Should Wakefield be asked to Return in 2012?

[a700hitter]

He's been done for 2 seasons. He's been embarrassing himself and costing his team games.

[Wells]

I voted yes.. I wish there was an option for "Hell yeah!"

 

Everyone that throws him under the bus need to recognize his value here and he comes on the cheap..

[iortiz]

Hell, No. SIt him next to Remy and Don or something.

[iortiz]

I voted yes.. I wish there was an option for "Hell yeah!"

 

Everyone that throws him under the bus need to recognize his value here and he comes on the cheap..

 

His value departed 3 bus stations ago or what value are you talking about? His -1.2 WAR.?

 

At this point, it is not a matter of money even if he plays for free. He is eating 5+ ER the last 3 years.

 

He is 44 yo for God's sake. Send him to the coaching staff or something.

[a700hitter]

Is it really that hard to find a cheap alternative to a guy who has pitched to a 5+ ERA who can't keep his team in games? His team's record in games that he started over the last 2 seasons has been 18-23. Would it really be that hard to replace such a guy?

[Palodios]

Absolutely. He's a great 8th starter, maybe even a Pawtucket ace. That being said, depth is incredibly important, and to go into 2012 with him as a 5th, 6th, or even 7th starter would be a bad idea going forward.

[boston22407]

Time to hang them up and move on,But i have a feeling he will be back

[BecKett]

LOL. Never.

[Dojji]

Offense is down so much that a guy who can log a low 5 ERA isn't worth what he used to be. I think the decline in offense is masking the decline in Wakefield, and he really needs to hang 'em high.

[La Munson]

Time to hang them up and move on' date='But i have a feeling he will be back[/quote']

 

Doesn't Wakefield ever realize he's embarrassing himself? Doesn't he hate seeing Francona come out to take him out after getting killed a few innings? Could someone seriously want to embarrass themselves another bunch of starts just to beat a Sox Wins record that means almost nothing, and to hear yourself get a curtain call after giving up seven runs?

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Wake, he has always been there for us and will be with us long after his career, but he's not in the shape to pitch anymore. Put him on the coaching staff, or on the NESN crew, he wouldn't be a bad replacement for Jim Rice.

 

He had his 200th win, it was spectacular, his time is long up though.

[SoxSport]

He got his 200 wins, and he will disappear into the sunset--voluntarily.

[example1]

He doesn't even allow a catcher to do his job. He reinforces teams' ability to run against the Sox at will. If he were a "standard" 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th starter than yes. But he gives up a hit, allows a SB, throws a passed-ball, and then a hit turns into a run with a ground ball to the right side.

 

This team is too good for that s***. Hang 'em up Tim. Thanks for the memories.

[lasitter]

How many of our pitchers had a better outing in the past week?

[La Munson]

How many of our pitchers had a better outing in the past week?

 

Pitching Game Scores from the last week

 

Josh Beckett: 54

Jon Lester: 52

Tim Wakefield: 43

Kyle Weiland: 35

John Lackey: 10

Erik Bedard: 36

Josh Beckett: 47

 

Beating out John Lackey's pretty easy, as is Weiland and just off of DL Bedard.

 

Don't you think a rookie call up could pitch about as good or better than Wakefield? 2 earned runs through 5 innings (4 unearned by the way) isn't too bad, but he really shouldn't of given up all those unearned runs.

[lasitter]

Don't you think a rookie call up could pitch about as good or better than Wakefield?

I'm not opposed to the idea of them looking at just about anyone earlier in September. That would make calling them up easier at this stage.

2 earned runs through 5 innings (4 unearned by the way) isn't too bad' date=' but he really shouldn't of given up all those unearned runs.[/quote']He had help.

 

Five strikeouts vs one walk and 63 percent strike to ball isn't too shabby an outing.

 

I've said before that Wake can't both throw it AND catch it.

 

If we can't get someone more nimble than Salty behind the plate that can knock the ball down, block it and keep it out front, then Wake doesn't need to be out there.

 

If the knuckler dances runs score because Salty can't catch it. And if he can catch it because it's flat, it goes flying out of the park. We lose either way.

[lasitter]

"Jon Lester has allowed 16 earned runs on 21 hits and eight walks over 13.2 innings in his last three starts."

 

When's the last time Wake collapsed like that guys?

 

Right now he's one of the most consistent pitchers we have.

 

You can call that sad if you want, but it's true.

[example1]

"Jon Lester has allowed 16 earned runs on 21 hits and eight walks over 13.2 innings in his last three starts."

 

When's the last time Wake collapsed like that guys?

 

Right now he's one of the most consistent pitchers we have.

 

You can call that sad if you want, but it's true.

