Tim Wakefield retires

[a700hitter]

There goes our best depth option.

[example1]

This isn't possible. Seabeachfred was sure that Wakefield was going to come back to camp.

[a700hitter]

This isn't possible. Seabeachfred was sure that Wakefield was going to come back to camp.

He did get offered a minor league contract, so the team wasn't shutting the door on him. Pitchers and catchers must report in 2 days, so Wake must have been considering showing up. Lastly, I don't want to give SBF a stroke, but if we get a couple of injuries during the season, Wake could be called out of retirement.

[SoxSport]

Wake did the right thing--finally. He had a long career, and did some good things. He just stayed a bit too long at the party, and the Red Sox didn't have the balls to let him go.

[SoxSport]

... and so ends Doug Mirabelli's comeback bid.

 

And may this be the last time a .500 pitcher gets his own caddy as a catcher--taking up a valuable roster spot and hindering the progress of young catchers.

[VA Sox Fan]

This isn't possible. Seabeachfred was sure that Wakefield was going to come back to camp.

 

I was thinking the same thing!!

[Gringo]

So long, Timmy. A great servant to the Red Sox over the years, he exceeded all expectations, he was great in the community, and a humble guy who wore his heart on his sleeve. He truly loved the Red Sox.

 

His "Me Me Me" routine last year takes a bit of the shine off him for me, but I''l overlook it.

 

He was a unwanted nobody when we signed him, and now he goes out as one of the all time Boston pitching greats.

 

Not too shabby.

 

Good luck to you, Tim.

[FredLynn]

This isn't possible. Seabeachfred was sure that Wakefield was going to come back to camp.

 

He can always unretire.

[a700hitter]

He can always unretire.

I think there is a good possibility that could happen around midseason if we have injuries to our starters or our revolving #5 guys all flop.

[Muggah]

He did get offered a minor league contract' date=' so the team wasn't shutting the door on him. Pitchers and catchers must report in 2 days, so Wake must have been considering showing up. Lastly, I don't want to give SBF a stroke, but if we get a couple of injuries during the season, Wake could be called out of retirement.[/quote']

 

My nightmares about that very scenario will commence this evening no doubt.

[seabeachfred]

This isn't possible. Seabeachfred was sure that Wakefield was going to come back to camp.

 

EX1, I scrolled down two plus pages before I got to someone to take me to task for what turned out to be a totally bogus prediction. You and everyone on this board can now take a pot shot at me if you wish. I will do nothing but take it. Yes, I was certain that both he and Varitek would show up to Fort Myers. Well Tim did show up down there but not for the purpose I thought. Simply put, I blew that prediction all to hell so it is my time to take it on the chin.

[Bellhorn04]

I think there is a good possibility that could happen around midseason if we have injuries to our starters or our revolving #5 guys all flop.

 

I'd almost say you can bank on it.

[seabeachfred]

So long, Timmy. A great servant to the Red Sox over the years, he exceeded all expectations, he was great in the community, and a humble guy who wore his heart on his sleeve. He truly loved the Red Sox.

 

His "Me Me Me" routine last year takes a bit of the shine off him for me, but I''l overlook it.

 

He was a unwanted nobody when we signed him, and now he goes out as one of the all time Boston pitching greats.

 

Not too shabby.

 

Good luck to you, Tim.

 

You know Gringo, it is all over the board that I insisted Tim was going to show up this Spring Training and now I have egg all over my face.....and I earned it. Like you, I was taken back by his selfish routine last year but as the months and years grind on I think he will be remembered for the good things he did for the team, the sacrifices he made for the club, the "take one for the team" that he demonstrated in the third game of the 2004 ALCS when he became literally a sacrificial lamb to save a tired pitching staff. It played a great role in our historic comeback that began the next night. I just think he stayed on a little too long. Now I hope Varitek takes the hint and does the same thing that Tim did.

[jung]

Look you guys have got to stop jerking Seabeachfred around like this. His health insurance rates just went down today with Wakes retirement. This talk of seeing him come back mid-season is going to drive them right back up again.

[Bellhorn04]

Look you guys have got to stop jerking Seabeachfred around like this. His health insurance rates just went down today with Wakes retirement. This talk of seeing him come back mid-season is going to drive them right back up again.

 

I think Wake will be available for un-retirement for many years to come.

[seabeachfred]

Look you guys have got to stop jerking Seabeachfred around like this. His health insurance rates just went down today with Wakes retirement. This talk of seeing him come back mid-season is going to drive them right back up again.

 

You had my back again Jung--getting to be a good friend. I will just have to grin and bear it should the guy suddenly make a re-appearance late this summer. Then we will know we are in some deep trouble.

[NativeBostonian]

Thank god!

[User Name]

EX1' date=' I scrolled down two plus pages before I got to someone to take me to task for what turned out to be a totally bogus prediction. You and everyone on this board can now take a pot shot at me if you wish. I will do nothing but take it. Yes, I was certain that both he and Varitek would show up to Fort Myers. Well Tim did show up down there but not for the purpose I thought. Simply put, I blew that prediction all to hell so it is my time to take it on the chin.[/quote']

 

You mean i can tell you "i told you so" in the biggest font the forum will allow?

[jung]

To be honest, one of the reasons I am glad Wake retired is that nothing he said at the end of last season or did this season should tarnish his legacy here in Boston. The guy pitched for 17 seasons here. I don't recall him ever saying a word about being jerked from the bullpen to the rotation and back again save for one year and now I can't even remember what year that was, he has put so many years in the rear view mirror. A couple of those years would have been considered banner years for any pitcher pitching at any time in either league. Hard to imagine when you consider he was a Dan Douquette phone call away from retiring 17 years ago when the Pirates let him go.

