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Big League Stew

Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:09 am EDT

News & Notes: Tim Wakefield's old bones finally All-Star worthy?

By 'Duk

A few items to peruse while the colors inside your head go spinning around, like a Ferris wheel ...

• I'm nowhere near sold on the idea, but Jack Curry of the New York Times introduces the thought that Boston's Tim Wakefield(notes) might finally reach the All-Star Game at age 42 this season.

After improving to 8-3 with a win over New York on Wednesday, Wakefield has the second-most wins in the AL. The big problem is that Wakefield has a 4.50 ERA, which ranks behind 29 other AL starters.

Still, that won't prevent Wakefield from being intrigued by the thought of an overinflated statistic sending him to his first Midsummer Classic:

"It's one thing that you want in a career is to make an All-Star team. We've won two World Series. Just add it to the list of things that you say you've accomplished in your career. Obviously, it would be nice to make a team."

Wakefield will turn 43 in August, but he won't set any kind of records should he get the nod. The oldest pitcher to participate in the All-Star Game was Satchel Paige, who was said to be 47 in 1953. (The oldest non-pitcher was Pete Rose, who was 44 in 1985). [NYT Bats Blog]

• "Let's be real here, though: The real reason the Red Sox won last night is because the Yankees starting Chien-Ming Wang(notes) worked out just about as poorly as everyone at Fenway Park figured it would." [Red Sox Monster]

• Rick Sutcliffe didn't have much to say about A-Rod and Tex. [NYDN]

Day Baseball! Rockies at Brewers, 2:05 ET It's one thing to have a seven-game winning streak, it's another to have a seven-game winning streak on the road. But free from the shackles of Coors Field, the Rockies pitching staff  has a 2.29 ERA. Do-gooder Aaron Cook(notes) will look to extend the streak to eight this afternoon against Yovani Gallardo(notes). 

• A few experts are also saying the Rockies "won" the draft. [Bugs & Cranks]

• The OC Weekly has published a toxicology report that says the driver of Nick Adenhart's(notes) car had a blood-alcohol content level twice the legal limit. [6-4-2]

• The Blue Jays are getting to the point where they should just offer Dr. James Andrews (below) a spot as the team's official physician. [Sports and the City]

• Day Baseball! Tigers at White Sox, 2:05 Will the White Sox be buyers or sellers over the next two months? I think this Detroit series provides the answer. [MLB Trade Rumors]

• Here's a great post on some of the lesser records that Hall of Famers would prefer you not recognize (ie: Cal Ripken owning the MLB record for GIDP). [Rumors and Rants]

• You call it criminal, I call it resourceful: A Little League coach enlisted his players to help him steal some things from an empty shop [Steadyburn]

Day Baseball! Pirates at Braves 1:10, Cardinals at Marlins 12:10, Cubs at Astros 2:05, Twins at A's 3:35, Giants at D'Backs 3:40
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16 Comments

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  1. eyebleaf
    1. Posted by eyebleaf Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:07 am EDT

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    Thx for the link, 'Duk! Dr. James Andrews FTW!!!1
  2. BevBurrell
    2. Posted by BevBurrell Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:39 am EDT

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    Yes, Wake deserves to be an all star!
  3. tito (eight and oh)
    3. Posted by tito (eight and oh) Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:04 pm EDT

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    No one deserves it more.
  4. vic_laszlo
    4. Posted by vic_laszlo Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:41 pm EDT

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    Nothing against the guy personally, but Wakefield should not be an all-star. 4.50 ERA. 106 ERA+. 1.43 WHIP. .254 BAA. 34 walks to only 43 K's. Lasts about 6.1 innings per start. These numbers are the very definition of average. He does have eight Wins, but Wins are not a particularly good indicator of how good a pitcher is. You can be an average pitcher and get lots of wins if your team scores a fair amount of runs early in the game and your bullpen holds onto the lead.
  5. Smokn Joe
    5. Posted by Smokn Joe Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:51 pm EDT

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    Nice try against Wake, I love when we want to attack a pitcher because the ERA 4.50 in modern day baseball, like that's not a good average. Oh let's see, who did he pitch against... 9 out of his 12 starts were against teams in first place or fighting for first place, hmm, 8 wins 3 losses, Oh by the way the 2 of those losses were against the LA Angels in LA, 4.50 ERA, No Papi (slump), No Manny(trade). Not sure if you understand the game but stick around you'll figure it out. He's an All Star and deserves the recognition as a knuckle baller you knuckle head!
  6. Tyler Durden
    6. Posted by Tyler Durden Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:52 pm EDT

