The Importance of Being Wakefield

The key to the Red Sox 2009 title hopes (our third title in six years) is turning 43 in three weeks.

Timothy Stephen Wakefield might be my all-time favorite Red Sox (after John Valentin). He’s the epitome of a team player. He’ll do anything for the win. You need me to go nine? Fair enough. Need to me come in and mow down three in the eighth? I’ll be there. Need me to rake the infield between innings? Lemme check my contract real quick.

In fact, I like Wake so much, I don’t even hold the fact that he was raised in Florida against him. He excelled at Florida Tech at first base – cranking out 40 home runs – and was drafted in the eighth round by the Pirates where a scout told him he would never get above AA ball as a position. And so the knuckleball was born.

Phil Niekro is the first name you think of when you hear knuckleball, but I like to think Tim Wakefield’s the second. He’s been able to enjoy a lengthy and lofty career since his go-to pitch simply can’t tire out his arm. He’s about to turn 43 in August and he could still have another season or two left in him. That’s practically unheard of in any professional sport these days.

Wake joined the winning team back in 1995; when we had fellas like Mo, Johnny V & Willie McGee on our team. And he’s still huckin’ that knuckler to this day; the current longest-tenured Sock. If I were a SportsCenter writer this is where I’d put a cute little graphic about what’s changed in our world since 1995. How many Presidents have we been through since then? Three?!?! Holy Schlamoly!

One thing I will say about the difference between then and now: Wakefield was first brought up to Boston in ’95 because of an injury to Aaron Sele. Aaron Sele?? Isn’t he dead? Wake won 14 of his first 15 and Boston fans were head-over-heels in love.

That isn’t to say it hasn’t been a stormy marriage. The thing about the knuckleball is if it isn’t knuckling, you’re screwed. Wakefield battled through control issues during the early years and from ’95 to ’98 he was an important cog in the Sox rotation. In 1999, Jimy Williams tried him out as the new closer after Flash Gordon went down, and he recorded 14 saves before Derek Lowe took over the job. From 2000-02 he was more of a spot-starter, starting on the mound some days while sitting in the bullpen others.

Article Author: Ethan Booker

Ethan Booker was born & raised in Holden, ME. A graduate of James Madison University, he now resides in Los Angeles, CA. He is patiently awaiting casting for the live-action adaptation of Battletoads. He will be reading for the part of 'Rash.'

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