Former Red Sox and Pirates knuckleballer Tim Wakefield passed away today at age 57. Wakefield pitched in 19 MLB seasons from 1992-2011, beginning his career in the Pittsburgh organization before moving onto a 17-year run with the Sox.
In an official statement from the Red Sox, club president/CEO Sam Kennedy said “It’s a rare occurrence for a two-time World Series Champion’s extraordinary personality to shine even brighter than their illustrious career. Tim was undeniably an exceptional pitcher, but what truly set him apart was the ease with which he connected with people. He was an extraordinary pitcher, an incredible broadcaster, and someone who exemplified every humanitarian quality in the dictionary. I will miss my friend more than anything and can only aspire to live as genuinely and honorably as he did.”
The Pirates also paid tribute, saying “Tim began his Major League career with the Pirates and was a part of our baseball family for six years. He made his big league debut in 1992 and was a key addition to the pitching staff that helped propel the team to its third consecutive Postseason appearance. Off the field, Tim always devoted his time to make an impact on others within the Pittsburgh community. He was a great man who will be dearly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”
Many more testimonials have poured in from across social media from Wakefield’s many former teammates, colleagues, friends, and fans, in a sign of just how beloved a figure Wakefield was to an entire baseball generation, particularly in Boston. Wakefield was closely involved with numerous charities and non-profit groups, and was recognized for these off-the-field endeavors by Major League Baseball as the 2010 winner of the Roberto Clemente Award.
Fans are already very familiar with Wakefield’s work on the mound, as his use of the knuckleball made him stand out from the moment he made his MLB debut with the Pirates in 1992. In fact, Wakefield’s entire rookie year was a triumph, as he posted a 2.15 ERA over 92 innings in the regular season, and then threw a pair of complete-game wins for Pittsburgh in the NLCS.
However, the vagaries of the knuckleball didn’t lead to consistent success, as Wakefield struggled in 1993 and didn’t pitch at all in the majors in 1994. Released by the Pirates in April 1995, it looked like Wakefield might’ve been a flash in pan, until he caught on with the Red Sox and rediscovered his form. Wakefield finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 1995, which kicked off his 17-year run in Boston with a bang.
No pitcher in Red Sox history threw more innings (3006) or started more games (430) than Wakefield, who became a fixture of the team’s rotation. Never the ace of the staff, Wakefield sometimes wasn’t even a starter at all, moving into a swingman or long relief role at times, and he even had a stretch as Boston’s closer in 1999. Again owing to the difficulties of fully harnessing a knuckleball, Wakefield’s numbers had plenty of ebbs and flows, though he capably filled in whenever the Red Sox had a need to fill in the rotation or bullpen.
As such, Wakefield took part in some of the most memorable moments in Red Sox history, both for good and bad. He allowed Aaron Boone’s walkoff home run in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, yet got some revenge on the Yankees the very next year, tossing three shutout innings and earning the win in Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS. Wakefield won World Series rings for helping the curse-breaking 2004 Red Sox and 2007 Sox win championships.
Wakefield posted a 4.41 ERA and a 200-180 record over his 3226 1/3 career innings, along with 2156 strikeouts. The icon of durability pitched until he was 45 years old, facing (who else) the Yankees in his final game on September 25, 2011.
We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Wakefield’s family and many loved ones.
RIP TIm Wakefield. You will be sorely missed.
Also: rot in hell, Curt Schilling.
Schilling just can’t help being an arse
Now is not the time to discuss Schilling. RIP Tim, thank you for being you and prayers to your wife, son and family.
Agreed percent and should not have brought up in the first place. However, the very first comment had bring up Schilling.
Considering Schilling was the guy that publicly announced Wakefield and his wife’s cancer without their knowledge and against their will, I think it is the perfect time to let people know what a dik move it was.
This column should be about Tim, the player, the announcer and most importantly, the person.
It is always the right time to trash Curt Schilling.
