Philadelphia Phillies: Case for and against each Hall of Fame candidate

This is Curt Schilling’s last chance to get in.

There may not be a more controversial ex-Philadelphia Phillies player walking this earth right now than Curt Schilling. His Hall of Fame case has been largely focused on his postseason dominance. I can understand why. He had big performances with the Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Boston Red Sox. Three rings and a lifetime 2.23 ERA in the postseason to go with his 11-2 record makes him one of the all-time great October legends.

When we look into his regular season numbers, there are a few shortages. His 216 wins should be enough based on the era he played in. His 3.46 ERA might be a little higher than you would like from a Hall of Fame pitcher but it’s not too outrageous.

Schilling never did win a Cy Young but was a runner-up three times. An ace who wasn’t always the number one starter on the staffs he pitched on, Schilling’s biggest problem with the Hall of Fame has been his mouth.

I don’t need to get into everything Schilling has done post-career to become so unbeloved. He has actually become more known for his political rants on social media than his mound dominance many years earlier. It’s sad because Phillies games with him on the mound meant the team actually had a chance to win.

Sadly, Schilling’s stubbornness has gotten in the way and he’ll never get into Cooperstown.