Tim Wakefield
Boston Red Sox — No. 49
Starting pitcher
Born: August 2, 1966 (1966-08-02) (age 43) Melbourne, Florida
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 31, 1992 for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Career statistics (through September 11, 2009)
Win–Loss	189–162
Earned run average	4.32
Strikeouts	1,975
Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates (1992–1994) Boston Red Sox (1995–present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star selection (2009) 2x World Series champion (2004, 2007) 1995 AL Comeback Player of the Year

Timothy Stephen Wakefield (born August 2, 1966 in Melbourne, Florida) is a right-handed knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played with the Boston Red Sox since 1995, making him the longest-serving member of the team.^[1]

His longevity and consistency have helped him become one of the top pitchers in Red Sox history. He currently ranks third in all time wins in a Red Sox uniform at 175, behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens who are tied at 192, and ranks second in all time wins at Fenway Park with 91, behind Roger Clemens' 95.^[2][3]

Also noted for his selfless actions on the field, and his charitable contributions off, Wakefield has been nominated 7 times for the Roberto Clemente Award.^[4][5]

[edit] Early life

Wakefield was born in Melbourne, Florida on August 2, 1966. He attended Eau Gallie High School, graduating in 1984, and then attended Florida Tech. There, he was named the Panthers team MVP as first basemen in his sophomore and junior years. He set single season records with 22 home runs and 71 RBI's, as well as the career home run record at 40. In 2006, his number 3 was retired by the college.^[6]

[edit] Professional career

[edit] Pittsburgh Pirates

After graduating from Florida Tech, Wakefield was selected in the 8th round of the free agent draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1988. He began his minor league career as a corner infielder for Watertown of the New York-Penn League. After a scout told him that he would never get above Double-A ball as a "position player" with his skills, Wakefield began developing the knuckleball that has made him so well-known, at the time stating "I just want to be able to say I tried everything I could to make it."^[7]

The following season, Wakefield made his professional pitching debut while playing for the Single-A Salem Buccaneers. His immediate success led to a full conversion to pitcher in 1990 when he would lead the Carolina League in starts and innings pitched. Wakefield advanced to Double-A in 1991 and continued to improve, leading all Pirates minor leaguers in wins, innings pitched, and complete games when he went 15–8 with a 5.36 ERA.^[7]

[edit] 1992–1994

In 1992, Wakefield began the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons of the American Association. He registered a league-high 6 complete games by July 31—winning 10 games with a 3.06 ERA—and was called up to the majors. In his major league debut Wakefield threw a complete game against the St. Louis Cardinals, striking out 10 batters while throwing 146 pitches.^[8]

Down the stretch, Wakefield would provide a boost for the playoff-bound Pirates, starting 13 games and compiling an 8–1 record with a 2.15 ERA, a performance that would win him the National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award from The Sporting News. After winning the National League East division, the Pirates would face the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series. Wakefield won both of his starts against Braves star Tom Glavine, throwing a complete game 5-hitter in Game Three of the NLCS and another complete game in Game Six on three days' rest. With the Pirates leading the Braves in Game Seven, Wakefield was poised to be named NLCS MVP until the Braves rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth off Stan Belinda.^[9]

In 1993, Wakefield was unable to duplicate his performance from the year before. In the first month of the season, he walked nine batters twice and ten in another start. After losing his spot in the starting rotation, Wakefield was sent down to Double-A. He was recalled in September and struggled again, but would finish the season with two straight shutouts.

Wakefield spent most of 1994 with Triple-A Buffalo working on his control problems. He led the league in losses, walks, and home runs allowed. While Wakefield would once again be recalled to the Pirates in September, he did not play because of the players strike.^[10] The Pirates released Wakefield on April 20, 1995.^[11]

[edit] Boston Red Sox

Six days after being released from the Pirates, Wakefield was signed by the Boston Red Sox.^[1] He worked with Phil and Joe Niekro, two former knuckleballers, who encouraged him to use the knuckleball as an out pitch, even when control wasn't perfect. In Triple A Pawtucket, Wakefield went 2–1 with a 2.53 ERA.

[edit] 1995–1998

With the Boston Red Sox rotation struggling from injuries to staff ace Roger Clemens and Aaron Sele early in the 1995 season, Wakefield was called up from Triple A, and soon proved to be their most dependable starter.^[12] He began the season with a 1.65 ERA and a 14–1 record through 17 games - 6 of which were complete games. He ended the year 16–8 with a 2.95 ERA, helping the Red Sox win the American League East division title, and capturing the Sporting News American League Comeback Player of the Year. He finished third in the A.L. Cy Young Award balloting.

