Curt joined the Big Show on Thursday afternoon  to talk baseball, the NFL and a little political banter sprinkled in as well. Schilling was outspoken on the subject of Rush Limbaugh being involved in a bid to buy the Rams. CLICK HERE to listen to the entire interview with Glenn Ordway, Pete Sheppard, Fred Smerlas and Tom E. Curran.

Former Red Sox ace Curt Schilling joined the Big Show on Thursday afternoon. Schilling, who will be joining The Big Show throughout the MLB Playoffs, broke down the American League Division Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Curt talked about this personal experiences pitching against the Angels and matching up against their lineup. CLICK HERE to listen to the complete interview with Glenn Ordway, Pete Sheppard, Lou Merloni and Fred Smerlas.

Curt Schilling called into the Dennis & Callahan show this morning to discuss some topics in the sporting world, one of which was Billy Wagner’s recent decision to nix a trade to the Red Sox (CLICK HERE to listen to the entire interview):

On what Billy Wagner gains by staying in New York: I know that they’re probably not going to pick up his option, which I don’t think is the problem. I think arbitration is the problem here (in Boston).”

On Wagner’s alleged comments on “his desire to end the year healthy for the future” and that “he has a better chance lasting a month in a non-competitive environment”: I’ve known Billy Wagner a long time and I can absolutely believe that. I can believe that comment.

On Wagner being “nutty and a little strange”: No, not as much as you think. He’s left-handed, which makes him goofy to begin with.

On whether he and Papelbon could get along: They’d get along fine. Paps is Paps. There’s just not a whole lot of forethought there, and I’m one to talk. But if Billy Wagner if setting you up in the eighth, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to get a few more save opportunities than you otherwise might. He’s always been a nightmare for left-handed hitters and when he was up around 100 (MPH) he was a nightmare for guys on both sides.

On whether he buys into the claim that Wagner was a righty at birth but broke his arm and switched to lefty, ultimately developing the ability to throw 100 MPH: I heard that story a long time ago. He says that it’s true, but I’m still calling it BS.

Curt Schilling and Lou Merloni were co-hosts on the Big Show on Thursday. The two former Red Sox players discussed the Red Sox catching situation.

CLICK HERE to listen to the complete audio segment on The Big Show.

Here are a couple points from the audio segment:

- Schilling: “The big thing for me is that Jason (Varitek) is here. If he is not catching everyday, he still has an impact and I think that gets lost in the shuffle…his interaction with Victor..his interaction with the pitching staff.”

- Schilling: “One of the reasons that this organization (the Red Sox) has an advantage in mind, over a lot of clubs when you get to the postseason, is the network of scouting and the depth of scouting that this club does. The information that is available to me as a pitcher and a player going into a series…they go above and beyond in a lot of different ways to present you with information and data that you can use going ahead. Jon (Lester) and Josh (Beckett) have both, to their own extent, have gotten to be guys that use data”

- Schilling: “Jason (Varitek) is and always has been a team first guy. I think if he acted in a way that was contradictory to that, I would be one of the more shocked people on the planet.”

- Merloni: “I can tell you that (Jason) Varitek has had a shoulder for about a month and a half and the neck for about month. This has been bothering him now for the last month and he has been playing because deep down he realizes, just like last year, my offense will struggle, but I can still bring things to the team defensively when I catch these big guns.”

Getting to some of your questions (along with some input from site editor Rob Bradford), starting with some thoughts on two players who look like they might be coming to the Red Sox, Josh Bard and Brad Penny.

