Posted on 07/06/2009 12:09:33 PM PDT by Artemis Webb
BOSTON – Tim Wakefield was in the weight room when Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell ducked his head in Sunday morning and said that the knuckleballer was wanted in Terry Francona’s office.
The office door was closed when Wakefield arrived; when it opened, Wakefield saw a stream of teammates – Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Josh Beckett and Jason Bay – all walking out with All-Star packets for the July 14 game in St. Louis. Francona, with a solemn face, beckoned for Wakefield to enter.
The charade didn’t last. Francona, a better manager than actor, cracked up, and informed Wakefield that he, too, was an All-Star for the first time in his 17-year career. Wakefield was added to the American League staff by Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon after the players voted in five starters and three relievers, proving, to paraphrase Muhammad Ali, that a knuckleball can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.
“I feel very honored and humbled at the same time, excited and nervous,” said Wakefield, a failed minor league first baseman who took up the knuckleball as a last chance to salvage his career, had a sensational rookie debut with Pittsburgh in 1992 only to be released three years later, was grabbed off the scrap heap by Boston and now ranks as elder statesman on the Red Sox.
At 42 years and 346 days, Wakefield becomes the second-oldest player to make his All-Star debut, behind only the legendary Satchel Paige, who was 46 years and 1 day when he represented the St. Louis Browns at the 1952 game.
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Yeah, I doubt Mirabelli will be playing.
You mean until you’ve actually CAUGHT a knuckleball...
Ain't it the truth. And the difference between a decent knuckleball and a bad one is slim. Just a 1/2 a rotation or so.
Very happy for him. As others have stated, he’s a great human being. A real gamer, too. He’s been asked to do pretty much everything and anything and he always steps up. Chews up innings (most of the time) so they don’t have to dip into middle relief any more than they have to.
I have yet to see him on Charlie Moore’s show but I hear it’s about as fun as it can get watching someone fish.
Joe Mauer of the Twins will be starting catcher.
I believe they have a knuckleballer on the pitching staff.
I have caught them playing catch, but never behind the plate in a real game. And now that I think about it, catching a good knuckleballer would be a daunting task. I do think though that the actual joy of watching that sucker wiggle is best viewed from the mound. :)
Here you go: http://www.knuckleballhq.com/
I can still throw a devastating knuckleball. Trouble is, it only travels 59 feet.
I can throw a doozy knuckler with a 12 inch softball, but I have tried several grips and can’t do very well with a baseball.
For the Red Sox Wakefield has been everything. He has started, worked long and short relief and has been the closer. And they got him off waivers. What a deal.
And his contract is like none other in baseball. Basically its a handshake, 1 year deal $5 million per. If he’s up to it, he comes back. If Sox say enough’s enough, he retires.
Well said, misterrob. Congratulations to good-guy Tim Wakefield! I'm so happy for him...
The perfect pitch in baseball, and seen far too infrequently! I give you.... The knuckle ball!
I’ve only batted against one person who could throw one... It was like chasing a mouse!
Two quotes: “The easiest way to catch a knuckleball is to wait for it to stop rolling and then pick it up.” -???
“You don’t want a knuckleballer pitching to or for your team.” - a paraphrase from Tommy Lasorda
That is one great thing about knuckleballers, the wear and tear on their arm is much less than other pitchers so they have longevity both in playing years and innings pitched per game.
It should be fun watching Wake baffle them in the All Star game. :-)
We had a catcher (which one escapes me at the moment) who had a special glove for knuckleballers that I thought was some sort of gag when first I saw it. Thing was enormous. And it wasn't big enough.
Bob Uecker said it: “The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.”
--- Bob Uecker
Remember when Dante Bichet (sp?) tried to learn the knuckleball? Poor devil - it just didnt work out.
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