So Long, and Thanks for Everything

It's been an emotional few days for Red Sox fans. First, we were united in our vitriol towards hero turned heel Curt Schilling after the Nazi-curious blowhard disclosed the fact that Tim Wakefield and his wife were both battling cancer. I think Jason Varitek's wife said it best:

Fuck you Curt Schilling, that wasn’t your place!

— Catherine Varitek (@CatherinVaritek) September 28, 2023

Then, as we prepared to say our sporting farewells to Terry Francona, we learned that Wakefield had passed away from brain cancer at the age of 57. 

Wakefield ranks very near the top of my list of favorite Sox players. Realistically, only Yaz, Pedro, and Dustin Pedroia are higher, and the gap isn't very large. It's no so much that Wake was a great player, though he had his moments. Rather it's that he was the personification of the everyman, humble in his on-field craft, in his interactions with the media, and in his service to the community. One of the worst feelings I've ever had in sports was watching him standing on the mound after serving up the series-winning walkoff homerun to Aaron Boone that ended Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS in the Bronx. 

And one of the best was watching Wake get so much love from his teammates after the Sox avenged that loss in 2004. A little-remembered act from that series speaks to the reason why so many teammates have been so distraught over his passing. Wake was scheduled to start Game 4 of that series, but with the Sox being battered in Game 3, Wake volunteered to take the ball and eat innings to save the bullpen. He came in during the top of the 4th and left after the 8th, throwing 64 pitches and giving up five runs as the Yankees smoked the Sox and left them for dead, 19-8.

After the Sox won Game 4 in 12 innings, Wakefield came back on one day's rest to pitch the final three innings of Game 5. If I've been more nervous during a game than I was during the top of the 13th, I'd like to know about it. Varitek was not Wakefield's usual catcher - that inglorious duty was generally given to Doug Mirabelli. Despite his best efforts, he gave up three passed balls in the inning, the final one giving the Yankees runners on second and third with two outs. Wake, stoic and calm while his knuckleball danced and dove, took the rubber, flicked his wrist, and got Ruben Sierra to strike out swinging while Varitek held on as if his life depended upon it. Check out the first 1:35 of the video below.

One could argue that Wake's selfless act in Game 3 helped the Sox bullpen be just fresh enough to withstand 26 innings of baseball over the following two nights. Reality doesn't necessarily work that way, but his teammates say it's true. Maybe it's just that they didn't want to let him down. 

('Course you could also argue that his efforts laid the groundwork for the Bloody Sock game that covered  that cocksucker Schilling in so much glory. Bygones.)

Tim Wakefield pitched in Boston for the better part of 17 seasons. He retired with exactly 200 wins (something we wrote about way back in 2011), 186 with Boston, good for third behind Roger Clemens and Cy Young on the Sox' all-time list. His 3,006 innings pitched is more than any other Red Sox player ever. He started the most games, lost the most games, gave up the most hits and homers, walked and hit the most batters, threw the most wild pitches, and faced the most batters. I suppose one has to be somewhat ego-free to make a living throwing knuckleballs for two decades. 

So God Bless, and Godspeed Timmy Wake. May the ball never spin once it leaves your hand, and may all the catchers in heaven have giant gloves.