Charlie Zink inconsolable.

Good for him. I know he had a year by year contract going for him, but maybe this is his last two years in the league. Considering he's good for about 10 wins/year, he's got a chance of setting the Sox wins record, and it couldn't happen to a better guy.

He's gonna need a shelf on that walker to cart around his expanding gut.

subject to league approval of his using a walker to get to the pitcher's mound

Duh, subby, there already is. The Jamie Moyer Rule is still in effect.

This is good news...for the Yankees.

"I was a little disheartened when I first heard the news they weren't going to pick up the option and wanted to cut down the guarantee," Wakefield said.

a major league team is willing to sign you to their roster through age 45. sure, it will be less money. be thankful. this is quite rare. i am curious just to see how long he can go. if he can make 50? even if it means he spends an awkward final two years for Seattle or Tampa Bay.

Jame Moyer called... he wants his headline back.

Holy crap spelling fail. JAMIE Moyer

Why don't more guys learn the knuckleball? You don't need to throw it fast, so you won't blow up your shoulder as easily. You'll also be able to pitch until you're 45 for the same reason.

I really hope the guy can pull off 200 wins. Hope he makes the best of his last few years, and glad his surgery went so well.

you have pee hands: Why don't more guys learn the knuckleball? You don't need to throw it fast, so you won't blow up your shoulder as easily. You'll also be able to pitch until you're 45 for the same reason.

Doesn't that tell you just how hard it is to throw a major league caliber knuckleball? If it were easy, everybody would be doing it...

H31N0US: This is good news...for the Yankees entire AL East.

Fixed for accuracy. ;-)

tommyl66: you have pee hands: Why don't more guys learn the knuckleball? You don't need to throw it fast, so you won't blow up your shoulder as easily. You'll also be able to pitch until you're 45 for the same reason.

Doesn't that tell you just how hard it is to throw a major league caliber knuckleball? If it were easy, everybody would be doing it...

I throw an awesome knuckler-- I just can't throw it more than about 40 feet.

Jim Kaat said that a lot of pitchers retire not when they can't pitch anymore, but when they can no longer field the position.

Can't be too many 45 year old guys who can handle the come-backer.

Gordie Howe called. He said congratulations to the Young'un.

beantowndog: Charlie Zink inconsolable.

The guy got one start, got 10 runs of support in the first inning, and couldn't make it out of the fifth to get a win. He's got nobody to blame.

tommyl66: Doesn't that tell you just how hard it is to throw a major league caliber knuckleball? If it were easy, everybody Charlie Zink would be doing it...

Wise_Guy: tommyl66: you have pee hands: Why don't more guys learn the knuckleball? You don't need to throw it fast, so you won't blow up your shoulder as easily. You'll also be able to pitch until you're 45 for the same reason.

Doesn't that tell you just how hard it is to throw a major league caliber knuckleball? If it were easy, everybody would be doing it...

I throw an awesome knuckler-- I just can't throw it more than about 40 feet.

Took me over two years to get it down well, and that's just for beer-league softball. Earned me the nickname "That Asshole Pitcher"

Can't imagine the process for baseball. Props to Wake.

Wakefield has got to be one of the most selfless, kindest and coolest guys in baseball. I actually had the pleasure of meeting him in 2001:

We planned a trip to Detroit for my little brother's birthday (9/28) to see a Sox-Tigers game. By that time, 9/11 had happened, and there was a worry that the game would even be played! We eventually drove to Detroit (From NJ!) to see the Sox play (they were out of the running at this point, there was no pennant race for the Sox that year).

Anyway, we ended up staying at the same hotel that the Red Sox were spending the weekend, and hung out outside the hotel as the players went to the bus! We were the only 2 hanging out there, in a just about over season. We got to meet just about the entire team as they went to the bus, most of which were absolutely fantastic guys who took time to take pictures and sign a ball for us (Manny was kind of an ass, we had been talking to an old buddy of his while waiting the 30 minutes for him to come out after the buddy called... when Manny finally came out he ignored us as he walked by, and it took his friend saying something to him to get Manny to come over and take a picture with us).

We would say 'hi' and 'goodluck' to the players as we saw them around and by the end of the weekend, Jason Varitek recognized us enough that as we were driving away on our way home, he waved goodbye! At one point my mom even shared an elevator with Johnny Damon.

Anyway, back in 2001, Wakefield was pretty infuriating to watch. He was used as an inning-burner, but he always seemed to give up runs. My dad's favorite phrase to use during that season was 'Damn Wakefield!'.

So Wakefield came out and was awesome with us, he signed for us, and talked to us for a few minutes. My mom said, "My husband is your biggest fan!". Wakefield looked touched and turned to my dad and asked, "Why is that?" My dad responded, "We have the same fastball!". Wakefield laughed, shook his hand, then turned to take a really great photo with my brother and I.

It was one of my favorite vacations ever, made that much better by how awesome Wakefield was.


Just my story :)

tommyl66: you have pee hands: Why don't more guys learn the knuckleball? You don't need to throw it fast, so you won't blow up your shoulder as easily. You'll also be able to pitch until you're 45 for the same reason.

Doesn't that tell you just how hard it is to throw a major league caliber knuckleball? If it were easy, everybody would be doing it...

What that guy said. Also, when it is off, a knuckleball is batting practice.

TheFreshmanWIT: My dad responded, "We have the same fastball!"

Your Dad is pretty cool for that one.