And it is. Unfortunately for all of us, Schilling injected himself into the story of the person. People are not bad mouthing Schilling at random. They are badmouthing him because of what he did to Wakefield, the person.
They are badmouthing because they hate him. He should not even be part of this conversation.
Trashing him and wishing him to rot in hell are two very different things.
No they are bad mouthing him because he deserves it. Trevor Bauer and Curt Schilling are both men who never deserved their time in MLB.
Why u even mentioning Bauer ?
Gotta make sure you defend the NPB player’s honor!!!
Schilling’s case is far different than Bauer’s.
Ray – I agree. I don’t ever get bent out of shape when threads go offtopic, but in a RIP thread they shouldn’t allow people to use these comments as a way to express vulgarities and venom against anyone.
@TimDierkes – Not a good look for MLBTR, especially when people read the very first two comments.
Trevor Bauer is the original dindu.
And Schilling wonders why he isn’t in the Hall of Fame
He’s a total idiot and deserves to be admonished for his ignorance
That should have ZERO to do with his HOF status.
There’s valid reasons why Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa aren’t in the HOF and not just because of steroids
They were ignorant ball players outside of baseball
Why are you bringing this up? It has nothing to do with Wakefield.
See thats the problem here, Thryre only ball players on the field.
The people off the field need to stop trying to insert themselves onto it.
Except that a player’s demeanor helps to determine if he is worthy of being inducted into the Hall and Schlling’s is proof that he doesn’t
You sound woke. What if Ty Cobb were playing today? Today’s sportswriters are woke political activists.
He’s also anti-Semitic. Read his most recent comments about the Jews.
I do not care about Schilling. He should of never been brought up on a thread honoring the life of Tim Wakefield.
Ty Cobb wasnt a bigot
We both know why some hate Schilling so much. Pretty sad world we live in these days.
Once you say the word woke like its a bad thing, it means you are a bad thing as a person. You cannot have any other good opinions when that is one of your opinions. No reason to even try to read your comments anymore.
Quite the opposite. Cobb came from a family that fought against racism and he himself wouldn’t play in barnstorming games that didn’t allow blacks and he said that they should be in the major leagues.
Far too many people that base their opinion of him on a discredited book.
He is a racist, a misogynist, and a liar who advocated murder of journalists? Yes, that is why most don’t like him. The rest are Yankees fans.
He opens his big mouth but he is top 20 all-time in strikeouts and deserves to be in, despite what he says.
@outinleftfield Woah, I sense a strong lefty comment there.
Woke was invented by a black woman back during the days of Jim Crow, a fact I’m sure you were unaware of, Ray Epps.
It was about fighting discrimination
Someone said ‘woke’. Everyone drink!
Not directed at anyone in particular, but many of the “fans” who have been so obsessed with G38 these past few days are hypocrites. You ALL knew he was an attention seeking horse’s ass before he came to Boston. His nickname was Red Light for a reason. But you didn’t care, you still worshipped the guy for breaking the 86-year drought and contributing in 2007 as well. When you all were telling him he’ll never pay for a drink in New England again, none of you made it conditional on his not being an idiot.
So some of you need to get off your high horse. G38 lived up to his reputation on and off the field, if you embraced him 20 years ago then stop spewing venom at him now. Keep the discussion where it belongs, on Tim.
RIP Mr. Wakefield, thoughts and prayers to your loved ones. You will be sorely missed.
100% agreement Fever. Had any othe the things NE residents taken issue with, had Scill’s last name been Kennedy instead? Nobody would have ever griped at all.
Fever, you don’t know him. You were never his teammate and this is neither the time nor place for your views. A fine pitcher and a great man and teammate has passed away. Focus on that and send his family your prayers.
Milt: it’d be nice if we could but that massive piece of trash Schilling made it about him.
I’ll miss Tim Wakefield
milt – That’s a really bizarre response directed at me. I don’t know who “him” is, or why you said I don’t know them, or in your last sentence why you repeated to me what I had already written. I’d be happy to discuss in another Red Sox thread, out of respect for Tim.