Over the next three seasons (1996–1998), Wakefield would remain an important part of the Red Sox rotation, winning as many as 17 games, but always battling the same control problems that jeopardized his career in Pittsburgh. Dennis Eckersley earned his 390th, and final, save on May 15th 1998, closing out a game started by Wakefield.^[13]

[edit] 1999–2002

In 1999 Boston's closer Tom Gordon went down to injury and manager Jimy Williams installed Wakefield as the new closer during the middle part of the season. On August 10, 1999, he joined a select group of pitchers who have struck out 4 batters in one inning. Because the fluttering knuckleball produces many passed balls, several knuckleballers share this honor with him. He would record 15 saves before Derek Lowe emerged as the new closer and Wakefield returned to the starting rotation.

Because of his success out of the bullpen, Wakefield was constantly moved from the position of relief pitcher to starter and back again over the next three seasons (2000–2002). After being moved back into the rotation in late July 2002, Wakefield found success once again and has remained in the rotation ever since, making only occasional relief appearances.

Wakefield pitching for the Red Sox

[edit] 2003–2008

In the 2003 ALCS, Wakefield was one of the most successful pitchers against the New York Yankees, allowing only three runs in 13 innings. He started Games One and Four of the Series, outpitching Yankees ace Mike Mussina to win both. He was also called in to pitch in extra innings of Game Seven, after the Yankees tied the game. The Red Sox had been leading 5–2 in the eighth inning. After retiring the side in order in the 10th, Wakefield gave up a home run to Aaron Boone on his first pitch of the 11th, sending the Yankees to the World Series. Wakefield apologized to fans after the game.

In 2004 Wakefield threw the slowest fastball in the majors among starters, averaging 75.9 miles per hour.[1]

In 2004, Wakefield helped the Red Sox exact revenge by winning the ALCS against the Yankees, a best-of-seven series to advance to the World Series. He helped save the wearied Boston bullpen by pitching 3 1/3 innings in a blowout Game Three defeat, which put the Red Sox in a 3–0 series hole. Wakefield volunteered for this relief duty despite being slated to pitch in Game Four the following day, knowing full well he was giving up his start. Derek Lowe got the start in Game Four, which the Red Sox ultimately won. In Game Five, Wakefield was the winning pitcher in a 14 inning thriller, throwing three shutout innings as the Red Sox won 5–4. He pitched Game One of the 2004 World Series but did not get a decision as Boston defeated the Cardinals, 11–9.

On April 19, 2005, Wakefield agreed to a $4 million, one-year "rolling" contract extension that gives the Red Sox the ability to keep their longest-tenured player for the rest of his career.^[14] In the 2005 season, Wakefield led the Red Sox pitching staff with 16 wins and a 4.15 ERA. On September 11, 2005, he set a career high in strikeouts (12) in a 1–0 complete game loss to the New York Yankees.^[15] He threw the slowest fastball of all starters in 2005, averaging 76.1 miles per hour, and his knuckleball (67.9 mph) and curveball (60.2 mph) were even slower.[2]

In 2007, he finished the season with a 17–12 record. He threw the slowest fastball of all starters in 2007, averaging 74.2 miles per hour, and his knuckleball (66.8 mph) and curveball (61.8 mph) were even slower.[3]

He was left off the Red Sox team roster for the 2007 World Series due to a bad shoulder that had been bothering him since late September.^[16]

The 12 passed balls while he was pitching topped the majors in 2008.[4] He also threw the slowest fastball of all starters in 2008, averaging 72.9 miles per hour, though his knuckleball (65.1 mph) and curveball (59.5 mph) were even slower.[5]

[edit] 2009

Wakefield entered his fifteenth season with the Boston Red Sox in 2009.^[17] On April 15, 2009, a day after the Red Sox bullpen was tasked with pitching over 11 innings of relief, Wakefield told Terry Francona: "I understand the circumstances and I just wanted you to know: Whatever happens, don't take me out; let me keep going." He went on to carry a no-hitter into the eighth inning, and earned a complete-game win.^[4] At 42, this made him the oldest Red Sox pitcher to pitch a complete game, a record he would break himself in his next start when he pitched a second consecutive complete game win, this time in a seven-inning, rain-shortened game.^[18]

