Here’s a Knuckle Sandwich

With his next win, Tim Wakefield will earn the 200 ^th victory of his career. What better time to read “ Knuckler: My Life with Baseball’s Most Confounding Pitch” by Tim Wakefield with Tony Massarotti?

Read this book because:

1. Wakefield shares with you what few others know – how to throw the knuckleball .

One umpire describes the pitch and its practitioners “like some cult religion that barely survives.” There is next to no room for spinning in the delivery. Physicists point to the baseball’s red stitching as the bewitching force behind the pitch, combined with where the baseball encounters wind. Wakefield holds the ball by the fingertips just below the stitching near the MLB logo. He fires the pitch and leaves the results up to the air pocket behind it. There is little predictability with it, except to say it often yields all-or-nothing results ( 16-17, Knuckler ). Many baseball types try to stay as far away from the knuckleball as they can. For Wakefield it’s basically been the knuckleball or nothing.

2. It’s a remarkable journey from reluctant pitcher, to hanging on by a knuckleball, to star pitcher .

Wakefield’s dad, Steve, taught Tim and his sister Kelly the pitch. They had little choice in the matter. If they wanted to play catch with their father, they would have to put up with the knuckleball. It drove the kids crazy like Tim’s version would do to big leaguers years later. But backyard ball and the bigs are two very different ballparks. This pitch was a gimmick, a fond memory, a farce, right?

Turned out it was Tim’s salvation. Wakefield started as a position player and bristled at giving up on hitting all together in favor of pitching, but it was that or his release. Soon, the knuckleball had him on a path to the majors. Wakefield met two types of people, those who didn’t get the knuckleball or him, and those who didn’t get the knuckleball and were sure hitters would be at a loss too.

3. After all the upheaval, come alongside World Series champion and All-Star Tim Wakefield .

In 1999, Wakefield had a spot on the Red Sox roster. What he was unsure of was his position. The team was drained after a Division Series against the Indians. They needed a Game 1 starter for the ALCS against the Yankees. Here’s where I come in, Wakefield reasoned. Boston frequently turned to Wakefield to fill the gap. Instead, this time the gap was between Wakefield’s assumption and reality. Wakefield went from thinking he would set the tone for the series to off the playoff roster. Some believed the knuckleball could not be trusted.

Four years later, Wakefield was in another heartbreaking position. He was responsible for Aaron Boone’s home run and another chapter in the Red Sox curse. Finally, a year later Wakefield pitched three times in the ALCS against those same Yankees, including the last three frames of a tie game in Game Five. The first of two World Series titles awaited. The transformation from castoff to champion was complete.

You might not figure out the knuckleball, but you should find a way to connect with this book.

Sam Miller is a graduate of the University of Illinois where he worked with various teams in sports information and received the Freedom Forum – NCAA Sports Journalism Scholarship for his achievements. During the 2009 season, Miller served as communications intern for the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate. Prior to that, he worked as a communications intern for USA Basketball and as an associate reporter for MLB.com.