Tim Wakefield, Hingham Jewelers and the 2011 Red Sox Details

Tim Wakefield, Hingham Jewelers and the 2011 Red Sox

Tim Wakefield is back in our lives! Whether he's toeing the rubber at the beginning of a game, part of an emptying of the bullpen in an 11-1 blowout, or on the disabled list, Tim Wakefield shows up on our NESN broadcasts approximately 6 times a night during the season. "Not your average jewelry store!" owner Stacey Page yelps while Wakefield holds up his two World Series Rings, reminding us that he is Tim Wakefield and we are not. I can just imagine the dinner conversations at Black Rock Country Club when Page and Wakefield cook up their next line of commercials for Hingham Jewelry. ("No Stacey, this time YOU wear the rings and I'll wear a ski mask!" "Oh too soon? Never mind then.") Unfortunately, Wakefield had as much to do with those World Series victories (17 earned runs in 15 2/3 innings combined in the 2004 and 2007 postseasons) as he did selling that jewelry. But that's beside the point. The Red Sox are back.

Here comes the heat! courtesy of bosoxinjection.com

Last year, I proclaimed that Boof Bonser was going to be the key to the Red Sox 2010 season. Seriously, what the Hell was I thinking when I wrote that? I sincerely believed that Bonser was going to be the 6th starter and Wakefield was going to be a part of the rotation. I had no idea that Buchholz was going to have his breakout year. But this year, Mr. Hingham Jewelry is the key to the Red Sox 2011 Season. I know, I could have picked Beckett (or as Twitter followers call him BecKKKKKett), Papelbon, Gonzalez, Crawford, Ortiz, Lester, Pedroia, etc. But we know what we are going to get with those players, and we know that they are going to play large roles in the success or failure of the Red Sox's march to its third World Series in 11 years. And sure, Wakefield's place on the roster was not solidified until the last week of Spring Training, as his 7.45 ERA did little to make us fans feel good about his pitching this year. But it's the players we aren't expecting to contribute who usually make the difference between winning and losing (and between living and dying). Who would have expected Buster Posey to be the key to the Giants' World Series victory last year? Jacoby Ellsbury was buried in Pawtucket for most of the 2007 season before shining in the postseason against the Indians and the Rockies. And don't forget, Wakefield is only 14 wins away from passing Cy Young and Roger Clemens for the most victories in Red Sox history, with 193. And if you think erasing Clemens' name from the record books isn't important to John Henry, then you don't know this ownership group.

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Tim Wakefield Just 12 Wins From Surpassing Roger Clemens & Cy Young

With his win tonight, Tim Wakefield is just 11 wins behind Roger Clemens and Cy Young on the Red Sox' all time wins list.

Wakefield now has 181 wins in 17 seasons with the Red Sox, while Clemens and Young are tied at 192 wins apiece.

Young achieved the total in just eight seasons, while Clemens did it in 13.

Tonight, Wakefield pitched seven strong innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs, while walking two and striking out two.

Over his last two starts, Wakefield has gone 13.2 innings, allowing nine hits, two walks and three earned runs.

With Wakefield pitching so effectively, the Red Sox may feel inclined to keep him in Daisuke Matsuzaka's spot in the rotation.

Although Alfredo Aceves has been excellent over two recent spot starts (11 innings, 8 hits, 2 ER), he is much better suited to the bullpen than Wakefield.

If Wakefield were to get 20 more starts from now until season's end (a reasonable expectation), given the Red Sox potent offense, he would have a credible chance to win 12 games.

Viewed from another perspective, Wakefield has four months to get 12 more wins and become the winningest pitcher in team history.

The knuckleballer also needs just 31 more Ks to become only the second pitcher in Red Sox history to record 2,000 strikeouts. Roger Clemens is the Sox all-time leader with 2,590 punch outs.

The 2,000 strikeout plateau seems well within Wakefield's reach. If he averages just 3.1 Ks over his next 10 starts, he'll reach that milestone.

The 12 wins will be a greater challenge. But while such an achievement once seemed improbable, it also seems to now be within Wakefield's grasp.

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