 

Being better than a temporarily bad pitcher for a 3 start period doesn't mean Wakefield has been good. His 5.53 ERA over the past 14 starts plays a big role in why the Sox are where they are.

[a700hitter]

Opinion is pretty overwhelming on this issue. He's toast. He's been toast for at least 2 seasons. It's obvious to everyone except his mother.

[3rdManOut]

I actually like Wakefield alot. I know that he is older and is very inconsistent. I figure his role now is more of a motivation for younger players? Im not sure why they have kept him this long but maybe he will retire after this year. His arm can't throw forever no matter how good or bad he is now.

[a700hitter]

This poll is still open. The results are lopsided, and I think they could get more lopsided. Wakefield should not have been wearing a major league uniform in 2010 or 2011. Stupid sentimentality got the best of the FO, and it is emblematic of the fact that the FO has lost its edge in the last few years. In their early years, the FO had no sentimentality at all. They let heroes like Pedro and Trot walk, and they were right to do so. They traded Nomar when they saw that he was slipping. No one was a bigger fan favorite than Nomar, but again they were right. Wakefield was never a huge fan favorite, but he started to get close to certain milestones so they kept him for sentimental reasons plus he was cheap. Sentimentality is a bad thing in a competitive sport like baseball. It doesn't matter if the guy is cheap or expensive. Wake was clearly not major league worthy for the last two seasons. The FO got soft and sentimental, and that is always the wrong decision. Maybe Theo will get his edge back in Chicago.

[SoxSport]

This poll is still open. The results are lopsided' date=' and I think they could get more lopsided. Wakefield should not have been wearing a major league uniform in 2010 or 2011. [b']Stupid sentimentality got the best of the FO, and it is emblematic of the fact that the FO has lost its edge in the last few years. [/b] In their early years, the FO had no sentimentality at all. They let heroes like Pedro and Trot walk, and they were right to do so. They traded Nomar when they saw that he was slipping. No one was a bigger fan favorite than Nomar, but again they were right. Wakefield was never a huge fan favorite, but he started to get close to certain milestones so they kept him for sentimental reasons plus he was cheap. Sentimentality is a bad thing in a competitive sport like baseball. It doesn't matter if the guy is cheap or expensive. Wake was clearly not major league worthy for the last two seasons. The FO got soft and sentimental, and that is always the wrong decision. Maybe Theo will get his edge back in Chicago.

 

The FO has gotten soft. Keeping guys for loyalty or sentimentality reasons.

They thought they could make the playoffs every year without going the extra mile.

Hubris is the word. One of Tito's problems as well. Taking guys out before games were won.

 

Wakefield not only deprived a young pitcher of development, he also impeded their abilty to develop a replacement for Tek--another guy kept around too long as an active player.

[soxfan74]

absolutely not!

[La Munson]

I think some people seem to forget how good Wakefield used to be, he was never really a star or CYA candidate (other than 1995), but he used to be a solid pitcher who could give you a lot of innings.

 

Now he's just making a complete joke of himself, as he was in 2010. It's painful ever time he takes the mound, it's good he got his big 200th win. I don't want to see him win anything else, seriously.

 

The all time wins record is rightfully owned by the greatest pitcher of all time, and one in the top ten, doesn't matter if Clemens is a prick, Wakefield has been acting like one lately too.

[Dojji]

The decline in offense is masking the decline in Wakefield. If you need proof of that, look at his ERA+. He's gone down from exactly average in 2009 to 80 ERA+ (significantly below average) over the last 2 years.

 

When Wake was an average pitcher working really cheap, it was worth running him out there. He provided positive value at a good price. It is not worth running Wakefield out there when he is a below average pitcher over the last 2 years.

 

The quality of his innings have gone down, and so have his innings themselves -- this from a supposedly 'inning burning" pitcher.. It's time to move on.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

He's been done for 2 seasons.

 

That's a little generous.

[Dojji]

That's a little generous.

 

No that's about right. 2009 was his last average season.

[jung]

No Wake should not be asked back. As others have said he is an example of one of the problems with this FO. In fact I wish he were the only player falling into that category but he is not.

[doctorron]

Hey I love Wake. Watching him got me back into baseball after a 20 year hiatus. Love the guy. Its time to hang it up Wakefield. He certainly can't handle a whole season.

[SCM33]

Is it really that hard to find a cheap alternative to a guy who has pitched to a 5+ ERA who can't keep his team in games? His team's record in games that he started over the last 2 seasons has been 18-23. Would it really be that hard to replace such a guy?

 

Well, Lackey had a 6+ ERA and made 14+ Million dollars. I just threw up.

[Cairns_Sox]

Negative.