Thank you.
FU schilling
He’s a Media guy reporting the news get over it
If there’s anybody with less class than Schilling,I don’t know who it is.
Trump
Why such hate? Is it because of his political affiliation? He belongs in the HOF and does not deserve to rot in hell.
Probably because he publicized Wakefield’s medical condition on his podcast- essentially profiting of the misfortune of his friend, who wished only for privacy. I don’t care who you vote for, your and a-hole if you do that.
Sounds alot like what the music industry did with Kurt Cobain? Anyone asking for there heads yet?… Selective outrage is strong with these folks…. Yall getting kick backs on Biff Tannens gambling barage? It’s Schillings fault!
RIP Wakefield, we need a new knuckle ball to wake a whole field of carrots crying cause today is the harvest day and to them it is the hallocaust….
I for one am shocked that baseball fans on a baseball website are focusing on the baseball player and not the unrelated music artist
Apparently he revealed Wakefield (and his wife) were battling cancer last week on his podcast but the Wakefield’s didn’t want this information going public.
It was wrong what Schilling did but wishing he rot in hell was wrong. So much hate in these times.
Hate has become the norm thanks to the former president who spreads it like butter on bread
of course you do, mahalkita, poorly educated people are in full agreement
I am what the world calls ‘well educated’ but most of the teaching now is lies.
graduating 6th grade, Jethro, doesn’t make you well educated
What does Trump have to do with this?
If you actually looked back, you’ll know that the divide began to happen in the presidency before Trump. Old orange just kicked it up a notch. But again, selective memory whenever it comes to facts.
Schilling breaking Wakefield’s privacy and making Wakefield’s treatment public knowledge is disgusting. I don’t care about your political affiliation; if you don’t think he’s a dick for that, you’re wrong.
He was wrong but wishing he rot in he’ll is wrong also.
Ray Epps He just took Wakefield’s situation public a few days ago without the families knowledge and permission, something he had no right to do.
His talent on the field is irrelevant to his character.
We need to spend this time remembering Wake and celebrating his life. We can deal with what Schilling did later.
RIP Wake, one of the best to ever do it
Okay, let’s break into your family’s privacy on Twitter. Fine with you?
I don’t even have twitter 🙂
yes he does
Careful. Just because you disagree with someone’s actions doesn’t mean they belong in hell. Rest in peace Tim
Hell doesn’t exist anyway.
I truly hope that you find out differently before you die. Hell is real and can be avoided.
Nope. It isn’t.
Hell is a mostly Christian concept and there are rules about who belongs there. Racism is one of the sins of hate that will send you there in that theology.
Definitely something worth talking about right now…
Now I know what the mute button is for. Thanks everyone.
I agree with you on Wakefield but think it’s very wrong to wish that on Schilling, even if he misspoke.
Let’s be real here: if he were a liberal, people wouldn’t hate him even if he misspoke then.
“Let’s be real here: if he were a liberal, people wouldn’t hate him even if he misspoke then.”
Are you kidding me? Shut up and dribble? Hillary? Pelosi? AOC? There’s plenty of hate towards liberals, just as much as towards right wing nuts. Hell, even the center gets hated on now. It’s out of control, the anger of people.
I’m just pointing it out. The guy is top 20 all time in strikeouts and the only reason he can’t get in is he has a big mouth.
Certainly he is at fault for what he says, but that’s not any reason to “rot in hell” for it.
I’ve always learned never to be vengeful. It gets you nowhere
I agree with you that its wrong to wish that on anyone if you believe in the evangelistic version of hell in the Christian theology.
If Schilling was liberal he wouldn’t exhibit racism publicly. Nor would he advocate for murder. That is entirely white supremacist and fascist territory.
I shouldn’t have brought up liberalism, that’s my bad. Schilling brings it upon himself being outspoken but I do think people hold grudges on him which aren’t fair.
The truth of the matter is that no one should wish eternal damnation on anyone, as that is wrong and at a worse level than the one they are accusing.
