This season has been a struggle for Tim Wakefield, who has a 5.12 ERA in 155 innings and went eight starts between his 199th and 200th career wins, but the 45-year-old knuckleballer told Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com that he wants to play a 20th season in 2012:
I’ve definitely made up my mind that I definitely want to come back next year. I have another goal in front of me that I’d like to accomplish, and that’s the all-time record for the Red Sox in wins. I’m only seven away. I think the fans deserve an opportunity to watch me chase that record. We’ll see what happens.
Wakefield might be overestimating the fans’ interest in him securing the Red Sox’s wins record, or at least relative to the number of fans who want a starter with a sub-5.00 ERA. Dating back to last season Wakefield is 11-18 with a 5.22 ERA in 295 innings, but for $1 million or so the Red Sox may decide he’s worth bringing back to eat innings again.
