Tim Wakefield calls it quits

[Cowtipper]

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Tim Wakefield will announce his retirement at 5 p.m. today at JetBlue Park.

Wakefield, 45, was 200-180 with a 4.41 ERA in 627 appearances in his 19-year career. The Florida native spent the final 17 seasons with the Red Sox, going 186-168 with a 4.43 ERA over 590 games. He is third in team history for victories, trailing only Cy Young and Roger Clemens, who each had 192.

Read more:

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2012/02/wakefield_annou.html

[GiambiJuice]

Read more:

http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...eld_annou.html

The quintessential "league-average innings eater" for so many years. It just felt like he could keep doing what he's been doing until he's 50. He was a nice piece to a championship puzzle, and as a Yankees fan, one of the few Red Sox players I could stand. (I guess giving up the Aaron Boone homer didn't hurt in that regard )

[George H Ruth]

An honorable career, and an odd one. Even though all knuckleball pitchers are erratic and wind up at .500, nobody alternated unhittable with unwatchably horrid as often and as violently as Wakefield did.

[Bigfoot 88]

He got his 200th win has over 2,000 strikeouts. Nice career. 1995 and 2002 stand out as great years.

[philliesfiend55]

Wakefield has received a ton of accolades from the commentators on ESPN and MLB Network today upon annouincing his retirement.
He overcame a lot of disadantages.
Didn't start pitching in he minors until after he had washed out as a hitter/first baseman. Never pitched before age 23. His Minor League manager had seen him fool around with a knucklball and recommended that he try pitching. This came at a time when the RedSox Front Office was getting ready to release him due to his light hitting.
Didn't reach the majors until he was 26, with the Pittsburgh Pirates..
Two years later he had a severe setback when he had to spend a complete season back in the minors at age 28.
His career didn't get on track until he was acquired by the Red Sox in 1995 at age 29.
Survived the Aaron Boone home run in 2003 to contribute to two Worlds Champion Red Sox teams including the 2004 team that broke the 86 year Sox Title drought.
In his later years he became more popular than ever with Boston fans.
Pitched in 19 big league seasons, pitching until age 45 and won his 200th game in one of the final major league game starts. ( He also had well over 2,000 career strikeouts.) Depending on what source you use Wakefield was either the oldest or the second-oldest pitcher in history at the time of his 200th win.
He made the American League all-star team in 2009, his first and only all-star selection, one month before turning 43 year old. (a record).
Has done a ton of work to aid local charaties and has won the Roberto clemente Award for Community service.
Pitched more consecutive years (17) than any other pitcher in Red Sox history.

[Francoeurstein]

My dad's favorite pitcher. Always a joy to see his ball knuckle. Kudos, Tim!

[Honus Wagner Rules]

With the retirement of Kid '66 are there any knuckleballers left in the majors?

[Imgran]

The only big leaguer I've ever known who could beat hitters with a 72 mile an hour fastball.

You'll be missed Timmy

LOL I can't say I'm 100% confident he's gone. If the bottom of the rotation looks like crap, he could look mighty tempting.

[Imgran]

With the retirement of Kid '66 are there any knuckleballers left in the majors?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dicker.01.shtml

BTW is he kid 66 because of birthday or because of velocity?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

With the retirement of Kid '66 are there any knuckleballers left in the majors?

R.A. Dickey

[Blue387]

With the retirement of Kid '66 are there any knuckleballers left in the majors?

You've never heard of the awesomeness that is R.A. Dickey?



This man has no ulnar collateral ligament and is a starting pitcher for the Mets. Doctors are amazed he could throw a fastball, much less turn a doorknob.

Dickey pitches a complete game one hit shutout against the Phillies in 2010:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=10941485

Dickey flirted with a no-hitter again against the Phillies in 2011:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=19578659

I was at this game:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=18571459

Dickey climbed Mount Kilimanjaro:

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/7181208/new-york-mets-pitcher-ra-dickey-climb-mount-kilimanjaro

[theAmazingMet]

With the retirement of Kid '66 are there any knuckleballers left in the majors?

RA Dickey on the Mets

[csh19792001]

With the retirement of Kid '66 are there any knuckleballers left in the majors?

Best I've seen, far and away. About one of the four (?) starting pitchers I've seen that had a "real career" in the Bigs. Gotta wonder, where might/should he fall in the pantheon of knuckleball pitchers?

http://oddball-mall.com/knuckleball/list.htm

Full disclosure: I'm somewhat young.... and therefore, my firsthand exposure to MLB knucklers is quite limited.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...icker.01.shtml

BTW is he kid 66 because of birthday or because of velocity?

Because of his birth year. I think Rob Neyer gave Wakefield that nickname.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

You've never heard of the awesomeness that is R.A. Dickey?



This man has no ulnar collateral ligament and is a starting pitcher for the Mets. Doctors are amazed he could throw a fastball, much less turn a doorknob.

Dickey pitches a complete game one hit shutout against the Phillies in 2010:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=10941485

Dickey flirted with a no-hitter again against the Phillies in 2011:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=19578659

I was at this game:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=18571459

Dickey climbed Mount Kilimanjaro:
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/stor...nt-kilimanjaro

I remember him, but I couldn't remember his name when I posted previously.