Absolutely disgusting comment. Too bad considering your username’s obvious allegiance.
“Rest on Peace” and “rot in hell”, in the same sentence? Kind of telling the world what kind of person you are.
Some people can’t help themselves. Like the friend who gives your number to another person without your consent.
That doesn’t mean you should condemn him to hell.
Slight difference between advocating for murdering and expressing hatred for different races and religions and giving out your telephone without consent.
Or were you being sarcastic?
I think the dude was taking about the fact that Schilling dropped the news on his podcast. Some folks can’t help themselves when gossiping or just talking on a podcast and not with holding information. Some people always spill the beans in a conversation like giving out someone’s number without thinking. Typically self centered folks do that.
I meant Curt Schilling leaking the information of Wakefield’s cancer, not Schilling’s political views.
That makes sense. Still uncool, but not a capital offense.
I was always a fan of Wakefield. RIP
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
f curt schilling
This is an article about Tim Wakefield…
oh really mikeshaw….? bozo
Like that makes things better
Gut wrenching news. Far too young. He did a lot both on and off the field
So sad to hear. He didn’t play for the team I rooted for but was still a fan of his when he played for the Pirates and Red Sox.
Too daggone young. RIP.
RIP, TW…
RIP Wake-thanks for the memories, this one hurts.
RIP Tim!
RIP Tim. This is tough to hear as I’ve followed his entire career.
RIP Tim and since Curt’s name is always brought up wishing him good health.
That knuckleball of his was awesome. He actually threw it “hard” at ~78 MPH, which is very difficult to do and why his knuckler “danced” so much like a butterfly. “Wake” seemed like a really nice guy, too.
His knuckler may have been harder than others but when I think of a fast knuckleball, I think of R.A. Dickey. Every knuckler threw it differently and they didn’t know where it was going. I once had a catch with a frat brother who threw a knuckle curve with a softball. I couldn’t catch his tosses and ended up with bruises on my arms and legs. I thought it was the pot I had smoked …
Horrible news. Rest in peace, Champ.
Shoeless Joe has to face that knuckleball now. May you rest in peace, “Wake”.
Man, that must have been an aggressive form of the disease. I just heard about him being sick yesterday and now he’s gone! RIP Awesome Knuckleballer. Remember folks cherish each day & try to be kind to one another because we don’t know what lies ahead of us.
He was probably sick for some time, and he and his family were keeping it private until he passed. It being known that he was in his final days is probably the only reason Schilling found out when he did.
Ignorant – In an earlier thread I wrote about this particular disease and how many MLB players have passed away from it, as I have multiple personal experiences with it. But for whatever reason the post was removed. Perhaps I’ll re-post it someday in another thread.
Please re-post Fever, I did miss that one. Hopefully it can stay up this time. Thank you bud
@FPG My former colleague, mentor, and friend passed away at 31 with the same disease. That was over 20 years ago and I still think about him all the time.
YBC – I’m sorry to hear. That is very young, hopefully he was diagnosed early enough to spend some quality time with loved ones.
My boss, a fantastic guy, started getting severe migraines but refused to go to the doctor. He was gone at 49, a big Yankee fan actually.
I still remember Tug McGraw, Dan Quisenberry, Bobby Murcer, Dick Howser, Gary Carter among others. I better stop for now or they will remove this post too.
I need to do some research about this particular cancer. It’s chilling you two had such close acquaintances that were also hit with this. Sounds similar to pancreatic cancer where by the time one feels any symptoms, it’s pretty much taken over. I had a very close uncle & a work mentor both struck down too soon via “atypical cardiac events”. Both in great shape, both died suddenly, never showed symptoms.
I got to meet Tim when he played for the Buffalo Bisons in AAA. Really nice guy. Very sad to see him pass away.
I said this in two other red Sox related articles. Rest in Paradise Tim Wakefield. Red Sox legend. If they didn’t already. They need to retire his number.
