Flutterbys Forever
Tim Wakefield was the third person to receive his World Series ring on April 11, 2005, after only Terry Francona and Ellis Burks. He should have been the ALCS MVP in 2003. He has been with the team over 10 years. He has been the Red Sox nominee for the Roberto Clemente award 6 times, in 1998 and for the last 5 years in a row. Then there are the intangibles (one word too often profaned): the innings he eats, the dedication, the loyalty, not complaining if he’s in the starting rotation, long relief, or spot starting.
Wakefield signed a 1-year $4M contract extension for next season, with a club option for 2007 and each following season. With the rarity of knuckleball pitchers in the majors, it makes sense to continue investing in Wakefield. The less a hitter sees of a certain kind of pitch, the less able he is able to make adjustments to it. Learn all about knuckleball pitcher history, physics, and feats at The Knuckleball Headquarters and see this New Yorker article on Charlie Zink.
