Schilling accepts trade to Boston

[WilliamPitt]

According to his press conference, he said he was pretty much convinced after hanging out on a Sox fan board as himself. :)

The Red Sox now have the best pitching lineup in baseball. The Yankees offered him more, but he turned them down specifically to screw Steinbrenner. Enter Foulke as closer, and for-sure manager Terry Francona, who was bench coach in Oakland...for Foulke.

Mmmmmmmmm...

===

Schilling accepts trade to Boston
By Jimmy Golen, Associated Press, 11/28/2003 21:14

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/332/sports/Schilling_accepts_trade_to_Bos:.shtml

BOSTON (AP) Arizona right-hander Curt Schilling accepted a trade to Boston on Friday after agreeing to a contract extension that could keep him with the Red Sox through the end of his career.

The teams agreed to the deal Monday, but the 37-year-old Schilling had to waive the no-trade clause in his current contract for it to go through. A deadline for negotiations between Schilling and the Red Sox was to expire at 5 p.m. Friday, but it was extended for one day; they only needed a couple of hours.

A baseball source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that Schilling's extension guarantees him $25.5 million $12.5 million in 2005 and $13 million in 2006. It also includes a $13 million option for '07 that could become guaranteed if Schilling meets specified performance levels, the source said.

[kanrok]

1. Good for the BoSox

Hope they cream the Yanks next year.

[WilliamPitt]

2. That would be the idea

:)

[Catshrink]

3. It'll help

Schills was great here in Phoenix, however never really came back after his injury. Maybe he needs more rehab and rest. But, that said, he's a great pitcher and hopefully gives Boston the arm they need to screw Steinbrenner.

Of course, this does break up one of the best pitching duos in history: Johnson and Schilling.

[joeybee12]

4. I say this as a life-long Red Sox fan...

...we are so screwed.

[WilliamPitt]

5. Really..

1. Pedro
2. Curt
3. Lowe
4. Wakefield
5. Whoever

+

Foulke as closer
Williamson/Timlin as setup

and the most dangerous batting lineup in the American Leage, half of whom will be playing in their contract years.

[Catshrink]

6. I wish Boston the best....

And my Cubs. Of course, the Cubs have had their shot for the decade. Sigh. I would have loved to see Cubs-Sox in the series. Instead, it was a snooze-fest.

[joeybee12]

7. How many years have you been a Sox fan? And how many years have

they looked good on paper?

I've given up all hope.

I think Curt's best years are long gone. Leave it to the Bosox to take players past their prime, and drop players just coming into their's.

[RedSox02]

10. His best years long gone?

Hmmm I do recall that two years ago was his best year ever, and last year his only injury was appendicitis, and a broken hand suffered from a line drive. It doesn't sound like he is breaking down. His ERA last year was also 2.95. He may be somewhat old, but he is still up there in the top three in terms of big league pitchers. Besides I don't believe the Sox really gave up too much for him. They certainly gave up some decent young players, but they are getting a hard worker who should have at least three very good years left in him.

[HuckleB]

25. The Sox gave up far more than they'll get...

... in terms of good years in the major leagues. It should be remembered that the Sox gave up Schilling in a similar deal, trying to load up for a pennant run that garnered them a sweep at the hands of the A's in the ALCS. And history does have a way of repeating itself with the Sox.

[joeybee12]

28. Time will tell, but history is not on the Red Sox' side!

[WilliamPitt]

8. Kick

[Braden]

9. #38 Schilling will make me write that stupid check in february

this is a great move. For once we went after the veteran arm instead of the bat.

was it redsox.com? I havent been able to go there since october....

[brainshrub]

11. 2004 will be the year Bu$h loses and the Red Sox win the penant.

Thus sayeth the Brainshrub.

[Catshrink]

13. Either of those would be very sweet indeed.

Both of them? Aye carrumba!!!!

[jeter]

12. WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Now lets get Petitte.

Do you know anything about his negotiations with NY, do you Will?

We'll have a kick ass bullpen next year.

[WindRavenX]

14. Doesn't matter

He jinxed himself.
Curt, you know the Story.
Now, if Steinbreiner, the evil bastard himself, doesn't sign Andy Pettitte within the next 24 hours, I and every Yankee fan will firebomb his damn office. We can counter the Schilling trade easily- by signing Pettitte.
Goddammit!!!

[jeter]

15. I think the "evil" Yankees will have a tough time this year.

I think Boston has a great team. Maybe they need some more depth at the relief level.

[WindRavenX]

16. Boston will be a good team

But to be completely honest, last year, Boston nearly had EVERYONE have career offensive years. I don't think Boston's offense will be as good as last year, but it will still be potent. Like wise, the Yankees' offense should be better. I have high expectations that Mattingly will teach how to, gasp, hit with RISP!!!! That SLAUGHTERED the Yankees all season long.
Both teams will have a very good team. It will be another good penant race.
But Boston...is Boston.....

[jeter]

17. The Boston-NY series just broke my heart this year

I couldn't believe it. How could it happen - AGAIN. But you have to stay positive. This has to be the year for the Red Sox. It has to be.

The owners seem hell bent on finally winning the whole thing.

It'll put an end, once and for all, to the "Curse."