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    Great pic. So he is outside an OR with his surgical gloves still on (nasty - should be removed with your gown), his mask still on (unnecessary and should be removed when you leave the OR suite), holding a cell phone with his dirty gloves (contamination), and no outer cover like a lab coat to cover his scrubs when he is outside the surgical suite. In reference to Tom Brady's knee infection "Andrews added that preventing infection in the Patriots quarterback's knee was nearly impossible, no matter how good the doctors are." Well, piss poor sterile technique by a surgeon will often net you a nice infection. Great Pic.
  7. JS
    7. Posted by JS Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:54 pm EDT

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    Well, since pitchers are not affected by the popular vote, if Wakefield is to become an all-star, it will be from one of the following categories:
    a) Eight pitchers (among selection spots #9 through #24) are elected by the players, coaches, and managers.
    b) The managers of the 30 MLB teams and the Commissioner's Office will then fill 7 spots on the roster (spots #25 through #31) with the stipulation that every team must have a representative player.
    So if no player from a certain team was voted in among spots #1 through #24, the managers MUST select a player from that team in this category. Since it is nearly guaranteed the Red Sox will already have an electee somewhere in positions #1-24, it is unlikely Wakefield will be chosen in this category.
    c) After the lists of 31 players for each league is announced, fans will vote for one additional player, chosen from a list of 5 players provided by the manager and the Commissioner's Office.
    My suspicion is that Wakefield, if he keeps up his stats through the end of June, will appear as one of the five players in this Final Vote category.
  8. DICK SMOTHERS
    8. Posted by DICK SMOTHERS Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:10 pm EDT

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    I say yes.
  9. PATS52
    9. Posted by PATS52 Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:38 pm EDT

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    Back in the day if your ERA was above 3.50 you were sent down....
  10. tito (eight and oh)
    10. Posted by tito (eight and oh) Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:45 pm EDT

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    haha back in the day...before they made 75 rule changes to favor the batters. before bob gibson's 1.62 ERA season. Those were the days. RAISE THE MOUND!!!
  11. eyebleaf
    11. Posted by eyebleaf Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    Wakefield is no all-star. period.
    roy halladay will throw a complete game shutout in the all-star game anyway, so let's not worry about it.
  12. The Unsilent Majority
    12. Posted by The Unsilent Majority Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:04 pm EDT

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    There are too many great pitchers who don't get the kind of run support that Wakefield gets to use simply Wins as an indicator. Wakefield's an All-star to Boston, and he's got two rings. The man has nothing else to prove, and shouldn't be given the nod simply because someone in the media feels otherwise.
  13. felonious_hex
    13. Posted by felonious_hex Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:40 pm EDT

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    who cares?
  14. a
    14. Posted by a Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:39 pm EDT

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    If he didn't deserve to be an all-star this season, why in hell does he this season?
    All his stats were better last season then this except for the wins and hr's. 08 09
    ERA 4.13 4.50
    Whip 1.18 1.43
    Kevin Slowey has 8 wins.Bronson Arroyo has 7. These guys should be in the All-star game to if wakefield is.
    Slowey(4.21 ERA) Bronson(5.00)
  15. vic_laszlo
    15. Posted by vic_laszlo Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:40 pm EDT

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    The fact that Wakefield has 8 wins means very little. Wakefield got the win on 5/24 after giving up 5 runs in 6 innings, but he got a no decision on 4/27 even though he pitched 7 innings without giving up any runs.
    Scott Eyre got the win for the Phillies last night and he only threw two pitches.
    Wins are not a reliable indicator of a pitcher's ability or value. The fact that Wakefield has 8 wins does not make him an All-Star. There are other stats that are much better indicators of how good a pitcher is.
  16. cuffablimp
    16. Posted by cuffablimp Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:31 pm EDT

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    He's certainly been around for a long time dating back to the Barry Bonds era in Pittsburgh but he has never been an All Star? That's a surprise but he's also never been a 20 game winner even though he nearly had it in his back pocket a few years ago. Judging by his fine efforts this year he is worthy of an All Star appearance and with about 4 starts remaining in the 1st half the odds are also in his favor for reaching 20 wins providing there is no lower back flare up again.... From the looks of things and past knuckleballer history, he has at least another 5 years left. Boston did not go wrong bringing him into the fold 15+ years ago. Time does fly.

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