It took nearly two months, but 45-year-old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield finally earned his 200th career victory.
Tim Wakefield, In His Roundabout Way, Reaches 200 Wins
Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox reacts after earning his 200th win after a game with the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) A position player that can’t hit at all isn’t going to stick around very long, especially when they were not a top draft pick. Wakefield threw a knuckleball, though, and the Pirates decided to give him a shot on the mound before they cut him loose. He would throw in 18 games in 1989, including one start, and while he had nine wild pitches, two hit batsmen, and nearly five walks per nine, he also struck out 9.5 batters per nine, extending the experiment.
Wakefield’s 1993 did not go nearly as well, and the Pirates ended up sending him to Double-A, and then Triple-A in 1994. He underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow, but didn’t pitch like he was healthy, and was eventually cut from the team during spring training in 1995 after appearing in just one game.
Read Article >Dept. of Impeccable Timing
Tim Wakefield Earns 200th Win As Boston Rocks Toronto, 18-6
TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 7: Tim Wakefield #49 of the Boston Red Sox throws a pitch during MLB action against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre September 7, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images) Getty ImagesWith the win -- and Tampa Bay’s loss -- Boston stretches its Wild Card lead over the Rays to four games with only 15 left to play.
Read Article >