[WindRavenX]

19. Jeter I have to laugh..

...not in a malicious way, honest! But what you said:
I couldn't believe it. How could it happen - AGAIN. But you have to stay positive. This has to be the year for the Red Sox. It has to be.

The owners seem hell bent on finally winning the whole thing.

It'll put an end, once and for all, to the "Curse."

YOU GUYS SAY THAT EVERY GODDAMN YEAR!! :)
And it's hella ironic your name is is Jeter and you're a Red Sox fan...

[jeter]

20. I'm a Michael Jeter fan...NOT DEREK.

The owners are new though. Have owned the team only a few years.

This WILL be the year. I have a gut feeling. The stars are alligned perfectly.

[OneBlueSky]

18. as a Yankee fan who used to live in Massachusetts . . .

I'm happy for the Sox, who I followed during my 15 years in New England . . . when I moved to New York, I began following the Yankees when Joe Torre took over as manager . . . they had a great team then, the kind of team that played real baseball and did the little things that it takes to win . . . and they had passion in the likes of Paul O'Neill and Tino Martinez . . . while I still follow and root for them, they're a different animal these days, relying on the long ball and somehow lacking that passion . . . so I'm all for a real battle between the Sox and the Yanks, and at this point I'd be happy with whoever wins . . . I also have a lot of friends in New England who are Sox fans, and they really deserve a World Series championship so they can die happy . . . so color me conflicted, but happily so . . . Yankees, Red Sox, who cares? . . . whichever one wins the pennant will have my support to go all the way . . . weird, huh? . . . :)

[jeter]

21. How can you root for the Red Sox and Yankees?

That's kind of like rooting for the Democrats AND Republicans.

[JackDragna]

22. Won't make a bit of difference.

The Red Sox still have significant holes that they won't be able to fill through free agency. Although I do find it highly amusing that the Red Sox are trying to win doing the exact same things the Yankees are doing..laugh. There are no good guys in baseball.

[zls44]

23. Foulke is garbage

I saw him give up a long distance bomb to Giambi in may at Yankee Stadium when Giambi was hitting .138

He's similar to Urbina, Sox fans.

Never an easy save...and this was a guy pitching in pitchers parks...have fun at Fenway.

I'll take ENTER SANDMAN any day! :D

[HuckleB]

24. I don't understand this move.

The Sox top two pitchers are both incredibly injury prone and on the downside of their careers. The stars would have to line up in such a way that it wouldn't matter who was pitching for the Sox to improve with these two at the helm next year. Oh well. It's the Sox. Go figure.

[MaineDem]

26. Injury prone? Downside of careers?

Okay maybe Pedro but Lowe? I don't think so.

The Sox now need a leftie after trading Fossum.

[HuckleB]

29. Who was talking about Lowe?

Pedro definitely. His body just isn't going to give him a complete season, neither will Schilling's...

[Caution]

27. Misconception about career years

Bill mueller, varitek and nixon had career years. That said varitek and nixon were not surprising, nixon's was predicted by most of the media and baseball in general and varitek had a simliar year going before he broke his arm a couple of years ago. Those two were cases more of reaching potential rather than have a "career year" and Varitek is now playing for a contract

Nomar, manny, kevin millar, johnny damon, all had sub-par years

david ortiz and walker both had average years (ortiz looked better than average but only becasue he got more playing time).

I think it is safe to say that manny, nomar, damon will have better seasons this time around, vartiek may do better (contract year) but will at least equal this past season, nixon will equal last season. The only potential falloff i see is bill mueller. I hope millar has a better season but i'll be hapy with equal. We probably won't resign walker and his bat wont be easy to replace at second, but with the offense we have, one player who hits for about 30 points lower wont be a problem.

Boston vs NYY
Lineup:
1.) Damon/Soriano
2.) Meuller/Jeter
3.) Garciaparra/Giambi
4.) Ramirez/Williams
5.) Ortiz/Posada
6.) Millar/Matsui
7.) Mueller/Johnson
8.) 2B/Boone
9.) Varitek/?

Rotation:

1.) Martinez/Mussina
2.) Schilling/Pettite?
3.) Lowe/Contreras
4.) Wakefield/Weaver
5.) Kim/Lieber

Bullpen:

Embree/Hammond
Timlin/Karsay
Mendoza/?
Arroyo/?
Sauerbeck/?
Williamson/Rivera

(I've included Pettite but there is no guarantee he signs with the Yankees). No other rumored deals are included though rumors are (arod to boston/ny, pettite to ny/boston/houston, foulke to boston, gordon to boston, sheffield to ny, colon to ny, vazquez to ny, graffanino to boston, guardardo to boston, walker to boston).

The balance of power in the AL East has shifted. As of this moment, Boston has the better lineup, the better rotation and the better bullpen. NYY have an edge at manager (boston hasnt got one yet :), All of a sudden it looks like Boston has the better front office as well.

Oh and by the way, I was one of the people who chatted online with Mr Schilling yesterday (friday) and he is truly excited to be coming to boston. His first act as a boston red sox player was to donate $500,000 to a local charity (the jimmy fund, a charity combatting cancer in children). This man is going to be beloved in boston. He takes pressure off both martinez and lowe as well and the bullpen as an enormous innings eater. Steinbrenner must be having a fit right about now.