Background and career
Timothy Stephen Wakefield (August 2, 1966 – October 1, 2023) was an American professional baseball knuckleball pitcher. Wakefield began his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but is most remembered for his 17-year tenure with the Boston Red Sox, where he was a part of two World Series championships in 2004 and 2007. When he retired at age 45 after 19 seasons in MLB, Wakefield was the oldest active player in the major leagues. Wakefield won his 200th career game on September 13, 2011, and he ranks third in career wins in Red Sox franchise history (186), behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens. He is second in all-time wins at Fenway Park with 97, behind Clemens's 100, and is the all-time leader in innings pitched by a Red Sox pitcher, with 3,006, having surpassed Clemens's total of 2,777 on June 8, 2010. Wakefield was an All-Star in 2009 and he won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2010.
Timothy Stephen Wakefield was born on August 2, 1966, in Melbourne, Florida. He attended Eau Gallie High School and then attended Florida Institute of Technology, where he played college baseball for the Florida Tech Panthers. At Florida Tech, he was named the Panthers' team most valuable player as a first baseman in his sophomore and junior years. He set a single-season Panthers record with 22 home runs, as well as the career home run record at 40. In 2006, his uniform number, No. 3, was retired by the college.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Wakefield as a first baseman in the eighth round of the 1988 MLB draft. He received a $15,000 signing bonus from the Pirates. Wakefield's knack for pitching was noticed in Bradenton by manager Woody Huyke, who encouraged him to "take a try at it." Playing with the Short Season A Welland Pirates during the 1989 season, that opportunity arose several times, with Wakefield called in from positional play for relief pitching duties. On July 1, Wakefield's stellar relief performance turned an almost-certain blowout loss into a near upset. As a Welland Pirate he pitched nearly 40 innings with a 3.40 ERA. After a scout told him that he would never get above Double-A ball as a position player with his skills, Wakefield decided to re-invent himself as a knuckleball pitcher. The following season, Wakefield made his professional pitching debut while playing for the Single-A Salem Buccaneers. His immediate success led to a full conversion to pitcher in 1990, and he led the Carolina League in starts and innings pitched. Wakefield advanced to Double-A in 1991, leading all Pirates minor leaguers in wins, innings pitched, and complete games when he went 15–8 with a 2.90 earned run average.
In 1992, Wakefield began the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons of the American Association. He registered a league-high six complete games by July 31—winning 10 games with a 3.06 earned run average—and was called up to the majors.
In his major league debut, Wakefield threw a complete game against the St. Louis Cardinals, striking out 10 batters while throwing 146 pitches. Down the stretch, Wakefield provided a boost for the playoff-bound Pirates, starting 13 games and compiling an 8–1 record with a 2.15 earned run average, a performance that won him the National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award from The Sporting News. After winning the National League East division, the Pirates faced the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series. Wakefield won both of his starts against Braves star Tom Glavine, throwing a complete game five-hitter in Game 3 of the NLCS and another complete game in Game 6 on three days' rest. The Braves would win Game 7 to advance to the World Series. The Pirates named Wakefield their Opening Day starter for the 1993 season. Wakefield walked nine batters on Opening Day. After losing his spot in the starting rotation, Wakefield was sent down to Double-A in July. He was recalled in September and struggled again, finishing the season with a 6–11 record and a 5.61 earned run average. Wakefield spent most of 1994 with Triple-A Buffalo. He led the league in losses, walks, and home runs allowed. Wakefield was recalled to the Pirates in September but he did not play due to the players strike. The Pirates released Wakefield on April 20, 1995.
Six days after being released from the Pirates, Wakefield was signed by the Boston Red Sox. He worked with Phil and Joe Niekro, two former knuckleballers, who encouraged him to use the knuckleball as an out pitch. With the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, Wakefield went 2–1 with a 2.52 earned run average.
