Quote:
Originally Posted by Misunderestimated
To me Schilling is a HOFer based on his Peak and his Post-season performance. His wins are low even for the era. He is one of the great post-season pitchers 11-2 - ERA 2.23 -- 4-1 World Series ERA 2.06 in 7 starts.... Great numbers given when he pitched. All and all he's probably better on the merits than most of inducted Starting Pitchers
He's not getting in because of the "character clause." He courted the problem with outspoken statements against the writers (electors)... According to Jay Jaffe's marvelous Cooperstown CasebookSchilling has long public feuds with big times sportswriters dating back to his career... when he didn't get votes he immediately claimed he was not getting in because he was an outspoken conservative.....Before the 2016 election he retweeted something that advocated lynching journalists (he later claimed it was "sarcasm")... Before he offered his "sarcasm" explanation/excuse some journalists belonging to the BBWAA (i.e. voter) had written that this had jettisoned Schilling's candidacy under the character clause. Schilling's vote dropped in 2017...
I wrote above that I would vote for him on the "merits" of his career. Still, I see why writers who like to use the "character clause" to keep players in or out for other things, like presumed PED use.
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There's also the whole ripping off the state of Rhode Island for millions of dollars thing, too.
I agree - Schilling is being kept out because of his personality/politics/etc.