Tim Wakefield; All-Star Caliber

This season, Tim Wakefield is 10-3 with 4.18 ERA and a WHIP of 1.36 in 15 starts. In his 94.2 innings pitched, Wakefield has given up six home runs and allowed 36 walks, ringing up 50 batters. In all of his games started, Tim has a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.39. Wake is on pace to be a 20-game winner in 2009 if he continues to pitch as well as he has while getting defensive play and offensive support from his teammates.

The featured knuckleballer also has added the knuckle-curve to his repertoire this season to complement his artillery. Not much of a fastball pitcher, topping out in the mid to high 70's with a curve ball in the low 60's. Along with having one of his best starts to a season with Boston, Wakefield recently tied Roger Clemens' record for starts in a Red Sox uniform with 382.

An All-Star Season

Something that has been working my nerve this season is conversations not including Tim Wakefield's name as a pitcher in July's All-Star game. I've heard talks on ESPN and CSN about Josh Beckett and Jon Lester pitching in the ASG, both of whom have been pitching very well lately and make for a disastrous 1-2 punch in the rotation, but not enough love going to Wake. Shawn Medeiros from Fire Brand of the American League agrees:

If Wakefield doesn't get selected as an All-Star then the whole selection process is a waste of time. He has been phenomenal all season and carried Boston's pitching staff until Josh Beckett turned it around.

When asked about his opportunity to play in the All-Star Game, Wakefield told Jack Curry of Bats Blog:

It would be huge. It’s one thing that you want in a career is to make an All-Star team. We’ve won two World Series. Just add it to the list of things that you say you’ve accomplished in your career. Obviously, it would be nice to make a team, and, hopefully, I can continue to pitch the way I’ve been pitching and finally make one after 14, 15 years.

Tim Wakefield has played 17 seasons, 15 with the Boston Red Sox and is probably inching more and more toward retirement as time passes. Wake didn't seem to make to big of a deal about the All-Star game while speaking with Curry, but every pitcher wants the validation of being named an All-Star, even if it is that late in their career. I've enjoyed watching Wakefield and his knuckleball for some solid seasons now, he deserves to make the 2009 All-Star team and has shown that through his starts.

Vote for Your Red Sox All-Stars

Ian Bethune of Sox & Dawgs has been campaigning for the Red Sox over the past few weeks, providing the link to vote for players in the 2009 All-Star Game. I'd like to help the cause. You can vote up to 25 times, I suggest using every vote and making sure to write in Nick Green at shortstop.

Thanks to Waldo Jaquith for the picture of Tim Wakefield.

Tagged as: Boston Red Sox, Tim Wakefield

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