Last night, Tim Wakefield accomplished something no other pitcher ever has: he recorded his 8,329th out as a member of the Boston Red Sox. For those who are less than mathematically inclined (like myself), that's 2,776 and 1/3 innings, one out more than Roger Clemens recorded with a B on his cap.
It's a useful moment with which to reflect on the astonishing career of Tim Wakefield, and on what he has given this team both on the field and off. The longest tenured member of the Red Sox (Wake arrived in Boston as a free agent during the first month of the 1995 season, two years before anyone had heard of Nomar Garciaparra), Wakefield has been as selfless a player as has ever worn a Sox uniform. That he can arrive at this record is a testament to his loyalty, selflessness, and love of this game.
June 9, 2010
andrew lipsett
