1998 = 1988.

Looks like Theo knew how to appeal to Curt's personality.

Is it Theo or Curt who doesn't know the difference between "their" and "they're?"

It's a very nice piece of copywriting. I mean that not snarkily either, but with respect for the thought and craft that appears to have gone into the letter.

Translation(?): They thought I was great, and I delivered. How can they not offer a 1-year contract?

The first response on 38pitches made me #### myself.

I like the letter. It walks the fine line between candor and boosterism, ass-kissing and praise, while never once (in my mind) falling to the bad side. It's the sort of letter I'd want to get from an organization silly enough to woo me. It's also the sort of letter that teams like the Pirates and Orioles couldn't write in a hundred years, even if they wanted to.

it’s clear to us that the next step in your career is baseball immortality. Baseball immortality –an enshrinement speech in Cooperstown, a plaque on the wall, a place alongside legends

If that had been written by Cashman or one of the Steinbrenners, everyone would be jumping in here to call them arrogant blowhards.

If that had been written by Cashman or one of the Steinbrenners, everyone would be jumping in here to call them arrogant blowhards.

It's arrogant to tell someone else they're really good?

If that had been written by Cashman or one of the Steinbrenners, everyone would be jumping in here to call them arrogant blowhards.

Proofreading was pretty poor, too.

I want to see the letter they wrote to Manny Ramirez when they put him on waivers.

Things like this are what make me dislike Schilling.

Baseball immortality –an enshrinement speech in Cooperstown, a plaque on the wall, a place alongside legends – is one of the reasons why the Schillings and the Red Sox are such a perfect fit.

Schilling accomplished what he and the organization wanted in Boston. By publishing the letter, he wants people to think he's become a "baseball immortal, etc.". You just don't get these comments from other pitchers the calibre of Curt Schilling. I don't mind Schilling saying he has accomplished a lot in his career because he has but it is things like this that annoy me.

1998 = 1988.

Proofreading was pretty poor, too.

i think curt typed it in himself. i don't think they sent him the letter by email.

nonetheless, bring him back for one more year. let him retire a red sox. i think i speak for a lot of fans when i say that these two world series championships absolutely would not have happened without him. love him or hate him, schilling embraced the fans and the red sox organization. as a fan, i want him back.

i think curt typed it in himself. i don't think they sent him the letter by email.

Curt said as much in the SoSH thread about this - he transcribed the letter, and that any mistakes were his, not from the original letter.

"Dear Doug Mirabelli:

Tim hasn't been the same since you went to San Diego. He can't eat, he can't sleep. Sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's taken away from you. Please come back to us. We can make this work.

Love,

Theo"

It just warms the heart! It brought a tear to even this hardened cynic's eye.

And myrawalker in comment #17 makes an excellent point. It makes it even more special that all of this happened to a team with Christian athletes like Curt!

I want to see the letter they wrote to Manny Ramirez when they put him on waivers.

Estimado Manny,

Te pagamos demasiado. Tambien, tu eres un 'strange dude.'

Sus amigos, Larry y Theo

It's also the sort of letter that teams like the Pirates and Orioles couldn't write in a hundred years, even if they wanted to.

I disagree here. The Red Sox are very well-run, but I saw nothing exceptional about the letter in terms of this type of communique. It was standard, slick, corporate/university-recruiting boosterism. If the Pirates and the Orioles really CAN'T put together a letter like that, that is pathetic.

Now, this is one fascinating letter...not quite as fascinating as the letter my parents received from Darren McGavin for me being named after him...but that’s for another time.

I always liked Darren McGavin. Someday I would like to read the contents of that letter.

If that had been written by Cashman or one of the Steinbrenners, everyone would be jumping in here to call them arrogant blowhards

.

I have to agree to a point. I think this might get a different BTF reception if it were a Yankees letter to a free agent or take-on-salary trade target, and said more or less the same thing.

I think this might get a different BTF reception if it were a Yankees letter to a free agent or take-on-salary trade target, and said more or less the same thing.

No, it would likely get the same reception. Some would think it a well-done recruitment letter that other teams may not have done as well. Others would say it's just SOP recruitment. Still others would say it's more evidence that player/team is full of ####.