Now pitching in extended relief on the field of dreams, Boston, #78
Not to be that guy, but Wake was #49
No, it’s fair. My brain goes confused these days.
Not to be that guy but Wake was #49
Tim was a alumni of Florida Tech in Melbourne. He graciously donated to have a new baseball field installed. I was there at the inaugural game and met Tim, had a brief conversation and got his autograph.
He was a wonderful man who gave back to his community.
I have been a Tim Wakefield fan since he became a Red Sox. He did whatever he could to help the team, to help the community. Just a class person. So sad.
RIP Wake-thanks for the memories, good pitcher, better man-this one hurts.
The last of the greatest knuckleballers ever. Much respect to his family as I heard that he was an even better person.
Might have been better Red Sox.. but NONE classier then Wakey.. God bless Tim and be at peace..
So Wakefield passes and trolls make it a Schilling forum……?
SHAME
This is why MLBTR closes comments…..
Please do so MTBTR
Man, just terrible. This really hits the feels. RIP Tim.
He had a great career. Despite being a Yankees fan it was nice watching him get a ring the next year and redeem himself after giving up Boone’s ALCS game 7 walk off.
Yeah, good old steady backend guy. Two rings to show for it.
way to go Shilling … guy wanted his privacy and you had to gossip about his condition
RIP
Rip to the most underrated pitcher in sox history he did everything for them and was such a great guy to everyone he’ll be missed for sure
It’s heart breaking to hear this news since his wife is already struggling to survive. Our thoughts are with the entire Wakefield family and friends.
RIP Tim and thank you for all the joy you brought to Red Sox fans!!
Always enjoyed watching Wakefield pitch. Gone too young.
Yankees fan. Hated it when they called in Wakefield or he started against us. He shut us down so many times at such make or break moments. When he was on the mound I worried we were toast. So frustrating.
And I am sure if I’d been a Red Sox fan I’d have felt excitement and relief when he got up on that mound.
That’s the mark of a fantastic pitcher.
Baseball lost a legend way too young to a horrible disease.
RIP Tim Wakefield. Baseball loves and mourns you.
Well said!
Incredible competitor, will be sorely missed. Respect.
I remember they asked Johnny Bench once how to best catch a knuckleball. He replied right away “Wait until it stops rolling and pick it up.”
Tim’s passing made me think of that. Just as his friends and especially his family are in my thoughts.
I thought that was Uecker that said that, but it could be apocryphal.
Wow very sad indeed
rip Wakey.
Wakefield was a great player. Watching him come up with the Pirates and play in NLCS was a blast. It was hard to root for Atlanta unless you were a Braves fan.
Then he came to Boston and had a great career. I got to see him pitch at Fenway, very glad I did. RIP Tim.
RIP Wake. One of my favourite pitchers of all time and from all accounts an amazing person. My condolences to his wife and best wishes on her battle too.
FU Curt Schilling.
Joe Torre specifically congratulating Wakefield after the Sox came back on the Yankees at his press conference should tell you something. The 03-04 Red Sox/Yankees battles were the best baseball I’ve ever seen and Wake got to feel the lowest of the low moments and the highest of the high. From Boones homer to finally topping the Yanks in the fashion they did and mowing over the Cards in the series. A true gamer and an inspiration to us all.
Looked up his minor league batting stats. Thank goodness he chose to pitch or we would have never known him.
1B for the Watertown Pirates: .189/.328/.308
3 Hr 20 RBi struck out at a nearly 36% clip.
If he’s not in the Red Sox Hall of Fame or whatever it’s called, that’s a shame.
He is. Went in with Varitek I believe.
RIP Tim…..
