Dear Lord: I pray to you that I never witness another Curt Schilling interview for as long as I live. That I never see his fat face spouting what he believes is brilliant but is normally useless (to paraphrase Lou Piniella, "Many have forgotten more baseball than Curt Schilling knows."). I pray that you take pity on his long-suffering wife, who must have been driven mad decades ago by the man who likes to talk and talk and be heard (and, I hear, even read). Obnoxious though all this is, I write in a time of uncertainty in old Curt's career, a time when his body has broken down -- yet again -- in an unmistakable pattern of fatigue and injury since the end of the 2004 season: the moment steroids were effectively banned in baseball.
WAS CURT ON THE JUICE?
Of course no one can say for sure. So instead of taking testimony from unreliable sources or putting two and two together, we'll look at some very public evidence and take it from there.
The year is 2003 and Curt, like most 36-year olds, starts to feel the pull of age. He sees a time in the very near future when he will not be the dominant pitcher he once was. The brain in his fat head (trust me, it's in there) starts to think. His choices are:
A) Become a sometimes healthy, sometimes dominant control pitcher who will succumb to injury and ineffective patches (you know, the guy he is now). He can be a wily veteran, a #4 starter in late-career form. Think late David Cone or El Duque, but with less junk. The problem with choice "A" is, when Curt Schilling looks in the mirror he sees much bigger things. He sees a legend in baseball lore, the guy people will be talking about 25 years from now ("Gee, you notice how quickly he became mediocre after steroids were banned?"). Then there's B.
B) Find a solution. Be that guy you've always dreamed you were, even after your body won't let you be Him.
MEMORY LANE
2004: After being battered (though not bloodied) by the Yankee offense in Game 1, Curt looks for answers, in case the Red Sox do not choke and there actually is a Game 6. In a rather famous event, Curt's putty ankle is transformed by a miracle of modern...science...into the world's strongest joint and he is vintage Curt. The injection or surgery left a trace of blood on the sock, a garment which later became known in some circles as the Steroid Sock.
2005: Though it took a mere 7 days for Curt's ankle to become rock-solid, he cannot recover from the same injury seven, eight months later. Huh? That's right, time just slipped away for Curt in the sport's first year under a real steroid policy. He came back eventually -- comically -- as a closer, in time to provide a few A-Rod-at-Fenway Home Run Memories, but otherwise he could never get it together in 2005. His loss doomed the Red Sox in their "bid" to repeat.
Since then, it's been injury after injury, followed by periods of solid pitching followed by ineffective pitching followed by injury and then the cycle starts over. He can't summon that consistency anymore and when he does get an injury, it takes him so long to come back. Ever since 2004...
WHY SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE AFTER 2004?
Well, that's what I'm asking. Why that exact moment in time for such a hero as Curt Schilling?
WHY DID HE SHOW UP, ARMED WITH A LEGAL TEAM, ON CAPITOL HILL WITH SUCH CAPITAL JUICERS AS PALMEIRO AND SOSA AND MCGWIRE?
He does like attention, remember.
WHY IS THERE NOTHING ABOUT HIM IN THE MITCHELL REPORT?
The star witness is a New York trainer with ties to (drum-roll for Most Hated Red Sock Turned Yankee Of All Time)...Roger Clemens. Oh, and Mitchell is on the Board of the Boston Red Sox.
ISN'T THIS IRRESPONSIBLE AND/OR HYPOCRITICAL OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL?
Yes, but Bud Selig really likes money. That's why he managed the problem the way he has. That's why they re-upped hiis contract to make another dozen million dollars or so. Like the most powerful and corrupt corporations, MLB digs the dollar.
WHAT NOW?
Not too much. Looks like Fat Curt might waltz in after the All-Star break, ready to log fifty innings or so. Or maybe not. His career could be over. In a way it's been over for some time. He's made cameos as Curt Schilling but ever since 2004...
It's a good thing that they know where to find that sock and one day, with a few tests they'll be able to answer a lot of lingering questions. Until then I am, faithfully yours, awake.
Keywords: 2004 ALCS, Alex Rodriguez., Boston Red Sox, Curt Schilling, Mitchell Report, New York Yankees, Steroids in Baseball