Though Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Jon Lester struggled through the early part of the season, Wakefield continued to be dependable, leading the staff with a 10–3 record through June 27.^[19] With his start on July 3, 2009, Wakefield surpassed Roger Clemens for the most starts in franchise history.^[20] His success on the mound had him atop the major leagues with 10 wins at the time of the 2009 All Star selection. On July 5, 2009, he was announced as an AL All-Star, making him the second-oldest first-time All-Star at 42, behind only Satchel Paige who was 45.^[21] By the All Star break, Wakefield possessed a major league best 11–3 record.^[22] Wakefield did not see action in St. Louis, however as he was not needed by Joe Maddon. Wakefield has been out since the All- Star break due to lower back and calf injury. He made his first start after the all-star break on 26 August against Chicago White Sox and pitched 7 innings with 1 earned run and no decision.

[edit] Catcher

Because of the difficulty of catching a knuckleball, the Red Sox carry a backup catcher who specializes in defense and who catches most or all of Wakefield's starts. For several years, his personal catcher was Doug Mirabelli, who used a league-approved mitt similar to a softball catcher's mitt for catching Wakefield. Josh Bard briefly caught Wakefield during the first month of the 2006 season, before Boston reacquired Mirabelli that May 1 after trading him to San Diego the previous offseason. Mirabelli was released in the spring of 2008 and Wakefield's catcher was Kevin Cash during 2008. George Kottaras became his personal catcher in 2009. Wakefield made his first start since the all-star break on August 26, 2009 against Chicago White Sox. The newly acquired Victor Martinez caught Wakefield in that game and is expected to be his catcher for the entire coming season.

[edit] Pitching style

Wakefield's primary pitch, the knuckleball, has a wide range of speeds (55–69 mph) and a great deal of variance in how much it 'flutters.' Both depend on a variety of factors including temperature, humidity, precipitation (both type and intensity), air resistance, wind speed, wind direction, and the condition of the ball. Wakefield also features a 74–82 mph fastball and a slow curve (60–65 mph).

Knuckleball pitchers are traditionally believed to be able to pitch more frequently and for more pitches per game than conventional pitchers. Throughout the first decade of his career, Wakefield followed a similar pattern: on April 27, 1993, he threw 172 pitches over 10+ innings in a game for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Atlanta Braves.^[23] In his first two weeks with the Red Sox, Wakefield pitched a total of 33.1 innings, including two complete games in addition to a 7.1-inning emergency start on just two days' rest.^[24] As late as the 2003 and 2004 ALCS, Wakefield was making relief appearances between starts. In recent years, however, the Red Sox have generally treated Wakefield more like conventional pitchers in terms of pitch count, rarely allowing him to pitch more than about 110 pitches per game, and giving him 4 days of rest. Also, because of the relatively low wear on their pitching arm, knuckleball pitchers tend to have longer professional careers than most other pitchers.

Because it can be difficult to control, pitchers who throw the knuckleball often hit batters. As of June 15, 2009, Tim Wakefield is tied for 10th on the all-time hit batters list.

A sign for Wakefield at the 2007 World Series Rolling Rally celebration.

[edit] Charitable contributions

Wakefield is well known throughout Major League Baseball as one of its most charitable players. He has been nominated many times by the Red Sox for the Roberto Clemente Award, presented to the player who best reflects the spirit of giving back to the community. Since 1998, Wakefield has partnered with the Franciscan Hospital for Children in Boston to bring patients to Fenway Park to share time with him on and off the field. He has also hosted an annual celebrity golf tournament for 15 years. Wakefield has also been active with New England's Pitching in for Kids organization (a program dedicated to improving the lives of children across the New England region), the Space Coast Early Intervention Center in Melbourne, Florida, and the Touch 'Em All Foundation founded by Garth Brooks.

In 2007, Wakefield released a charity wine called CaberKnuckle in association with Longball Vineyards with 100% of the proceeds supporting Pitching In For Kids and raised more than $100,000.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Personal

Tim met his wife, Stacy in Massachusetts. They have two children together, Trevor and Brianna.

[edit] Career statistics

Current as of July 5, 2009^[25]

[edit] See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List
• Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• MLB - daily updates
• Baseball Library - biography and highlights
• Retrosheet - specific game info and transaction dates
• Tim Wakefield - SoSH Wiki
• Twitter page