Curt Schilling announced on Thursday on his weekly radio appearance, said the Red Sox are not going to offer Schilling a contract extension before Opening Day, citing his age (he'll be 41 in 2008) as the primary reason. Schilling declared he will file for free agency after the season and will cut off contract discussions with the Sox until that time. "Curt's going to be 41 and at that age we get a little more conservative," Epstein said. "That doesn't mean we don't want him back. We have all the confidence in the world that Curt wants to pitch in 2008, and if he pitches effectively as I expect he will, we'll find a way to keep him in a Red Sox uniform. It doesn't make sense from a business standpoint right now to guarantee that kind of money a year in advance to a 41-year-old. Again, that doesn't change how we feel about Curt, his place in the organization. No. 1, he's our Opening Day starter and we couldn't be happier about that."