Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
From Kirk Minihane's piece about Tim Wakefield's battle for a spot on the Red Sox' Opening Day roster (via WEEI.com):
Not unreasonable to envision a scenario which sees the Sox letting Wakefield go before the start of the season, is it? Thanks for the memories, have a day for him in June and move on.
Just one minor glitch in the plan: Wakefield isn't interested in the gold watch treatment...
They usually aren't. The problem, as Minihane notes, is that 1) Wakefield's got a 5.42 ERA since the 2009 All-Star Game (and don't think management doesn't know that knuckleballers are usually a bit worse than their ERAs), and 2) the Red Sox bullpen is sort of loaded this spring. There was a time, not so many years ago, when a versatile pitcher like Wakefield brought a certain value. These days, with huge bullpens and greater roster flexibility, not so much. At this point, about all we can do is hope for a good March ...
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nyy?
not to sound like a stupid yankee’s fan – but if the sox let wakefield go, the yanks would be stupid not to at least give him a look… he’s just as viable as bartolo freakin’ colon!
by jbusch8 on Mar 9, 2011 2:17 PM EST reply actions
Yes, because the Yankees have less starting pitching depth ...
… ever since they let Aceves go!
You’ve got to love the back and forth between the Red Sox and Yankees, both between the clubs and their fans.
by Detroit Michael on Mar 10, 2011 7:19 AM EST up reply actions
Phantom DL trip
Shouldn’t there be a site that puts odds on things like Wakefield suddenly getting a “strained oblique” and starting the season on the DL?
Or would ANYBODY bet against that….
by AGuinness on Mar 10, 2011 12:21 AM EST reply actions
Nonsense
Wakefields value is in being a long man in the pen, especially when Daisuke features one of his early departures, and also as starting pitching depth. Doubront has yet to throw this spring due to elbow/forearm tightness. Not much else for depth other than Aceves, and his durability is a question.
Theo learned in 2006 you can never have too much starting pitching. I will eat my hat if Wakefield is released. Wakefield was injured in the 2nd half of 2009, after making the All Star team due to his stellar first half (he carried the team in April/May as Lester and Beckett got off to poor starts) . In 2010, when Daisuke and then Beckett were injured, Wakefield had 8 QS in his first 13 starts.
As a reliever, he appeared in 13 games and went 25 IP with a 3.60 ERA.
Wake ain’t going nowhere.
As for the bullpen being loaded, we haveAtchison and Wheeler, neither of whom can get LHB’ers out and are also prone to the HR ball (Yankees have 6 HR in 5 1/2 IP against Wheeler IIRCC), and are still searching for a LOOGY among Okajima, Reyes, Miller, Williams, etc. Jenks, Papelbon and Bard are good, although Bard has struggled this ST. Projections for bullpens are unreliable.
by pft on Mar 10, 2011 12:57 AM EST reply actions
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