I didn’t get to know Josh all that well, but what I did know he was a fantastic teammate and great guy. An incredibly hard worker. Anyone that puts up the numbers he did when he went to SD has to be able to hit, more often than not I find when people do that well in short bursts they either have a glaring weakness in their ability to hit, or aren’t confident in their ability to maintain that success over the long haul

Brad is a great kid. I’ve always loved his arm and stuff but also always hoped he’d be able to dial it back a bit. He’s a max effort guy in delivering the ball and he’s helped by the fact that he’s a very big boy. That being said, your arm can only take so much. I think, if he signs here, he could do incredible stuff working with John Farrell. Get him to dial it back about 10-20 percent and he’ll still be throwing low to mid 90’s with command. Add his makeup on the hill to that and you could get one of the more valuable signings of the entire winter since if he’s healthy he’s a #1 or #2 in either league.

(RB: In my dealings with Bard, he seemed like a good guy who was genuinely thrown off by the criticisms he incurred throughout that 10-passed balls month. He admitted after that it got to the point where he was watching video of Doug Mirabelli catching Tim Wakefield to try and emulate him instead of just doing his thing. As for Penny, I’m thinking that being with his buddy, Josh Beckett, and seeing how his work ethic has evolved might translate into a ramped-up regimen.)

Question: Because you may still be playing in 2009 you may not want to answer this question, but what batter did you NOT want to face? Who had your number?

Answer: I just never looked at it like that. Not to mention it’s a question that is totally situation dependant. Runner on third, less than two outs? Guys that don’t strike out, game on the line, one run, no one on? Healthy Vlad, Helton always killed me too.

Question (Ernie): You said that you went up against Boras during a talk show. Was it about Drew not signing with Philly that year? And if so, why would you be against him?

Answer: 1. Yes. 2. Because I was a Philly and was as upset as the fans were at the whole situation. I wasn’t against JD as much as I was against Scott. I, still to this day, cannot fathom how playing independent league, even for a week, puts you in a better position in the future. That money and experience is never regained.

Question: Didn’t Drew, himself, make it clear that he wouldn’t sign for anything less than $10 million, then Philly drafted him anyway and tried to low ball him. Also, isn’t Boras doing his job by trying to get as much money for his client as possible? I mean, people always complain about how players make so much money and they should sign below market deals. But isn’t that just putting more money in the already a billionaire owners pocket? My point is, why shouldn’t an athlete try to get as much money as possible, especially in MLB where you spend 6 years “under control”?

Answer: Not at all, you are 100 percent right. Being right, in this case doesn’t feel good to me. I was wrong in what I said and how I handled it and made that clear to JD a few years ago, apologizing to him. That being said, I still thought the way it all transpired was bad for the game, the player and the fans.

Question (Ben): What’s your honest opinion on Dice K ?

Answer: Relentless. Perfectionist. Absolutely has the ability to win a Cy Young if he can find a way to gain more command of the strike zone. People putting the ball in play don’t fare well against him but it feels like he pitches away from contact, which is really not unusual. Often though, guys that do that get very few decisions and pitch much fewer innings due to huge pitch counts. If Dice gets into a situation where 110-115 pitches gets him through 7 or into the 8th he’s going to win even bigger than last year. BTW his last season was highly overlooked.

Question (John): As a power pitcher, do you see yourself coming back as more of a finesse pitcher?

Answer: Right now I am working out to get to throwing again. Just to see where my arm really is. If Doctor Morgan is correct — and he has been 100% so far — I’ll be better than I was in 2007. The question that remains is how much.  

Question (Jimmie):  Would you like to be a coach or manager in some capacity anywhere in baseball?

Answer: No

(RB: I would)

Question (Bill): Curt, will you and the family remain in the Boston area and continue to be part of the community?

Answer: Yes. We are settled in Medfield and love it here. Not to mention 38 Studios is in Maynard, so we aren’t planning on going anywhere.

Question (Chpln. O’Connell): Do you think Santa will grant my Christmas wish by making the BIG SCHILL pitch one more year for Boston?

Answer: That wish is far beyond Santa or his helpers to assist with.

Question (Pat):  Do you think the Sox would be better off trying to make a play for Russell Martin, who has proven himself in the Bigs and is the catcher of the future, then say trading with one of the Texas catchers or Arizona’s and signing Tek?