No, it would likely get the same reception. Some would think it a well-done recruitment letter that other teams may not have done as well. Others would say it's just SOP recruitment. Still others would say it's more evidence that player/team is full of ####.

Maybe. But I think you would more of the "full of ####" posts if it were the Yankees.

I have to agree to a point. I think this might get a different BTF reception if it were a Yankees letter to a free agent or take-on-salary trade target, and said more or less the same thing.

It would call to mind the Yankees' courtship of Reggie Jackson.

Reggie, on Big Stein: "He hustled me like a broad."

Isn't the effectiveness of the letter entirely dependent on the reaction of the recipient? Since Schilling did indeed agree to come to Boston, and actually kept the letter for four years after his arrival, the letter had exactly the response it sought. If sent to someone other ballplayer with a different set of sensibilities, who saw it as ########, then the same letter would indeed be FOS.

They weren't trying to impress us. They were trying to woo Schilling. They accomplished that mission.

Maybe. But I think you would more of the "full of ####" posts if it were the Yankees.

It's Friday night and the thread is young. Remember, the CW is that the Red Sox are the new Yankees. It'll come. This thread may just limp along due to unfortunate posting timing.

They weren't trying to impress us. They were trying to woo Schilling. They accomplished that mission.

The boatload of money helped as well. Probably a lot more than the letter.

Isn't the effectiveness of the letter entirely dependent on the reaction of the recipient? Since Schilling did indeed agree to come to Boston, and actually kept the letter for four years after his arrival, the letter had exactly the response it sought. If sent to someone other ballplayer with a different set of sensibilities, who saw it as ########, then the same letter would indeed be FOS.

They weren't trying to impress us. They were trying to woo Schilling. They accomplished that mission.

I didn't say it wasn't effective--just that I don't see evidence that it shows exceptional acumen or sensitivity on the part of the Red Sox. I think it shows common sense-level good-business-interpersonal skills, which businesses need. But to me, it showed nothing more than that.

As to Schilling keeping it and trotting it out just now, that is the kind of guy he is, publicly: a mix of good-guy accessibility, genuine regard for people, massive ego, and transparent political manipulation.

And as to the "wooing" angle, I am pretty damn sure Schilling wanted to go to Boston and would have, letter or no letter. He likes the spotlight and all players want to be on good teams, particularly at age 37, 38, 35, etc.

EDIT: and they gave him a boatload of $--as Russlan noted.

I thought Schilling was, at least publicly, disinclined to go to Boston before the Thanksgiving visit.

Moreover, I just see Post 8 as being pointless and, of course, unprovable. The Red Sox sent a letter that had the desired effect. If the Yankees or any other team sent it, and it had the same result, then it was an effective letter. And anyone who would have different views on the letter based on the author is a moron.

If you believe Schilling is being disingenuous about its effect on him, that's one thing. But carping about the Red Sox and how the hypothetical reaction would differ it if it was the Yankees is asinine.

The only thing that is more tiresome than Yankee-bashing is Yankee martyrdom.

Hey Wale, did you see the Bill James thread? I can't believe James said Granderson came out of nowhere. Damn it, he came out of UIC, a baseball powerhouse!

UIC gets no respect, I tells ya. I thought he and Verlander were both a little low.

Moreover, I just see Post 8 as being pointless and, of course, unprovable.

I think (not sure, though) aleksel is a Yankee fan. Just blowing off a little steam. I partially agreed, though, because as far as BTF, while there is more and more Red Sox-BS backlash, the Yankees, are, to some extent at least, still the Yankees. And I think if, say, Mike Mussina, put a letter out from 2001 which Cashman/Stein were talking about the Yankee tradition and Cooperstown and community service and family, you would see many posters of various rooting interests snorting derisively and saying stuff about Yankee dollars--and also I think a lot of BTF Red Sox fans would jump in to do so. You may still get 40 Yankee-fan posts doing it here.

But with this, so far at least, we have one comment like that--Russlan's--who admits he does not like Schilling to begn with and a few praising the letter or saying nothing much about it, as well as funny posts from Guapo and Rifkin.

But like scotto said: it's early.

