World Series 2018: Did Red Sox snub Curt Schilling on ceremonial 1st pitch?

by Felix Pantaleón

The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers will meet in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series on Friday, October 26, 2018 (10/26/18) at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. The Red Sox lead the best-of-seven series, 2-0. Boston won Game 2 on Wednesday, 4-2, behind six innings of brilliant pitching by left-hander David Price.

Before Game 2 of the 2018 World Series on Wednesday between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, there was a special moment on the field at Fenway Park.

Throwing out the ceremonial first pitch were seven members from the Red Sox’s 2004 World Series championship.

What a reunion. [?] pic.twitter.com/hUNGIcEu8w

— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2018

Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez, along with three-time world champion David Ortiz, former captain Jason Varitek, knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, first baseman Kevin Millar, closer Keith Foulke and reliever Alan Embree had the honors before the game.

Notice any significant names missing from the list?

Playoff legend Curt Schilling did.

And he made sure everyone else noticed too, based on his social media post Thursday. Per The Big Lead:

He … ranted about being left out of the ceremony, admitting his feelings were hurt “in one sense.” Later, he said”[t]he men who live in an ivory tower and pass judgment from on high know EXACTLY what I did and it shames them as men knowing they’ll never in their lives be able to do anything remotely close to that.”

pic.twitter.com/nSSQjv5G7L

— OIB (@OnlyInHouston) October 25, 2018

Boston Globe columnist also noticed Schilling’s absence, and asked the Red Sox why the right-hander wasn’t part of the ceremony.

Ceremonial first pitch tonight: 2004 team members David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, Kevin Millar, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, Keith Foulke, Alan Embree.
No Curt Schilling, who lives locally?
Red Sox exec: “We did not reach out to him, but it is not out of spite.”

— Dan Shaughnessy (@Dan_Shaughnessy) October 24, 2018

Also not part of the pre-game ceremony? Former outfielder Dave Roberts. But he had a good excuse, since he’s managing the Dodgers in the World Series for the second straight year.

However Roberts and his Dodgers have their work cut out for them.

Los Angeles lost Game 2, 4-2, giving the Red Sox a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven World Series.

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Boston, which has home-field advantage after winning a league-best and franchise-record 108 regular season games, won both World Series games at Fenway Park.

The series shifts to Los Angeles on Friday, when Dodger Stadium hosts Game 3. New Jersey native Rick Porcello will be on the mound for the Red Sox. The Dodgers will counter rookie Walker Buehler.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.