Schilling trade is completed

[nyy26wc]

1) The Diamondbacks traded P Curt Schilling to the Redsox for Ps Casey Fossum and Brandon Lyon and minor leaguers OF Michael Goss and P Jorge De La Rosa.

Schilling agreed to a contract extension for $25 million over 2005-06, with an option for 2007 that will become guaranteed if he reaches certain incentives.

After 2.98 ERA/47 RSAA and 3.23 ERA/36 RSAA seasons, Schilling had another excellent year, with a 2.95 ERA/34 RSAA in 24 starts. He has a 3.33 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.18, and 285 RSAA in 450 games.

Schilling, who turned 37 earlier in the month, is closing in on the top 10 for career RSAA for ages 30+ (since 1900)--

RSAA 
1    Lefty Grove                 497   
2    Randy Johnson               429   
3    Grover C Alexander          309   
4    Cy Young                    301   
5    Greg Maddux                 287   
6    Roger Clemens               284   
7    Kevin Brown                 280   
8    Phil Niekro                 277   
9    Gaylord Perry               269   
10   Dazzy Vance                 258   
11   Hoyt Wilhelm                239   
12   Curt Schilling              236   
13   Jack Quinn                  232   
14   Walter Johnson              229   
T15  Bob Gibson                  228   
T15  Warren Spahn                228   

After starting his career with 4.87 ERA/-2 RSAA and 3.46 ERA/11 RSAA seasons, Fossum had a 5.47 ERA/-6 RSAA in 19 games (14 starts).

After starting his career with 4.29 ERA/4 RSAA and 6.53 ERA/-14 RSAA seasons with the BlueJays, Lyon had a 4.12 ERA/4 RSAA in 49 games.

2) An inaccuracy award goes to Buster Olney, who wrote in an ESPN.com article, "The Red Sox have Curt Schilling now and for only the second time in the last 85 years, they may have a better starting rotation than the Yankees. Boston had Carl Mays, Sad Sam Jones, Bullet Joe Bush and Babe Ruth in 1918, and in the mid-80s, they had an edge over the Yankees with the Roger Clemens-Bruce Hurst group.

"In the other years of this rivalry, starting pitching was always the Yankees' great advantage over Boston. No longer, perhaps."

The Yankees have a stereotype of being a team that is built mostly on pitching. But, that, like a big chuck of "conventional wisdom" is wrong. While it is true that the team has had very good pitching during their current period of dominance (1996-present), the Redsox have been better--

RSAA 
1    Braves                      940   
2    Redsox                      580   
3    Yankees                     531   
4    Diamondbacks                472   
5    Astros                      282   
6    BlueJays                    221   
7    Dodgers                     204   
8    Angels                      186   
9    Expos                       174   
10   A's                         145   

What has put the Yankees over the top is an overwhelming dominance over the Redsox offensively--

RCAA 
1    Giants                      908   
2    Mariners                    895   
3    Yankees                     780   
4    Indians                     568   
5    Astros                      525   
6    Cardinals                   444   
7    Redsox                      387   
8    Braves                      349   
9    A's                         235   
10   Whitesox                    226   

3) According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the almost done deal for the Marlins to retain free agent 2B Luis Castillo hit a snag when the Cubs made an offer that is "very competitive" with the Marlins. The paper also reports the Mets have improved their offer, while the Yankees, Redsox and Dodgers shouldn't be counted out yet.

4) The Yokohama BayStars released 1B Steve Cox.

Cox suffered a knee injury and was limited to only 15 games in the 1st year of a 3 year contract. There's no word yet on whether he's going to try to return to America.

5) The Padres signed OF Brian Hunter to a minor league contract.

After -2 RCAA/.702 OPS and 0 RCAA/.752 OPS seasons, Hunter had a .316 SLG, .278 SLG, .594 OPS, -7 RCAA in 56 games with the Astros. He has a .660 career OPS, compared to his league average of .774, and -115 RCAA in 1000 games.

Hunter has the 2nd worst career RCAA among active OF--

RCAA  
1    Tom Goodwin                -136   
2    Brian Hunter               -115   
T3   Gerald Williams             -96   
T3   Doug Glanville              -96   
5    Eric Owens                  -93   
6    Danny Bautista              -67   
T7   Quinton McCracken           -64   
T7   Marquis Grissom             -64   
T9   Jose Guillen                -59   
T9   Darren Bragg                -59   

6) Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT has a good interview with BP's Will Carroll, at http://www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com/

[redhand]

On the AZ Republic's posting area one Diamonback disparager summed up the team's past & future, "One & out. Over & out." The Sexson express won't be stopping in Phoenix.

[TGwynn19]

Redhand welcome to the forum! If you get a chance head on over the the Icebreakers forum and tell us about yourself.

[Dave Mullen]

I still think he should have returned to the Phillies. We could have used him.