It was pretty evident when Roger Clemens left a playoff game against Cleveland in the third inning with an injured hamstring last October  that his long career was probably over. His return, announced as the Yankees struggled out of the gate last year, did coincide with New York's sprint to the playoffs, but it was hardly up to Clemens' standards -- fewer than 100 innings pitched, 6-6, 4.18 ERA.

But it just may be that when Curt Schilling exited in the sixth inning of the Red Sox' 2-1 win over Colorado in the second game of Boston's World Series sweep, that it might also have been his final time on the big stage. On his blog, 38pitches, Schilling takes a break from campaigning for Republican candidate John McCain to discuss that he will begin a course of rehabilitation for an injury to his throwing shoulder, which apparently has flared up since the season ended.

Schilling does not say exactly what doctors believe the problem is -- or if they have made a diagnosis -- other than to say it is not a rotator cuff tear.

It has been reported that the team and Schilling have disagreed over the course of treatment for the shoulder.  Schilling said the course being pursued now -- rest and rehabilitation -- is the team's preferred strategy.

According to reports, if Schilling had surgery, he would miss the entire 2008 season and even with the current course, he could be out until at least the All-Star break. Considering Schilling is 41 and was clearly relying on pitching savvy by the end of last season, we may have seen the last pitch by No. 38.