Baseball Guru
05-30-2002, 07:22 PM
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
May 30, 2002, 5:39 PM EDT
SAN FRANCISCO -- Curt Schilling won a career-high 22 games last season on his way to sharing the World Series MVP trophy.
This year, he already has 10 victories -- and it's not yet June.
"I feel like I'm better than I was last year. I worked hard on improving some things," the Arizona star said. "I think a year older is a year wiser."
Schilling became the first 10-game winner in the majors this season, pitching the Diamondbacks past the NL West rival San Francisco Giants 7-3 Wednesday night.
A third of the way through the season, Schilling is already a third of the way to 30 wins, a total last reached by Denny McLain in 1968 with Detroit.
This is the second straight year Schilling has opened with a 10-1 record. Last year he did it in 13 starts, while this year he did it in 12.
The 35-year-old right-hander retired the first 15 Giants batters he faced, before he hit Tsuyoshi Shinjo with a pitch in the sixth. He went on to allow three hits and three runs in the inning, but quickly regained his composure and retired the last six batters he faced.
So far, Shilling has pitched 89 innings, striking out a major league-leading 123 while walking only eight. He has a 2.93 ERA.
"When you score a bunch of runs for Curt, he's going to win almost every time," teammate Mark Grace said. "He has the benefit of a lot of pitching talent, and when he pitches he gets a lot of run production."
Schilling's only loss came eight starts ago, back on April 17 against St. Louis. He allowed six runs on nine hits through six innings in the Cardinals' 8-4 victory. It was his shortest outing of the year.
His lone start without a decision came May 18 against Philadelphia, when he allowed four runs on 10 hits through eight innings in an eventual 5-4 Arizona victory.
On Wednesday, he did not walk a batter for the fourth straight game. For his next start, on Monday against the Astros, he will have gone 30 straight innings without issuing a walk -- a span of 114 consecutive batters.
Giants manager Dusty Baker said if Schilling's not the best in the game, he's close.
"It's hard to say when you've got Randy sitting over there, too," Baker said.
Randy, of course, is left-hander Randy Johnson, who is 8-1 record through 11 starts for the Diamondbacks. Last season, Schilling came in second to Johnson for the NL Cy Young award.
The Arizona aces shared the World Series MVP award.
This year, the Diamondbacks are making it easier for Schilling.
"When I take the ball we score runs and play defense. We're playing well when I pitch," he said.
AP Sports Writer
May 30, 2002, 5:39 PM EDT
SAN FRANCISCO -- Curt Schilling won a career-high 22 games last season on his way to sharing the World Series MVP trophy.
This year, he already has 10 victories -- and it's not yet June.
"I feel like I'm better than I was last year. I worked hard on improving some things," the Arizona star said. "I think a year older is a year wiser."
Schilling became the first 10-game winner in the majors this season, pitching the Diamondbacks past the NL West rival San Francisco Giants 7-3 Wednesday night.
A third of the way through the season, Schilling is already a third of the way to 30 wins, a total last reached by Denny McLain in 1968 with Detroit.
This is the second straight year Schilling has opened with a 10-1 record. Last year he did it in 13 starts, while this year he did it in 12.
The 35-year-old right-hander retired the first 15 Giants batters he faced, before he hit Tsuyoshi Shinjo with a pitch in the sixth. He went on to allow three hits and three runs in the inning, but quickly regained his composure and retired the last six batters he faced.
So far, Shilling has pitched 89 innings, striking out a major league-leading 123 while walking only eight. He has a 2.93 ERA.
"When you score a bunch of runs for Curt, he's going to win almost every time," teammate Mark Grace said. "He has the benefit of a lot of pitching talent, and when he pitches he gets a lot of run production."
Schilling's only loss came eight starts ago, back on April 17 against St. Louis. He allowed six runs on nine hits through six innings in the Cardinals' 8-4 victory. It was his shortest outing of the year.
His lone start without a decision came May 18 against Philadelphia, when he allowed four runs on 10 hits through eight innings in an eventual 5-4 Arizona victory.
On Wednesday, he did not walk a batter for the fourth straight game. For his next start, on Monday against the Astros, he will have gone 30 straight innings without issuing a walk -- a span of 114 consecutive batters.
Giants manager Dusty Baker said if Schilling's not the best in the game, he's close.
"It's hard to say when you've got Randy sitting over there, too," Baker said.
Randy, of course, is left-hander Randy Johnson, who is 8-1 record through 11 starts for the Diamondbacks. Last season, Schilling came in second to Johnson for the NL Cy Young award.
The Arizona aces shared the World Series MVP award.
This year, the Diamondbacks are making it easier for Schilling.
"When I take the ball we score runs and play defense. We're playing well when I pitch," he said.