Wakefield

Tonight, our Tim Wakefield hits a milestone: his 500th game for the Red Sox. From the ProJo:

Tim Wakefield will be making his 500th appearance on the mound for the Red Sox tonight when he starts in the middle game of the three-game series against the Rangers.

That will make Wakefield only the 23rd pitcher in major-league history to have 500 games and 350 starts with the same team. There are only two other active players who have reached those milestones, though each of them — Tom Glavine and John Smoltz — happens to be on the disabled list right now.

Wakefield is the 46th pitcher in major-league history to appear in at least 500 games for one team, and he is only the second Sox pitcher to work in 500 games. Bob Stanley (637) was the other.

What a fantastic milestone for Timmeh - and the team. He's been the one consistent element in our pitching staff for all these years. We can always count on him to eat up innings when he hits the mound, and he's proven time and again that he'll do whatever the team asks. Whether it's starting a game, or going out to the bullpen. He gave up that game-winning home run to Aaron (censored) Boone in 2003 - and then stood on that same mound in Yankee Stadium a year later and reveled in the Sox' improbably victory in the ALCS. His salute to Johnny Pesky that year brought tears to my eye - as did Mike Timlin's tribute to him during the 2007 celebration.

And he does it all while looking like everybody's dad. To watch him on the field during batting practice - even on the day he's pitching - he's so relaxed. Some of that ease comes from the fact that a knuckleballer can pitch forever! And we hope that's the case.

Here's a great shot of Wake during pre-game stretches in Baltimore, enjoying a little Sinatra music that was playing in the stadium: