AMERICAN LEAGUE UPDATE: RED SOX'S SCHILLING IS STARTING OVER.Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer ANAHEIM - A check of the Boston Red Sox's active roster confirms it. Under the list of pitchers, he's right there between Mike Remlinger An important man in the Boston bullpen and a veteran setup man, Timlin has a good command of his 93-MPH fastball. : 38, Schilling, Curt. Schilling indeed is pitching for the Red Sox. But truth be told, the Red Sox are waiting for Curt Schilling Curtis Montague (Curt) Schilling (born November 14, 1966 in Anchorage, Alaska) is an American Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He has won World Series championships in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in 2004 with the Red Sox, and is to be Curt Schilling. The Schilling they have now is a mediocre closer, with nine saves in 11 chances, a 4-3 record and an ERA of 5.01 in that role. The Schilling they hope will emerge down the stretch is a big-game starting pitcher Noun 1. starting pitcher - (baseball) a pitcher who starts in a baseball game baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; , a pitcher they can ride through the playoffs and into the World Series if he gets hot. The Red Sox's regular closer, Keith Foulke ``We've wanted all along to get him back into the rotation,'' Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. It's what Schilling wanted as well, though he admitted he expects to have a few more jitters jitters 'Butterflies' Psychology An episode of nervousness or anxiety that often precedes a public event; jitters is a type of performance anxiety which may affect actors in a stage production–stage fright or soloist musicians; it may respond to anxiolytics than normal on Thursday. ``Yeah, I'm anxious,'' Schilling said. ``I still have to go out and perform. It will feel good when it gets here. It was a big adjustment for me mentally (pitching in the bullpen).'' The Red Sox brass thought long and hard about when, and determined now was the right time. ``We feel comfortable about his health, he's (pitched) back-to-back days and he's shown good velocity at times,'' Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. ``And he's shown an ability to execute pitches.'' While executing pitches might seem like a given for a pitcher who's a three-time 20-game winner, including a 21-win last season for the World Series champion Red Sox, it's been a strange and difficult year for him. He's had setbacks trying to return from the offseason ankle surgery, which has thrown a monkey wrench into the routine of a routine-oriented kind of guy. ``It's been an unusual year for him,'' Epstein said. ``He wasn't able to work out in the offseason. He hasn't been himself. He's trying to pitch at the highest possible level without his usual preparation.'' --White Sox slump: The White Sox are human after all. Their loss to the Yankees Saturday was their seventh in a row, and they've lost that best-record-in-baseball tag they've held virtually all season to the St. Louis Cardinals For the National Football League team that played in St. Louis from 1960 to 1987, see . The St. Louis Cardinals (also referred to as "the Cards" or "the Redbirds") are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. . White Sox players are wearing T-shirts with the slogan, ``Mission: October,'' but for now they are trying to find a way to break out of a team-wide hitting slump. --Embarrassed Royals: After their 19th consecutive loss Friday night, the Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium. were feeling the pressure to win usually reserved for playoff-contending teams this time of year. Only the pressure to win is more to avoid embarrassment. The American League record for losses is 21, set by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles. The major-league record (post-1900) is 23, set by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies. ``It's unexplainable, really,'' Royals manager Buddy Bell said. ``I don't think we're a playoff-contending team by any means, but I don't think we're this bad.'' Joe Haakenson, (626) 962-8811 joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com CAPTION(S): 2 boxes Box: (1) AROUND THE HORN COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE WEEK IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL "MLB" and "Major Leagues" redirect here. For other uses, see MLB (disambiguation) and Major Leagues (disambiguation). Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. - Rich Hammond (2) Daily News/CBS 2/KCAL 9 SPORTS CENTRAL POWER RANKINGS - Matt McHale |
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