BECKETT AND SCHILLING GREAT, BUT THE GREATEST?

by Kyle Smith, Doberman On The Diamond

In Game 1 of the 2007 World Series, Boston's Josh Beckett got the win by going 7 innings, striking out 9 batters and allowing just one earned run. In Game 2, it was Curt Schilling's turn. He also got the win, by throwing 5-1/3 innings of 1-run ball, while striking out four.

With that came the hyperbole, like comparing Beckett to Bob Gibson, and the question of whether or not Curt Schilling was the greatest post-season pitcher of all-time.

What people must remember when trying to compare players from past era's to the current generation is how much things have changed in the game, and the post-season. Josh Beckett has a fabulous post-season resume, there is absolutely no denying that. So does Schilling. But to make comparisons of them to people like Gibson is short-sighted. The game is too different now.

The bullpen is the main issue and easily the greatest disparity. In Curt Schilling's 19 career post-season starts, he has four complete games, and in Beckett's 10 career post-season starts, he has three. Those are impressive totals. However, in Bob Gibson's nine starts, all in the World Series, he threw eight complete games, including a 10 inning stint against the 1964 New York Yankees, a game that would have been a shutout if not for an error in the 9th inning.

Today, there are specialty reliever who can come in to take on hitters that are better match-ups. Since the 2001 NLCS, Schilling has had 12 starts, and gone past seven innings just one time, and in that start he went 7-1/3.

There is no denying Schilling and Beckett are fantastic post-season pitchers. I'm certainly not downgrading their performances, just trying to put them in perspective a little. Gibson, Beckett and Schilling are three of the greatest playoff pitchers ever. Really, that should be enough to keep everyone satisfied.