 Tim Wakefield in Detroit earlier this month. Photo taken by Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.net and used with permission. |
It’s been a long weekend and my brain is fried. I admit it. So I’m letting other folks do most of the heavy lifting today. Lazy Sunday, indeed.
Alex Speier says everything you need to know about Tim Wakefield here:
With the shutout performance, Wakefield became one of just three pitchers in the American League this year to reach double digits in victories. But that accomplishment was less impressive than one that attests to his place in Red Sox franchise history.
Wakefield’s 382nd start since signing with Boston in 1995 tied him with Roger Clemens for the most starts ever by a Red Sox pitcher.
So Wake’s next start (scheduled for Friday, July 3, at Fenway – a game I will most likely not be at but as of 10:00am today the Red Sox had tickets on sale for) will be the one that marks the most starts ever by a Sox pitcher. Only fitting that someone with Wake’s character and popularity would leave Clemens in the dust. It’s quite a milestone and Wake should be proud. I know I am.
But wait! Alex has more good news for us:
He now has 174 wins, third most in franchise history. He is 18 wins shy of Cy Young and Clemens for the most victories in Sox history. That mark must now be considered attainable by the end of 2010, particularly given how rapidly Wakefield is accumulating victories this year.
He also goes on to remind us that, if Wake can keep up the winning, he has a good shot at hitting 20 wins this year – something he’s never achieved. I know the dreams they are pipe dreams but Wake in the ASG and in the running for Cy Young the year he turns 43 would definitely be something to behold.
Shout out to “Tru” for this tidbit about Wake from the Providence Journal:
Wakefield had been bothered by back and shoulder injuries the last few years, and after Saturday’s game he admitted exactly what he’s been dealing with.
“It’s a torn labrum in my shoulder,” he said. “If I had [surgery during the offseason] I would have been out for a full year. So it doesn’t make any sense, especially [for] somebody my age. Even the doctors say it’s not worth doing it because if I’m out a year, I don’t know if I could come back.”
When he finally decides to permanently stop throwing his knuckleball and call it a career, he might have the procedure done then.
Are you kidding me with this? I didn’t think I could respect/adore Wake any more than I do…I was wrong! (Thanks for the trip from Tru in the comments!)
There’s a grass roots campaign afoot created to remind one Mr. Joe Maddon that Tim Wakefield is in the American League and might be of some use in the 2009 All Star Game. The fans don’t get to vote for pitchers, so the Sistahs decided to tweak Maddon’s memory by sending him postcards with Wake’s stats on them…and politely asking for his consideration.
If you’d like to help out, you can send your postcards here:
Joe Maddon, Manager
Tampa Bay Rays
Tropicana Field
One Tropicana Drive
St. Petersburg, FL 33705
We know it’s a longshot. Who will catch Wake? There’s already so much good starting pitching in the AL, who do you bump to get Wake in? Well, we’re not the manager and we don’t have to worry about that stuff. All we know is Tim is pretty deserving. That isn’t to say the others aren’t as well, of course they are, but we want to see Tim in there. So we shower Maddon with information and see what he does with it. Join us, won’t you?
Randomly around baseball:
John Tomase tells us that Lowell “gets” it:
Asked if he has considered calling Rodriguez to discuss their injuries, Lowell said no.
“I don’t think either of us are doctors, that’s No. 1,†Lowell said. “I don’t know exactly what they did to him. I don’t know his rehab or what he’s doing. No. 2, I don’t really feel like I have to. What am I going to say to him? Plus, I don’t think Red Sox Nation would necessarily support that.â€
Mrs. Lowell didn’t raise a fool. (Yes, I know it’s silly but I also know a lot of the folks who call WEEI on a regular basis or who comment over at Boston.com would have ripped him apart if word got out that he was getting chummy with A*Rod.)
And now a message for those of you who use Twitter: That “Jacoby M Ellsbury” account is fake. It has been verified as fake, regardless of the fact that it says it’s Jacoby’s “official” Twitter page. That over 2000 people “follow” some nutjob pretending to be Jacoby is freaky (more freaky is this jerk started a fake account for Jacoby’s girlfriend as well. No, that’s not stalkerish at all.) Stop encouraging this behavior by following fake profiles. If you’re so eager to follow real players and their girlfriends, there are plenty of real accounts you can follow. (Jacoby isn’t one of them. He DOESN’T have a public Twitter account.) Not on that list I linked is Lindsay Clubine. Lindsay is Clay Buchholz’ girlfriend, a television “personality” in her own right, and someone who uses Twitter to promote herself and what she’s doing. She also tweets about Clay once in a while. Unlike Jacoby Ellsbury’s girlfriend, she’s a public figure who encourages people to follow her. Also unlike Jacoby’s girlfriend, her profile is REAL.
I get a lot out of Twitter. But the ridiculousness that is a fake Jacoby Ellsbury page (the person once posted as Jacoby on a night the Sox were playing at a time when Jacoby was on the damn field) and the creepiness that is a fake Jacoby Ellsbury’s girlfriend’s page makes me understand why so many dislike Twitter and other social networking sites. (/off my soapbox for now.)
Speaking of Clay Buchholz, I should mention that he pitched in Pawtucket last night and, once again, he didn’t suck. The PawSox needed a Freddie Guzman hit to win the game in the ninth and Clay didn’t get the win, but he DID pitch six innings. He gave up four hits and two runs (although only one was earned) and he struck out six. I know it must be frustrating for him that he’s still down there but my view is how fortunate we are to have him waiting in the wings.
1:30pm game today – Brad Penny against Tommy Hanson for the sweep. How the heck did I not realize that Penny’s w/l record is 6-2? Yes, I know wins and losses aren’t everything when discussing a pitcher but, damn, as long as they’re winning while Penny’s on the mound, who am I to complain?