Wakefield Goes Out In A Blaze Of Glory But The Boston Red Sox 'Pen BLOWS IT

Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox walked off the mound with a 4-1 lead in the seventh inning and received a standing ovation. He stymied the worst team in baseball, the Baltimore Orioles, and allowed them almost nothing. The Fenway Faithful showed their appreciation...loudly. I was emotionally moved. At that exact moment, I had chalked this game up in the "win" column, but it was not to be. The porous bullpen quickly gave the game away starting in the 7th inning with Okie, Atchinson and Schoenweis allowing the deadly three runs in the 7th and 3 more in the tenth. Manny Delcarmen, who's been pitching exceptionally well lately, was not called upon until it was way too late and the game was virtually lost. Timmy's post-game media interview was a terse affair. Here is an excerpt, courtesy of the Boston Globe...
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"His thoughts about going to the bullpen: "I don't have any."

Is he concerned about not having pitched in relief since 2004? "No."

Was today's start difficult under the circumstances? "No, it was a start, just another start."

What was his reaction to Francona and Theo Epstein saying all spring that he was a starter? "Today was a very good day. I threw a lot of strikes Unfortunately we came out on the short end of the stick."
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I don't blame Wakes one damn bit. He worked his tail off to get back into pitching shape after a debilitating spine injury with woeful pain. Now, he's in the bullpen, the 'pen that let him down yesterday afternoon. It has been officially announced that the oft-injured Daisuke Matsuzaka will start on Saturday. We'll see Timmy coming out of the bullpen but it just won't be the same. I'm sad. Many of us are. Such is life. Sometimes life is joyful, sometimes it sucks. Sometimes.

Thanks for popping in on another Monday. Boy, they seem to come up once a week. UMMM, I guess they do. Click on this post's title for more on the Red Sox and as always and forever, BE WELL. See ya.