Firm’s collapse costs Schilling his fortune

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling said Friday that the collapse of his 38 Studios video game company has probably cost him his entire baseball fortune, and he placed part of the blame on Rhode Island officials, including Gov. Lincoln Chafee.

Schilling said during a 90-minute interview on WEEI-FM in Boston that he put more than $50 million of his own money into the company and that he's had to tell his family that "the money I saved during baseball was probably all gone."

Schilling said he hopes to return to work soon as an analyst for ESPN. He took a leave of absence from the network after 38 Studios filed for bankruptcy protection on June 7. The firm was lured to Providence from Massachusetts in 2010 after Rhode Island offered a $75 million loan guarantee. The state is working to determine how much it's on the hook for after the company's collapse.

While Schilling conceded that he "absolutely" was part of the reason the company failed, he said public comments made by Chafee last month questioning the firm's solvency were harmful as the firm tried - but failed - to raise private capital to stay afloat.

"I think he had an agenda," Schilling said about Chafee.

38 Studios laid off its entire workforce - nearly 300 employees in Providence and more in Maryland - last month. That move came after it was more than two weeks late on a $1.1 million payment to the state.

State and federal authorities are investigating 38 Studios' finances. Citizens Bank also has sued Schilling to recover $2.4 million in loans it made to the firm.

Schilling said he hasn't done anything wrong. He said he never took any money from the company, not even a salary

But he added, "I'm not asking for sympathy. It was my choice."

■ UMPIRE LAYNE HURT - At Cincinnati, the barrel of a broken bat hit plate umpire Jerry Layne on the left side of the head Friday, forcing him to leave a game between the Minnesota Twins and Reds in the fourth inning.

Devin Mesoraco's bat cracked as he hit a grounder off Minnesota's Nick Blackburn. The barrel came off on Mesoraco's follow-through and hit Layne, a 23-year veteran. He stumbled for a couple steps, then fell on his back and remained on the ground on his chest for several minutes while trainers talked to him.

Layne got to his feet with help and was taken to a hospital for tests, which showed no evidence of a concussion.

Second-base umpire Bob Davidson took over behind the plate.

■ ROYALS - Right-hander Felipe Paulino tore a ligament in his elbow and likely will become the fourth Kansas City pitcher this season to have Tommy John surgery. Paulino has a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which usually requires season-ending reconstructive surgery.

Kansas City already has lost starter Danny Duffy, reliever Blake Wood and closer Joakim Soria to Tommy John surgery. Paulino was 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA in seven starts, including four outings in which he didn't allow a run.

■ BREWERS - Veteran right-hander Livan Hernandez, 37, signed a one-year contract with Milwaukee, four days after being released by Atlanta.

Hernandez will be used in long relief and as a spot starter. He is in his 17th major league season and has a career record of 175-177 with a 4.40 ERA.

■ WHITE SOX - Two months after pitching a perfect game, Chicago right-hander Philip Humber was placed on the disabled list with an elbow flexor strain.

The team also designated outfielder Kosuke Fukudome for assignment.

Humber (3-4, 6.01 ERA) pitched a perfect game at Seattle on April 21, but has been largely ineffective since. His scheduled start today against Milwaukee will be taken by righty Dylan Axelrod.

Fukudome had been on the DL since June 7 with a strained right oblique. He had seven hits in 41 at-bats after signing with the White Sox in February.

■ ORIOLES - Left fielder Nolan Reimold will have surgery on his neck Monday, a procedure that probably will end his season. He has been on the disabled list since May 4 with a herniated disk.

Reimold, 28, was hitting .313 with five homers and 10 RBIs in 16 games.

■ REDS - Cincinnati activated left-hander reliever Bill Bray, who spent two months on the disabled list because of a groin strain. In his return, Bray pitched to two batters and blew a save Friday in the Reds' 5-4 loss to Minnesota.

■ RANGERS - Texas slugger Josh Hamilton and his wife, Katie, confirmed they have agreed to the creation of a feature film about his life.

Hamilton was baseball's No. 1 draft pick in 1999 by Tampa Bay, but his career was knocked off track by drug and alcohol abuse. After being out of baseball from 2003 to 2005, he finally reached the majors in 2007 with Cincinnati and became the 2010 American League Most Valuable Player with the Rangers.

The Hamiltons said they were approached by actor/director Casey Affleck and Thunder Road Pictures.