Wakefield Back To Where It All Began

Tim Wakefield is currently the longest serving player on any team in the Majors, in the midst of his 18th season as a member of the Boston Red Sox. 

While he’s quietly enjoying a resurgence into the Boston Red Sox starting rotation after seeing his last few years as a member of the bullpen, his start this Saturday will see him back in the city of where his career all started.

Thanks in part to the interleague play, Wakefield will have an opportunity to start against the club that drafted him in 1988; the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Originally drafted by the Bucs as a first baseman, Wakefield soon began exploring the possibility of throwing a knuckleball and low and behold he’s made an extraordinary career out of it.

He spent two seasons playing in Pittsburgh (1992-1993) collecting 14 wins and 12 losses while striking out 110 batters in 220.1 innings.

His best memories as a Pirate would be in during the 1992 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves,  where Wakefield would win both his games, (games 3 and 6) including a complete game during game 6; a game he pitched on just three days of rest.

But he will forever be known as a member of the Red Sox when the 44 year old veteran finally decides to call it a career.  He’s 3 wins shy of 200 for his career and Boston is a place where he’s won 2 World Sereis championships.

He’s been invaluable out of the bullpen and as a spot starter for Boston during the last few years.  Just think about who the Red Sox would’ve had to turn to for starts over the past 3 seasons had old reliable Wake not be available.  Let alone his mentoring abilities for the young stars coming up through the organization.

His record on the year is 4-2 with a 4.26 ERA but numbers wont’ matter to Wakefield on Saturday when he has the opportunity to take the mound in Pittsburgh against the team that gave him the chance to make it is a Major League ballplayer.

Take a bow Wake, this is your swan song in Pittsburgh.

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