Cool story bro.

superoogie: when it is off, a knuckleball is batting practice. like hitting off a tee.

TheFreshmanWIT

I'm not giving you the "cool story, bro" treatment, but I am fining you for unnecessary use of the exclamation mark

Yet another former Pirate. :-(

The Incredible Sexual Egg: TheFreshmanWIT

I'm not giving you the "cool story, bro" treatment, but I am fining you for unnecessary use of the exclamation mark

I did figure I'd get the "cool story, bro" treatment, but it is most likely the only good story I have, so there.

As for the Exclamation mark fine, I promise I'll be more careful in the future.

As far as I'm concerned (as well as most Sox fans who watched him play over the last 15 years or so), the guy should always have a spot on the Red Sox bench.

H31N0US: TheFreshmanWIT: My dad responded, "We have the same fastball!"

Your Dad is pretty cool for that one.

Cool story bro.

Yes, that is a cool story.
How's my favorite person doing today Mr. H31NOUS? We're going to be friends, dammit.

Not bad for a washed-up infielder with one career home run.

Wakefield, the only pitcher who can start one game, be a closer 3 days later for a week then take 3 days off and start again. To say nothing of middle relief if you want him to do that.

you have pee hands: Why don't more guys learn the knuckleball? You don't need to throw it fast

Everyone knows scouts want scorching fastballs and fast sliders, and if you got it a nice change up, curve ball, splitter or what have you. Pitchers spend their teens working on pitching harder and harder. In part yeah it's the pitchers, in part it's what the pro scouts want. They bafflingly don't want more Wakefields and Madduxes. They prefer pitchers who throw a bazillion miles an hour and will take the risk they'll shred their arms in a few seasons.

Mandatory in anything mentioning Wakefield.

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you have pee hands: Why don't more guys learn the knuckleball? You don't need to throw it fast

There have been a few pitchers who have tried throwing it. There is as difference between throwing it and throwing it well enough to win.

Plus Wakefield isn't just a one pitch wonder, he mixes in that deadly 69mph fastball and he's developed a pretty decent curveball.

My favorite Wakefield moments are when he catches batters looking at strike 3 by throwing his fastball.

That perpetual $4 million option he previously signed was arguably the most team-friendly contract you'll ever see, so I think the Sox kind of owed it to him to give him a chance to break the wins record. Still my favorite athlete, and I hope he breaks it at home.

He'll be the first non-Hall of Famer to make the retired numbers list in Fenway.

HulkHands: He'll be the first non-Hall of Famer to make the retired numbers list in Fenway.

You forgot Pesky...

WhyteRaven74: They prefer pitchers who throw a bazillion miles an hour and will take the risk they'll shred their arms in a few seasons.

Yeah but then you wind up with Kyle Farnsworth. 100 MPH right into the sweet spot of the bat. Whoop!

I'll take Pedro, Pettitte, AJ, Beckett or Lee any day. It's more fun to watch, especially with the over the shoulder hi-def views you get nowadays.

I predict we're going to see a crop of bad assed pitchers coming up, now that watching each game in hi-def slo-mo is like a pitching clinic.

I approve of knuckleballers. I hope dude plays forever!

Wise_Guy: Jim Kaat said that a lot of pitchers retire not when they can't pitch anymore, but when they can no longer field the position.

Can't be too many 45 year old guys who can handle the come-backer.

It's not the comebackers, it's covering first.

savage henry: Wise_Guy: Jim Kaat said that a lot of pitchers retire not when they can't pitch anymore, but when they can no longer field the position.

Can't be too many 45 year old guys who can handle the come-backer.

It's not the comebackers, it's covering first.

Good point.

If Varitek opts out, it'll be interesting to see who'll be paired up at catcher.

Chastain86: If Varitek opts out, it'll be interesting to see who'll be paired up at catcher.



The only man who can handle the job.

Chastain86: If Varitek opts out, it'll be interesting to see who'll be paired up at catcher.

I thought only Mirabelli could catch Wakefield.

you have pee hands: Why don't more guys learn the knuckleball? You don't need to throw it fast, so you won't blow up your shoulder as easily. You'll also be able to pitch until you're 45 for the same reason.

Throwing a kunckleball consistently is insanely difficult for a variety of reasons.

1. The key is rotation. Generally one roation creates the dancing, dropping, and other ridiculous motions. no rotation means the pitch goes wild (even more than it will already) any more and it doesn't break at all and becomes a 65 mph fastball.

2. You have very little idea where it's going. Along with the catcher, ump, and everyone else.

3. other pitches. You have to have more than one pitch and becuase of the speed of the knuckleball it' becomes incredibly difficult to disguise all the other pitches.

4. Pitching coaches can't coach it. It's an art, not a science.

5. Due to it's speed and wildness, there will be base runners, hit batters, stolen bases, etc...Not something a lot of teams want to deal with

5 million dollar too beaucoup.

Chastain86: If Varitek opts out, it'll be interesting to see who'll be paired up at catcher.

Eh? Varitek rarely caught Wakefield. Martinez did a very good job of it (using his first baseman's mitt), so I don't see a problem.

Red Sox sign Tim Wakefield to two more years, subject to league approval of his using a walker to get to the pitcher's mound



"He's only 43? Get the hell off my lawn!"

I've always liked Wakefield and I am glad that he will most likely be retiring with the Red Sox. It would be awesome to see him break the wins record for the Sox. Either way, I hope they retire his number, he deserves it.