And I think if, say, Mike Mussina, put a letter out from 2001 which Cashman/Stein were talking about the Yankee tradition and Cooperstown and community service and family, you would see many posters of various rooting interests snorting derisively and saying stuff about Yankee dollars--and also I think a lot of BTF Red Sox fans would jump in to do so.

And those hypothetical posts would be equally pointless.

UIC gets no respect, I tells ya.

Oh no kidding. You keep have to reminding people that it isn't the University of Chicago, and it's not the University of Illinois, it's the mighty Flames of the University of Illinois-Chicagah!!!

And those hypothetical posts would be equally pointless.

I am not sure what is bugging you about this--hell, a lot of what is said here is "pointless." This is just one of those little Yankees-Red Sox fanculture things. I find a lot of it interesting, but I know that stuff bores you, mostly, so I am not sure why you are irritated by this one.

This is just one of those little Yankees-Red Sox fanculture things. I find a lot of it interesting, but I know that stuff bores you, mostly, so I am not sure why you are irritated by this one.

I simply find posts that rail against hypothetical, stupid complaints add nothing to the discussion at this site, and only contribute to the ridiculous "Yankee fans are_____" or "Red Sox fans are____" rhetoric that is not just boring, but counterproductive to good discussion. That being said, I don't think this particular post is any more egregious than numerous others that are delivered all too frequently.

not to hijack the thread away from a very fruitful and insightful discussion about what kind of affective response a hypothetical letter would generate here, but can we get back to the point of whether or not schilling should come back to boston for a year?

but can we get back to the point of whether or not schilling should come back to boston for a year?

I am sure you don't care what I think, but on a one-year deal, I think he makes sense for any contender. Structly from an on-field perspective, the Red Sox need him less than some other teams, though, so I think he might get a two-year offer (and some really nice letters) from those other teams. To me, the teams that could use him the most are Cleveland and Philadelphia. Don't know that he would go to either place, but I do think someone will offer him two years to try to get him out of Boston.

It also may be that Epstein is ready to move on and use/save the money in/for the deadline and the 2008 FA market.

But, if I am Epstein, I keep Schilling if he will take a one-year deal.

Yeah, I agree with rr. I'd take Schilling back for one year. If he wants two, then thank him for his contributions, possibly in a really nice letter.

I think (not sure, though) aleksel is a Yankee fan. Just blowing off a little steam.

The second stage of grief is anger.

Dear Redsox Nation,

I wanted to take time out to say my good-byes and remind you I will never forget the times I spent in Boston and also so you'll never forget that I am the greatest pitcher in Boston Redsox history. Ever since I single handedly won the 2004 World Series with the most guttiest performance in play-off history in game six over the Yankees. You could name other pitchers in Redsox history and I would eloquently explain to you how I am better than them.

Jim Longborn-yeah he took the sox to the '67 WS but the idiot broke his leg, Luis Tiant-funny looking cuban dude but could not win the big one cause he smoked too many stoggies, eddie cicotte-watched movie 8 men out and saw he fixed WS with whitesox, Cy Young-old dude who's family paid naming rights for CY Young trophy in 1900; babe ruth-fat dude who ate hotdogs, slammed beer and chased tail all night and he never pitched he played with Yankees (thought you had me); Wes Ferrell, Sam Jones and Joe Wood are all old guys nobody has ever heard of; Roger Clemens? come on he played for the Yankees. Petey Martinez-I never liked the guy because he was a prima donna and wanted the focus on him all of the time. I did not like the way he wanted the spot light so and you should forget about him- he wanted 13 million a year to stay when he was on the downhill slide of his career.

I appreciate you taking time out to read this letter as I know my time with the Redsox is limited.

Best of Regards,

Curt (the LEGEND) Schilling

that LEGEND moniker was given to be Sons of SamHorn club

MMORPG immortality –an enshrinement speech in Norrath, a plaque on the wall, a place alongside legends – is one of the reasons why the Schillings and Everquest are such a perfect fit.

it seems like, from his published comments, schilling only wants one year. i hope they re-sign him. he has meant a lot to this team, regardless of what anyone thinks of him.

pep21 = not funny, not insightful, waste of a comment.