Answer: My first choice, were I on the team, would be to have Tek back and grooming his replacement. After that it’s all guesswork. I’ve heard incredible things about Martin and some of the Texas kids but have not seen enough to call that.

(RB: I think  the dream scenario is Taylor Teagarden and Jason Varitek as your catching duo for 2009)

Question (Carlson): Are you a Hall of Famer?

Answer: No

(RB: Yes — Curt, not me.  Post-season success is the difference-maker)

(Here are some more answers to questions sent along by Rob Bradford, mostly in regards to the Mark Teixeira situation … mostly.)

Bradford: What examples has he seen of an agent steering a client towards a negative outcome?

Me: Define negative? I’ve seen on rare occasion an agent gamble with a players future and cost them years and millions that never come around again, like Jody Reed. But more times than not you can’t blame the agents, post-draft anyway. We’re grown men who need to be accountable for all things happening to and around us. My biggest problem and one of the main reasons I did not want an agent was due to the fact that every time an agent opens his mouth the public hears the player, whether the player said it or not.

Bradford: How important is it for a free agent when the front office/ownership group to flies out to meet face to face?

Me: To me it’s HUGE, HUGE! The three day period of negotiation that went on
in 2003 would never have worked had I not been face to face with them. 

Bradford: Having faced Mark Teixeira (1 for 12), what are his strengths and
weaknesses?

Schilling: Tex never bothered me. I think the main reason was that he was, or I think he is, a guy that studies pitchers and numbers. At least I believe that because I had reports and watched video of a guy  that was patient and very strike zone aware. Against me he chased my split over 90 percent of the time. Very unlike him but I think he expected me, walking as few hitters as I did, to throw more balls in the strike zone than I did. I think he was more aggressive vs. me than normal and I threw some decent
splits to him as well. 

Bradford: How close is Teixeira to being the kind of middle of the order presence Manny was?

Me: I don’t think he is, I don’t think anyone really is. Locked in and wanting to play no one hits like Manny with that combo of patience, awareness and power.

Bradford: When referencing this potential move, some have cited the Yankees decision to go with high-priced talent in the early 2000’s instead of the “heart and soul” guys that were on the championship teams. Is that kind of chemistry/clubhouse influence overstated?

Me: No, no and a million more times no. The easiest way to figure that out is to play fantasy baseball right? Take the 2004 Yankees on paper, play them against ANY other 2004 team and play a 5×5 league. How do they fare? I’d expect REAL well and pretty dominating? There is so much that happens outside the 3-4 hours of games each day
that impact and influence teams in a way no statistician or ‘expert’ can ever hope to define or quantify. It affects wins and losses, it affects clubs state of mind, it affects everything.

Bradford: How awkward is it when a team goes into spring training with a positional overlap, knowing somebody has to be traded, as might be the case with the Red Sox?

Me: VERY awkward and in my opinion underappreciated by teams. It’s the ultimate exposure to this game as a business. I laugh that people continue to call baseball a ‘game’ that we play. As soon as some guy pulls in $15 million a year playing Monopoly I’ll conceded. Until then understand this is a $6+ billion a year business. Someone in spring training limbo is a tough thing to be around but like most other situations it really depends on the player and how he and his teammates handle it.

Oh and one more thing. I really loathe to even mention CHB in anything anymore, due to his irrelevance on the Boston sports scene but I suck at keeping my tongue in places like this. CHB wrote the other day (thanks to the person forwarding this as it’s the first thing I’ve read that he’s written in five months)

“Best part of Curt Schilling’s blog on the WEEI website? Schill claims, ’I don’t get edited.’ Could he be more of a diva? Here’s a clue for the Big Lug – Ernest Hemingway had an editor. And Schill needs an editor more than I need a pitching coach.”

By edited I meant content Curly, because Lord knows I sure as hell need help with anything I write. But your last statement is laughable, because I think — and correct me if I am wrong — I am doing what you do for a living right?

