Tim Wakefield Set To Retire After 19-Year Career
Published at
Jim Rogash/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — The old knuckleballer is calling it a career. After 19 seasons, 200 wins, 2,156 strikeouts, and two World Series titles, Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield is retiring from baseball.
The 45-year old Wakefield spent his first two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was then released by the team. He spent the next 17 seasons with the Red Sox and became a Boston sports legend after winning two World Series titles with the team in 2004 and 2007.
His 186 wins with the Red Sox are third-most in team history behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens. Only Carl Yastrzemski, Ted Williams, and Dwight Evans have played in more games in a Red Sox uniform than Wakefield. He also ranks first in team history in starts and innings and second in games pitched and strikeouts.
Despite his accomplishments with the Red Sox, the past two seasons saw a sharp decline in Wakefield’s production; he went just 11-18. This past season Wakefield was 7-8 with a 5.12 ERA.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio