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D'back a somebody

Arizona ace Curt Schilling has come a long way since leading the Phillies past the Braves in the playoffs eight years ago.

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 20, 2001

ATLANTA -- Before Curt Schilling pitched the Phillies to a 4-3 win over Atlanta in Game 2 of the 1993 National League Championship Series, he was a self-described "loud nobody."

And after?

"I became a loud somebody," the 34-year-old said.

Now with the Diamondbacks, he is considered among the preeminent pitchers in the majors. Schilling started Game 3 of the NLCS on Friday against Atlanta at Turner Field with a 2-0 record and 0.50 ERA this postseason.

"That (1993 NLCS) may have been the beginning of his relishing the spotlight," Arizona manager Bob Brenly said. "He certainly has proven over the course of this season that he is one guy that really loves it when the lights are on and everybody's watching and his teammates expect him to go out there and do well. It brings out the best in him."

Until 1993, Schilling wasn't sure if anybody knew if he could perform when it mattered most.

"When it got over, I think I really had the same reaction I've had after Game 1 and Game 5," said Schilling, who pitched 16 innings that series, had a 1.69 ERA and won the NLCS MVP as the Phillies advanced to the World Series against Toronto. "I looked at my wife, and I said, "What just happened?"'

The 6-foot-4 right-hander had allowed just four earned runs in 34 postseason innings but only one in the previous 27 before Friday. Two of those came in a pair of one-run complete-game wins over St. Louis in the Division Series.

"He doesn't make many mistakes for a power pitcher," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "He does not get many balls down the middle. A lot of teams haven't figured out how to beat him."

The Braves have.

Schilling entered 10-10 with a 3.59 ERA lifetime and 4-2 in his past seven starts against the Braves.

Coming off losses, he had been unstoppable.

The Braves beat Arizona 8-1 in Game 2 on Tuesday to make the series 1-1, but Schilling was 15-1 when he pitched the game after an Arizona loss this season.

"It just shows you what kind of character he has on that mound. He's the kind of pitcher that wants the ball," Arizona catcher Damian Miller said.

"It makes a guy like that so important on a ballclub. Just because after a tough loss (Tuesday) night, for him to take the ball, it's just a huge boost of confidence for us."

It has been a banner season for Schilling.

He finished tied with Matt Morris with 22 wins, ranked second with a 2.98 ERA and his 293 strikeouts were second only to teammate Randy Johnson in the NL.

"Up to this point, I feel like I've done as much as I can when I had the ball," he said.

"But it's not over."

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