I am pretty sure you’ve never stepped on a mound, well a field of any kind for that matter, and competed for something that truly mattered to people not on the field? So I am comfortable saying I am a lot closer to being able to do what you do, than you are able to do what I did …

Keep spewing the vitriol chief. It seems to be the only bite your writing has any more.

No one should be shocked, at all. Theo has, at least in my opinion, operated within parameters set by he and the club, and stuck to them. Letting emotion enter into this stuff will see you spend for spending sake. Don’t get me wrong, Mark Teixera is a damn good player, but let’s look at this realistically.

Over the next 2 years: 

.279 Avg; .343 OBP; .467 Slug; 810 OPS; 46 HR; 196 RBIs; 166 Ks; 114 BB(A) 

.290 Avg; .378 OBP; .541 Slug; 919 OPS; 72 HR; 242 RBIs; 248 Ks; 158 BB(B)

Based purely on career averages you get the above numbers. Tex’s power numbers will go up if the new NY stadium has the same dimensions. I think it’s safe to say those power numbers would go down a bit in Fenway. Tex is 28, you are paying him through his Age 36 season. Mike is 34, being paid through age 36 as well. Both are Gold Glove players. 

So you could ask the following question: Would you pay a player with this stat line, 10 million dollars, and guarantee him a no trade – 285 avg; 360 OBP; 500 Slg; 860 OPS; 26 HR; 46 RBI; 82 Ks; 44 BB?

It’s not that easy I know, you need to factor in parks, and lineups and much more but on pure stats that’s the bonus numbers a $10 mm bump in one spot on your roster buys you.

Now, I would agree Tex’s power numbers would go down at Fenway. But I would also make the case that these power numbers can be made up by Ortiz alone, as long as he’s healthy. Yes, he needs protection and this lineup is not going to give him the protection he once had, but he can do it and it’s not a stretch.

Personally I am glad Youk is staying at first and Mike is at third. Adding Mark’s bat is absolutely going to make the Yankees tougher. 

Haven’t we been down this road before? That’s not to say this Yankees team can’t win 110 games, it can. But so much has to happen for that to work out.

Please stop with the greedy bum statements too, all of you screaming that would be saying nothing if the Sox had ante’d up. I’m surprised but I don’t think nearly as much as most others. Why? Because not once, never, did you hear ANYTHING from Mark in this entire charade. This is how Scott Boras works, and his clients love him for it. Mark never said he wanted Boston, sources ‘close to negotiations’ did. That and a handful of nickels will get you a quarter.

Stop being surprised in these deals when you hear comments from EVERYONE but the players. Until the player speaks I am comfortable telling you more than 90 percent of what you hear is what teams WANT you to hear through their media ’sources’. Half of these folks get told things from teams because teams
WANT that message in particular, out there.

Jason Bay is going to be here a full year. That’s 30+ HR, 100+ RBI and a near 900 OPS right there. That helps. He’s a very good defensive player and a very good base runner, not to mention a fantastic club house
presence. 

Tex would certainly have made this lineup more potent, but scoring the most runs isn’t the solution. You need run prevention and the Sox have that too. Now so do the Yanks, but are you believing that the Yanks just put out $400 mm-plus in contracts and all three players will be worth the deals? When has that ever happened ACROSS a free agent class much less one team.

I think the Steinbrenners, coming off a miserable last season in Yankee Stadium, are dead set on opening the new stadium with a World Series and they don’t care how much it costs. Good for them. You can bitch all you want about the Yankees and greed but they spend money in a sincere effort to win it all, every year. What fan wouldn’t want their teams to do that.

Theo’s not done, at least in my opinion. The club is stocked with VERY tradable young talent and you can bet with this economy teams will be hell bent on unloading supreme talent where possible. Teams other than the NY’s, Anaheim’s and Boston’s.

The AL East just got tougher, if that’s possible, and I don’t think the counter punches are done being thrown.