Schilling seeks another Hall voting surge

PHOENIX -- Randy Johnson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, and now, the other 2001 World Series co-MVP is getting close to joining him in Cooperstown.

Former D-backs right-hander Curt Schilling is entering his eighth year on the Hall of Fame ballot -- the 2020 edition was released Monday -- and he continues to get closer to the 75 percent of votes needed to be elected. Last year, Schilling received 60.9 percent of votes, making him the top returner on this year’s ballot.

Schilling, Roger Clemens (59.5 percent), Barry Bonds (59.1) and Larry Walker (54.6) are the four returning candidates who received more than 50 percent of votes last year.

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Players can stay on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot for 10 years. If a player goes 10 years without receiving 75 percent of votes in a year -- or receives less than 5 percent of votes in any year -- that ends their eligibility on the BBWAA ballot.

Schilling’s Hall of Fame support continues to grow. He has increased by 15.9 percent over the last three years of voting, going from 45 in 2017 to 51.2 in ’18 to 60.9 last year. If Schilling stays on that pace, he’ll get voted into the Hall before he runs out of eligibility.

Although Schilling played only four seasons for Arizona, he is one of the franchise’s most successful pitchers. He went 58-28 with a 3.14 ERA and 875 strikeouts over 108 games (107 starts) from 2000-03. The righty finished second in National League Cy Young Award voting in both 2001 and ’02, winning 45 games over those two seasons.

Over Schilling’s 20-year career, he also pitched for the Orioles, Astros, Phillies and Red Sox. He won 216 games, posted a 3.46 ERA and notched 3,116 strikeouts. In addition to winning the World Series with the D-backs in 2001, he also won titles with the Red Sox in ’04 and ’07.

Schilling was a six-time All-Star, making the NL team twice as a member of the D-backs in 2001 and ’02. He also thrived in the postseason, going 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA in 19 career playoff starts.

Of the 18 players on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year, five are former D-backs: Heath Bell (played for Arizona in 2013), Eric Chavez (2013-14), Adam Dunn (2008), J.J. Putz (2011-14) and José Valverde (2003-07).

The results of this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame voting will be announced on Jan. 21 on MLB Network.