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| Wakefield the star among Red Sox’ six selections | 07.05.09 at 1:59 pm ET |
Now in his 17th major-league season, Tim Wakefield is a rookie again.
The 42-year-old, who broke into the majors in 1992, was selected to the All-Star team for the first time. A distinguished career has come into somewhat sharper focus this season on the strength of the knuckleballer’s 10 wins, tied for the most in the American League.
At 42, Wakefield is the second-oldest first time All-Star in history, behind only Satchel Paige, who was 45 years old when selected for the 1952 game. (Paige turned 46 the day before that year’s contest.) Wakefield is 10-3 with a 4.30 ERA this year.
Sox left-fielder Jason Bay and second baseman Dustin Pedroia were voted onto the American League squad as starters.
Following his 2008 MVP campaign, Pedroia is hitting .285 with a .365 OBP and .742 OPS. He is tied for sixth in the A.L. with 57 runs and tied for ninth with 23 doubles. He is also tied for the A.L. lead with 11 three-hit games, and tied for the major-league lead with three four-hit games, and is second to teammate Kevin Youkilis in batting average with runners in scoring position (.368). Pedroia is the A.L. starting second baseman for the second straight year.
After a recent slump, Bay is hitting .259 with a .366 OBP and .894 OPS. He leads the American League with 70 RBIs, and is tied for sixth Sox with 19 homers. He has been particularly successful in close-and-late situations, as he has five homers in the seventh inning or later with his team ahead by one run, tied, or with the tying run batting, on base or on deck. Bay is also tied for the A.L. lead in outfield assists (8). This will be his third All-Star game, but his first as a starter.
Kevin Youkilis was beaten out as the A.L.’s starting first baseman by Mark Teixeira, but made the team as a reserve. Youkilis is hitting .306, leads the A.L. with a .429 OBP and is second in the league with a 1.008 OPS. He leads the A.L. in batting with runners in scoring position (.375). Youkilis is an All-Star for the second time, having also been chosen for the game last year.
Josh Beckett (9-3, 3.67) was selected as a member of the All-Star pitching staff. He struggled to a 2-2 record and 7.22 ERA in April, but has followed that with one of the best stretches of his career. In his last 11 starts, he is 7-2 with a 2.35 ERA, and ranks fifth in the A.L. in wins (9, 5th) and strikeouts (99, 5th). Beckett is making his second All-Star squad, having done so in 2007.
Jonathan Papelbon made the All-Star team for the fourth time in as many years as the Red Sox closer. His 20 saves are fourth in the A.L., and his 1.75 ERA is fifth best among A.L. relievers.
Papelbon and Beckett were named through the votes of their peers. Wakefield and Youkilis were both selected for the team by Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, who is managing the team.
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July 5th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Congrats Wake thanks for so much hard work.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
well deserved
July 5th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
congrats to a true profesional.