Shilling Announces Retirement

Future Hall of Famer (???) Curt Shilling announced his retirement today, according to reports from the Associated Press and Shilling's blog; 38pitches.com:

Curt Schilling retired from baseball Monday after a career in which he won World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks and was one of the game's most dominant pitchers and grittiest competitors.

The 42-year-old right-hander said on his blog he's leaving after 23 years with "zero regrets." Schilling missed all of last season with a shoulder injury after signing a one-year, $8 million contract.

Shilling is most famous for the "Bloody Sock Incident", where he pitched through a ankle injury to win Game 2 of the 2004 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. His sock was eventually enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Schilling finished his career with 3,116 strikeouts, a 216-146 record, and a 3.46 ERA.

Free Agent Frenzy 2009

Only a few days after the Phillies clinched the Commissioner's Trophy, baseball players around the league began filling for free agency, looking to strike offseason gold.

Couldn't they have at least waited until the bodies were cold?

The Red Sox, as expected, picked up their team option on knuckle-baller Tim Wakefield, a move which cost them $4 million. Wakefield finished the season with a 10-11 record and posted a 4.13 era.

Two other Boston pitchers, Curt Shilling and Bartolo Colon, filed for free agency. Shilling has mentioned that if he doesn't retire, he'd be interested in returning to pitch half a season next year. (He is recovering from shoulder surgery).

Other big names that filed around the league include John Smoltz, Pedro Martinez, Bobby Abreu, Hank Blalock, Eric Gagne, Nomar Garciaparra, Greg Maddux, Mark Prior, Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeirra.

Big names could move as early as next week, as the first round of general managers meetings take place next week.