If Curt Schilling is done, the debate about whether he belongs in the Hall of Fame could go on for years.

If you ask me, I feel Curt Schilling deserves to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, but put Jim Rice in there first. I just had to say that. Rice’s career numbers in the non-steroid era were Hall-worthy.  Furthermore, Rice was a top five finisher in the AL MVP race six times, winning the trophy with a brilliant 1978 season in which he hit .315 with 46 homers, 139 RBIs and 406 total bases. For his career, Rice batted .298 with 382 homers and 1,451 RBIs. The man is down to his last year on the ballot, so let’s vote in Jim Rice in 2009.  Ok I’m back….

I like Schilling, and the bravado he supplied to the Sox during the last four years and the Diamondbacks before that. (Need I even explain that the Sox clenched two World Series in the last decade and prior to that hadn’t won since 1918?)  He exemplifies Boston’s city spirit.  I’m from Boston, and let me tell you, he had mastered our ultra sportsmanlike “I’m better than you attitude” long before coming to town. As a result, as any other Boston-based player will tell you, Schilling, Patriot’s quarterback Tom Brady, basketball MVP Paul Pierce and all the others, seem to be hated everywhere else in this country. 

Schilling’s 11-2 postseason record is the best of any pitcher with 10 or more victories and he has a 2.23 postseason ERA in 19 starts. Over his 20-year career, he was 216-146 with a 3.46 ERA in the regular season, and ended last season with 3,116 strikeouts, the 14th most in history. In just four seasons with the Red Sox (after the big 2003 trade from Arizona), he is 53-29.  He also was key in clinching those already-mentioned World Series titles, including another with the Diamondbacks in 2001.

Why not put the man in the Hall? After all, if his bloody sock can get in, why can’t he? And if this shoulder problem doesn’t fix itself, and he decides to retire, I hope he does. He is an avid blogger, so he is a man of my own heart.  I like the fact that he reaches out to the fans and tries to be as accessible as one superstar can be. Plus, I don’t think this aging pitcher really has the rehab left in him to strap it up for another season.  If this is the case we will all miss Schilling and his crazy off-the-beaten-path comments.  Somehow he should land in the broadcast booth where he would be very entertaining.  WEEI will miss him that’s for sure.  Hat’s off to you Curt and thanks for helping reverse the curse.

In the meantime I will take David Ortiz back please.  The Red Sox were outplayed by the St. Louis Cardinals at home, and now the Arizona Diamondbacks are handing it to us as I write this.  Dan Haren (8-4) went 7 strong innings, allowing just 2-hits, in a duel with my boy. Josh Beckett (7-5).  Upstaging Beckett is hard to do, but its much easier without that intimidating bat of Ortiz in the middle of the line up.  I love Manny Ramirez like everybody else but the duo isn’t the same.  It’s like the Green Hornet with no Kato. I’m also not thrilled about the last pitching performance of Daisuke Matsuzaka.  On the DL since May 30 because of a mild strain in his rotator cuff, Matsuzaka (8-1) was tagged for seven runs in one-plus inning last Saturday. It was the shortest outing of his brief major league career. “When he came out, there were not complaints about soreness, fatigue, anything, so that’s a good sign,” Boston manager Terry Francona said in news reports. “I’m hopeful we’ll just chalk it up to a bad outing.” We need to wait a while on Dice-K.  I would hold off on the next start to make sure that fatigued shoulder is in order.

Now back to winning some Fantasy baseball games.  Here’s a few hidden gem starts for you this week:

Jose Bautista, Pittsburgh 3B

Bautista has been hitting for power lately.

I would take him at home versus the Yankees this week.  He’s coming off a 3-for-3 performance with a home run.  He has four home runs in his last seven games.  Jose is a streaky player so pick him up while he’s doing his thing.

Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston LF

He may not give you the power numbers but you will get a stat stuffer in every sense of the word.  His blazing speed on the base paths makes him a threat for any opposing pitcher.

Jhonny Peralta, Cleveland SS

He’s only hitting .243 right now but there is pop in his bat with 11 home runs.  Peralta also has 30 RBI’s and can prove to be deadly at the plate as he looks to break out of a batting slump.

Brandon Boggs, Texas LF

Every time you look at the Rangers this guy stands out.  He’s a young player with power and good speed.  He has four monster home runs and with the interleague rivalry with the Houston Astros coming up, this could be a spot to gain some ground in your league.  He’s a switch hitter batting .306 against lefties and .246 against righties.

That’s all for me this week. See you in seven!