Tim Wakefield

When you have a team with this much talent, you have to wonder why they are struggling to stay above the .500 mark (the Red Sox currently have a record of 18-17) and, frankly, the only thing I have been able to come up with is that there is a pervasive sense of entitlement and unhappiness within the Red Sox clubhouse.

With Daisuke returning to the Boston Red Sox’ starting rotation, Tim Wakefield was relegated to a long relief pitching role. He has experience in the bullpen, and had been the team’s fifth starter.

This move is very dangerous for two reasons.

First, it upsets Tim Wakefield, who was just 17 wins away from the club record in career wins. An upset Wakefield means lower overall team chemistry. To add, a disgruntled player is never one that a team wants to have in a locker room.

Caption: KC RF Rick Ankiel was left holding just his bat handle after his eighth inning showdown with Sox fireballer Daniel Bard. Unfortunately, Ankiel flared a base hit into left-center field on this swing to deliver the game-tying and game-winning runs in KC's 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Red Sox.

Tim Wakefield made his sixth start of the spring yesterday against the Florida Marlins, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out five Fish.

It was just the second time this spring he surrendered runs, as he improved to 3-1, 3.66.

Afterwards, he said he hasn’t been told anything about the ball club’s plans for him once the regular season opens, though he seems assured to start the year in the rotation due to Daisuke Matsuzaka’s continuing physical issues:

Spring training isn’t even a week old, and already questions are piling up for the Red Sox.

Will David Ortiz return to form? Will the Sox extend Josh Beckett’s contract? What will become of Mike Lowell? Can Jon Papelbon bounce back from his ALDS meltdown? What can we expect from the offense?

Yet out of all these questions, there remains one that I simply cannot wrap my head around: Will Tim Wakefield get a spot in the rotation? 

Ever since Theo Epstein took over as the Boston Red Sox GM, he has made sure the Red Sox have gone into each season with a quality starting rotation.

Starting with moving Derek Lowe into the starting rotation back in 2002, Boston has always had two upper-level pitchers at the top of their rotation.

The 2010 version of the Red Sox rotation might be their best ever under Epstein. With the addition of John Lackey in the offseason, Boston will go into the season with three potential No. 1 starters.

He is the longest-tenured player on the Boston Red Sox roster. His knuckle-balls have fluttered in the Boston breeze for over a decade. He is only 17 wins shy of tying the franchise's all-time win record.

However, entering spring training, Tim Wakefield's place within the Red Sox pitching staff is still unknown. 

So it looks like a couple of long, long-time teammates will be teammates at least a little longer still.

This year is the five-year aniversary of the Sox reversing the curse of Babe Ruth and winning their first World Series ring since 2004. The Sox did the impossible during that unbelievable season by defeating the Yankees in the ALCS while being down 0-3 in the series. The 2004 Sox may be the best story in MLB playoff history. This Sox team will never be forgotten by Sox fans. I thought it would be interesting to show you what happend to all the members of the unbelieveable team. Here is the pitchers article of The 2004 Red Sox: Where Are They Now?.

If there is one player Red Sox fans will feel happiest for, and most proud of this Tuesday, it will be Tim Wakefield.

The 17-year veteran was one of six Red Sox players selected to represent the club at this year's mid-summer classic, joining Dustin Pedroia, Jason Bay, Kevin Youkilis, Josh Beckett, and Jonathan Papelbon.

With the notable exception of Wakefield, none of them is older than 30. Yet the elder statesman is the only first-timer among them.