Red Sox's Schilling Says He'll Pitch Past 2007 Season (Update1)

By Mason Levinson

Jan. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling said he plans to continue his Major League Baseball career past the 2007 season, which was to be his last.

The 40-year-old right-hander said he'd play elsewhere if a contract extension can't be reached with Boston, ruling out only the New York Yankees, the Red Sox's archrival, as a possible new team.

Schilling told Boston radio station WEEI that discussions with his wife and children in recent months led him to change his mind about his plans to retire when his contract expired after this season.

``We came to the conclusion about a week to 10 days ago that I was not going to retire in 2007,'' Schilling told the radio station. He said his health is good enough to allow him to pitch in 2008 and perhaps beyond.

Schilling, a six-time All-Star, was 15-7 with a 3.97 earned run average last season in 204 innings of work. He has a 207-138 record and 3.44 ERA in 19 seasons for the Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles, amassing 3,015 strikeouts while walking 688 batters.

Schilling said he is negotiating a contract extension with the Red Sox and would play elsewhere if an agreement cannot be reached.

``I hope it's Boston. This is where I want to play,'' Schilling said. ``It wouldn't be in New York. I could not make that move.''

The Red Sox finished 86-76 last season, 11 games behind the Yankees in the AL East.