Curt Schilling blew yet another game last night after he entered a 6-4 game in the 8th. In the 9th Placido Polanco got on-base and was knocked in after a Dmitri Young triple. Magglio Ordonez then singled scoring Nook Logan who replaced Young. That made the game 6-6, and from that point you just knew the Sox were going to lose this game as long as Schilling was on the mound. A few batters later John McDonald knocked in Ordonez to win the game and give the Red Sox the loss.
I am finished with Schilling as our closer.
I am sick of Terry Francona hurting this team by trying to keep a healthy relationship between him and Schilling. It is hurting the team, and we are lucky we haven't lost more games because of it. But, as the Over The Monster community knows, Schilling makes every game a nail biter when they shouldn't be. Francona keeps putting Schilling in, though, even when he doesn't have his best stuff or we have a better option in the bullpen.
Last night after Chad Bradford allowed the Tigers' 4th run, Mike Myers could have came in to face Curtis Granderson - their number 9 hitter and a lefty - to get the final out. But instead Francona goes with Schilling. Schilling did get the strikeout, but why pitch him more than you need to? I understand Francona's logic and that since he used to be a starter he could pitch more innings, but more times than not this season Schilling has struggled in more than one inning of relief. There has only been one time this whole season in which he hasn't allowed a run when pitching 1.1 innings or more.
This experiment should end, and I hope it ends as soon as Keith Foulke is back in the Boston bullpen. I admit that I miss Foulke. I miss a lot of things about him. I miss him making batters look foolish with that awesome changeup. I miss that dart-type release that has such great accuracy. I miss his bulldog attitude; something we desperately need. And, most importantly, I miss how he pitched last season. And I honestly think we'll see the old Keith Foulke once he recovers from his knee surgery.
Let's admit to it once and for all: Schilling, at this point, does not have the stuff to be a closer. He isn't a closer. He is a starter. And if he pitches as poorly as a starter as he now, then he may not have a job period. I kind of think that he'll pitch better as a starter, though, because he'll be able to settle down and set up the hitters, not just try and mow them down.
Let's get Foulke back. We need him.