was last year. The big thing about him is the money which, for his production, he isn't really worth it. And even if the Cubs did find a team to take Marquis off their hands, I'd much rather give another one of the young guys the 5th spot than spending $10+ million on Schilling.

 

If you want to talk about having a hole, our SS's offensively were a huge hole in the lineup last year.

[MPrior]

I'm pretty sure he's not worth what he'd cost. In addition to being expensive to the point where he'd probably eat up all of the extra payroll space in the budget for the offseason, his K/9 dropped precipitously this year. It was around 8 last year, and he's around 8.5 or so for his career. In 2007, it was barely 6. That could be a sign of declining production.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm pretty sure he's not worth what he'd cost. In addition to being expensive to the point where he'd probably eat up all of the extra payroll space in the budget for the offseason, his K/9 dropped precipitously this year. It was around 8 last year, and he's around 8.5 or so for his career. In 2007, it was barely 6. That could be a sign of declining production.

 

True, but he still pitched bery well in the AL East, which is no easy feat at all. If the Cubs could sign him for only 1 or 2 years, it's definitely worth pursuing since a shift to the much weaker NL Central (and NL in general) would likely reflect very well in his pitching, much like it did with Lilly.

[Backtobanks]

I'm pretty sure he's not worth what he'd cost. In addition to being expensive to the point where he'd probably eat up all of the extra payroll space in the budget for the offseason, his K/9 dropped precipitously this year. It was around 8 last year, and he's around 8.5 or so for his career. In 2007, it was barely 6. That could be a sign of declining production.

 

True, but he still pitched bery well in the AL East, which is no easy feat at all. If the Cubs could sign him for only 1 or 2 years, it's definitely worth pursuing since a shift to the much weaker NL Central (and NL in general) would likely reflect very well in his pitching, much like it did with Lilly.

 

I still think someone is going to offer him more in a pitching-thin market than the Cubs who don't really have a need for a starter.

[Vanilla Ice]

I would much rather go after an upgrade at SS, our pitching rotation is not the problem. Our other "holes" are at RF and CF and we have young players with pretty high ceilings that can play at those two positions.

[seanhopper]

This Cub team needs a bit of a attitude makeover (and some offense) more than anything else this offseason. Lee, Ramirez, and Soriano, to an extent. are pretty passive players that don't illicit the gritty, fighting spirit a team like the Red Sox continues to put out there. Lee won in Florida, but he had guys like Lowell who were the spirit of that team. Soriano won a few times in NY, but they had a number of players that filled the leadership role and Ramirez--well, he hasn't been on a championship team--yet. The Cubs have to make changes if they want to win it all--not like they've been doing. I'm not advocating trading Lee or Ramirez, I'm advocating for the Cubs to bring in more passionate players around them.

[javy knows my name]

This Cub team needs a bit of a attitude makeover (and some offense) more than anything else this offseason. Lee, Ramirez, and Soriano, to an extent. are pretty passive players that don't illicit the gritty, fighting spirit a team like the Red Sox continues to put out there. Lee won in Florida, but he had guys like Lowell who were the spirit of that team. Soriano won a few times in NY, but they had a number of players that filled the leadership role and Ramirez--well, he hasn't been on a championship team--yet. The Cubs have to make changes if they want to win it all--not like they've been doing. I'm not advocating trading Lee or Ramirez, I'm advocating for the Cubs to bring in more passionate players around them.

 

Uh-oh. You used the g-word.

You're right. Let's keep Theriot and see how Eckstein can do at second. Erstad is a no-brainer to replace Derrek Lee at first. Eric Byrnes just signed a large contract, but I think we could trade Pie straight-up for him.

 

But seriously, the Red Sox did not win because they were gritty. They won because they compiled around a .910 TEAM OPS in the World Series. The whole flippin' TEAM. If by not gritty, you mean the Cubs don't get on base enough, make contact, or take advantage of poor pitching, then you are exactly right.

[SouthSideRyan]

I have never heard Mike Lowell called the spirit of the Marlins team. It was always Pierre, Beckett, and to a lesser extent Castillo. That whole team leader Pierre thing didn't work out too well for us. Why didn't those same team leaders win the series for Boston in '05 and '06. Who was the leader for the White Sox in '05? Can we acquire him too?

[javy knows my name]

I have never heard Mike Lowell called the spirit of the Marlins team. It was always Pierre, Beckett, and to a lesser extent Castillo. That whole team leader Pierre thing didn't work out too well for us. Why didn't those same team leaders win the series for Boston in '05 and '06. Who was the leader for the White Sox in '05? Can we acquire him too?

 

It was undoubtedly Neal Cotts :lol: Hendry beat you to it.

[Derwood]

"Doing well in the AL East" is a term thrown around that people seem to accept without looking up the stats.

 

Schilling's starts vs. AL East:

 

NYY: 5 starts, 0-3 (2 ND's)

BAL: 3 starts, 1-0, (2 ND's)

TOR: 1 start, 1 ND

TB: 1 start, 0-1

 

14 other starts: 8-4 (2 ND's)

[javy knows my name]

"Doing well in the AL East" is a term thrown around that people seem to accept without looking up the stats.

 

Schilling's starts vs. AL East:

 

NYY: 5 starts, 0-3 (2 ND's)

BAL: 3 starts, 1-0, (2 ND's)

TOR: 1 start, 1 ND

TB: 1 start, 0-1

 

14 other starts: 8-4 (2 ND's)

 

W/L for a pitcher mean nothing. The fact that he 122 ERA+ (IIRC) playing in the AL East tells us a lot more. If your intention was more to point out that he didn't have all that many starts against AL East teams, then I would buy that.

[Derwood]

"Doing well in the AL East" is a term thrown around that people seem to accept without looking up the stats.

 

Schilling's starts vs. AL East:

 

NYY: 5 starts, 0-3 (2 ND's)

BAL: 3 starts, 1-0, (2 ND's)

TOR: 1 start, 1 ND

TB: 1 start, 0-1

 

14 other starts: 8-4 (2 ND's)

 

W/L for a pitcher mean nothing. The fact that he 122 ERA+ (IIRC) playing in the AL East tells us a lot more. If your intention was more to point out that he didn't have all that many starts against AL East teams, then I would buy that.

 

by my count he pitched 68 innings giving up 29 ER for a 3.83 ERA.

 

Broken down:

 

NYY: 32.2 IP, 20 ER, 5.52 ERA

BAL: 18.1 IP, 5 ER, 2.46 ERA

TB: 6 IP, 1 ER, 1.50 ERA

TOR: 6 IP, 3 ER, 4.50 ERA

[BCVM22]

Sources: Schilling, Sox near deal

 

Supposedly worth $8 million base, $5 million in incentives.

 

Cross him off the list.