 

Should he have tried to stay on both he and the Sox would have garnered more criticism. I can't blame players for trying to stay on as long as they can, at least not much. The organization has to help the process along.

 

Thanks for the years of faithful effort Wake. On balance I think you will agree that the Sox got a bargain on Wake over those years. No team can only carry one catcher so I am not sure that the argument of having an additional catcher for Wake is really valid. How much production would you expect from your backup catcher to begin with.

 

I do think that the sparsity of catchers with real skills behind the plate has diminished to the point now where we think catching the knuckler is an impossible task. For guys that can't catch it, the knuckler just emphasizes an inability to wait for the ball to come to you. To many catchers lunge at the ball regardless of what pitch is thrown but if you lunge at the knuckler you are bound to be over here when the ball is over there.

[User Name]

Jason Varitek Leaning Towards Retirement

By Zach Links [February 17 at 5:40pm CST]

 

On the heels of Tim Wakefield's retirement, another key member of the Red Sox organization might be close to calling it a career. At Wakefield's press conference earlier today, a friend of Jason Varitek said that the catcher is leaning towards retirement, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).

 

This morning, Varitek's agent Scott Boras maintained that his client hasn't made any decisions yet about playing in 2012. The veteran has received interest from other clubs, but like Wakefield, it is believed that Varitek will decide between the Red Sox and retirement.

 

BoSox GM Ben Cherington said that he is leaving the ball in Varitek's court and the catcher is welcome to come to camp without a guaranteed roster spot, tweets Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Unlike some of you old farts, I have never rooted for a Red Sox team that didn't include Tim Wakefield. But then, I only started watching baseball in 2002, so I haven't rooted for a team that didn't include Jason Varitek either.

[example1]

He did get offered a minor league contract' date=' so the team wasn't shutting the door on him. Pitchers and catchers must report in 2 days, so Wake must have been considering showing up. Lastly, I don't want to give SBF a stroke, but if we get a couple of injuries during the season, Wake could be called out of retirement.[/quote']

 

He can always unretire.

 

I think there is a good possibility that could happen around midseason if we have injuries to our starters or our revolving #5 guys all flop.

 

My nightmares about that very scenario will commence this evening no doubt.

 

If the three of you ever needed a solid example of why "realist" can be interpreted as "pessimist" this is it.

 

A washed up 45 year old pitcher retires after no offers from any other teams. The Sox are loaded with other, higher ceiling cannon fodder.

 

You three immediately jump to "there's a good chance he could be back"...

 

Realists.

[mvp 78]

Watch out E1, the geriatric crew really knows how to circle the wagons this year!

[jung]

I think what I said earlier will apply here. In my view before Wake gets a call from the Red Sox, some developmental pitcher will get a shot assuming some of the cannon fodder guys that E1 is referring to do not give the Sox any meaningful innings at all. I think Wake is that far down on the possibilities ladder.

 

True some would argue that after the developmental guys that have been mentioned here several times you have to get all the way to Renaudo to find somebody worth a damn. Even with that, I still think a developmental guy gets a shot long before Wake even gets a sniff from the Sox.

 

Remember Wake will have no earthly reason to keep himself prepared to come back and pitch either.

[example1]

Watch out E1' date=' the geriatric crew really knows how to circle the wagons this year![/quote']

 

I'm not even trying to start anything. I assume that those three would be the first to admit that these concerns are more impulsive than realistic. It's just funny.

 

I think what I said earlier will apply here. In my view before Wake gets a call from the Red Sox, some developmental pitcher will get a shot assuming some of the cannon fodder guys that E1 is referring to do not give the Sox any meaningful innings at all. I think Wake is that far down on the possibilities ladder.

 

Remember Wake will have no earthly reason to keep himself prepared to come back and pitch either.

 

You're right jung. I really don't think that BC has any interest in Wakefield coming back with any reasonable chance of actually pitching. He would be like 12th on the list. Maybe higher, I haven't really counted honestly.

[Bellhorn04]

I'm not even trying to start anything. I assume that those three would be the first to admit that these concerns are more impulsive than realistic. It's just funny.

 

 

 

You're right jung. I really don't think that BC has any interest in Wakefield coming back with any reasonable chance of actually pitching. He would be like 12th on the list. Maybe higher, I haven't really counted honestly.

 

I dunno, if Paul Byrd can get a phone call in 2009, it's far from inconceivable that Tim Wakefield can get one in 2012.

 

Fred just better hope it's not one of the games he books a ticket for.

[sleepyhollow]

NESN is reporting that Tek is leaning towards retirement.

[mvp 78]

I'm not even trying to start anything. I assume that those three would be the first to admit that these concerns are more impulsive than realistic. It's just funny.

 

I agree. Nothing wrong with having a little fun. Being a Sox fan has been especially brutal over the past 6 months.

[jung]

Byrd did not formally announce his retirement before that happened. He simply announced that he would take the second half of a season off but never formally announced retirement.

 

You had the impression with Byrd that he would try to return under some scenario of another. I think now that Wake has formally announced he is going to throw the glove in some dark corner of a dusty closet. Hence the Sox would have no reason to believe they could call on him to do anything. I think the formal announcement is the key difference between Byrd and Wake if you are looking for something.

[Bellhorn04]

Byrd did not formally announce his retirement before that happened. He simply announced that he would take the second half of a season off but never formally announced retirement.

 

You had the impression with Byrd that he would try to return under some scenario of another. I think now that Wake has formally announced he is going to throw the glove in some dark corner of a dusty closet. Hence the Sox would have no reason to believe they could call on him to do anything. I think the formal announcement is the key difference between Byrd and Wake if you are looking for something.

 

Fair enough, Byrd was probably a bad example. Clemens would have been a better one.