Just shocked
RIP to Tim Wakefield, my favorite non-White Sox player. I remember watching him baffle the Braves in the 1992 NLCS as a young kid, then be dominant for the Red Sox many a years. He sacrificed his start in the 2004 ALCS to pitch much needed innings in the Game 3 bloodbath loss to the Yanks, saving a beleaguered bullpen. He was rewarded by getting to start Game 1 of the WS, and I wish it went better for him, though luckily the Carmines won that game and Series anyway. My uncle was a good friend of former MLer Steve Sparks, and Mr. Sparks showed me how to throw a knuckleball while I was in high school and playing pony leagues, and I emulated Wakefield’s motion (though obviously did not have his power nor was I 6’8″). RIP Mr. Wakefield, and condolences to your family. You will be sorely missed.
I just loved watching him pitch. R.I.P.
I had no idea he was so close to end. Just posted thoughts and prayers a couple days ago. I feel gutted. I will admit that I am shedding tears. Wake is my favorite pitcher of all time, even over Pedro. When I play baseball games, I always use Wake in the season opener.
RiP Tim Wakefield, and condolences to the Wakefield Family. Still praying for Stacy Wakefield.
Heaven needed a knuckleballer.
He was the ultimate innings eater. 200 wins. Not bad for a guy who was almost never an ace. The annual $4,000,000 contract for 200 innings, 12 wins and an ERA 5% above average. The Claude Osteen of his era.
hayzee – Believe it or not he was also the closer in 1999.
I was busy pricing reinsurance treaties, but I do remember that year.
Cancer sucks.
Loved him. Easily in my top 5 Sox pitchers who appeared with the club in my many years as a fan, since I was 12. And I was looking forward to his work as a NESN color man for many more years.
The Good die Young. Bye, Tim. Nice job.
R.I.P Tim
F cancer and F curt schilling
I worked at Yankee Stadium for 10 years and saw Wakefield visit with the Red Sox many times during that period. What always stood out to me was that he arrived at the ballpark hours before anyone else from his team each game day and would do a complete workout on the field before jogging the field level seats and the returning to the field to stretch while lying on the outfield grass. I couldn’t figure out then if he loved being outdoors, was a creature of habit or just loved being at the ballpark so much he couldn’t stay away but those images stayed with me and I always respected his work ethic. R.I.P.
I remember when Derek Jeter spoke about himself just coming up and working out with Don Mattingly. They were both early at the ballpark with no one there. Jeter asked Mattingly why they were sprinting across the grass. His response was you never know who’s watching and he wanted to always set a good example whether it’s for a kid in the stands watching or another teammate. I believe Wakefield held himself to those same high standards.
RIH Tim. You are forever a Red Sox legend!
Heartbreaking. I always admired Wakefield’s game. May he rest in peace, and I wish for healing for his family and especially his wife.
Sad that this was so sudden. Brain cancer is horrible. By all accounts, Tim was a great human. May he rest in peace. No More pain.
Very classy by both organizations that he played for. I was a very big fan of his. RIP TIM WAKEFIELD.
Imagine people moralising about someone else when a man has passed away.
Who are any of you to judge what he did, whether it’s right or wrong.
I’m sure you’re all saints without any sin at all in your life.
Tim Wakefield’s life should be celebrated for the great career he had, not this negativity about others.
Tim Wakefield R.I.P.
wow..loved watchin him throw..if your a baseball fan and watched the Yankees and Redsox battle. It was fun watching him stump hitters..prayers to the family…
RIP Tim Wakefield. You were the personification of what fandom respects. You were appreciated by both your teamates and the fans.
A lot of venom directed at Curt Schilling. Seems to be more the byproduct of social media than anything Curt wrote. Asking for prayers for a friend is very Schillingesq. I cannot imagine any ill-will attached to his request.
RIP Tim, I will say a prayer for your family.
This is sad. Only 6 months older than me. I really liked Wakefield.
My favorite player of all time. Tim Wakefield, it was an absolute pleasure watching you pitch and you were a truly classy man. RIP.
A respected adversary.
Many of times I cursed his knuckleball, but never the man.
RIP
Oof. Condolences to his family to lose him so young. He was one of my favorites during his entire Boston tenure. I like the unheralded stalwarts, and Wake was the king of them.
RIP, gone too soon.
RIP Wake, a class act in and off the field. Thank you for the memories!
The world is a little darker today without Tim Wakefield. Such a fun player to watch on the field, and a player who did so much off the field. I hope his family finds peace and comfort during this time, and I hope Tim is honored as he should be with the Red Sox, with #49 hanging at Fenway Park forever.
Wow a huge loss. From what I’m learning it was never about Tim. Always deflected.
So now even with a serious illness he didn’t let anyone know and avoided the accolades and well wishes and just kept it to himself. Very brave man. Wife must be incredible too. I hope it helped them, I don’t know, going through this together instead of alone. Amazing couple not to draw attention to themselves.
My favorite Wakefield story is the Red Sox desperate to get Doug Mirabelli back from the Padres and the whole police escort thing from the airport to Fenway.
Wakefield’s knuckler was so good most catchers couldn’t handle it.., it moved so much. Mirabelli was the one guy. Fantastic story. Rest in peace Mr Wakefield, job well done.
Condolences to the Wakefield family
Condolences to the Wakefield family.
Even as a Mets fan with no allegiance to the Pirates or Red Sox, Wake was one of my favorite players growing up. Wakefield was coming up as I became a fan of baseball in the early 90s, so he was my introduction to the knuckleball. I wonder how many out there are in the same boat. Just seemed like such a cool, anomalous player in an era of guys throwing faster and faster that it was impossible not to root for him. Finding out he was a great person as well made me more of a fan. RIP to one of the great knuckleballers.
Saw the 92’ playoff game he pitched in three rivers as an 11 year old boy. Electric atmosphere! One of the best games I ever went to. Couldn’t touch him!
Prayers for the Wakefield family.
A great ball player dies (RIP Tim) and the MLBTR comments section goes full Facebook in five minutes. You gotta love it folks.
Shows how cancerous comment sections, ANYWHERE can be. Be best if most of these…people, for lack of a better term (LOL) just moved along with their days.
RIP to Tim Wakefield, and congrats on living out a dream that so few get to accomplish. As for schilling, I believe that it was absolutely a stupid move. He needs to have more awareness and understanding of the severity of people and their privacy. It came from a good place, but man couldn’t have timed that worse.
RIP Tim Wakefield. You gave me a lot of memories from my childhood through into my adult life, hanging on every pitch with the Red Sox. You were absolutely 100% a class act.
I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated Tim Wakefield and his awesome knuckleball. Not a Red Sox fan, but he was fun to watch. My condolences to his family, he was a super nice guy going by the interviews he did.
The Tek video destroys me. Makes me ball like a child.
Rice losing it as well. Just shows the power of the loss of a great man.
I didn’t see. Guess I will now. Thanks for the kleenex warning.
I am just very grateful that Tito hasn’t made a video. Not enough tissues in the world if he did…
Wake had great banter with former Red Sox broadcaster Don Orsillo.Don who never played high school baseball used to joke that he would be an mlb third baseman and hit around .260.Also he would crush Wake’s knuckleball.Rip Tim.
RIP Tim
Shoeless Joe has to hit that knuckler now. “Wake”, I hope you throw a no-no on the “Field of Dreams”. May your knuckleball dance like when you were 14-1 with a 1.65 ERA that one year, pitching on 2 days rest and throwing 130 pitches, and I had high hopes you would get the Cy Young. (Finished 16-8 with a 2.95 ERA – still a good year !). And may you rest in peace. You were the epitome of a great teammate and workhorse when you offered to pitch in all roles.
I didn’t know Wake, but every New England kid of my generation feels like they did. He was everywhere. Pitching, broadcasting, and every charity event possible. He was the consummate professional and the consummate teammate. He was someone every parent hopes their kid grows up to be like. Always self-sacrificing for the betterment of the team and his community. He was the epitome of what it means to be a man. Rest in peace, Tim. Gone far too soon, and you will be sorely missed by Red Sox Nation, New England and the broader baseball family.