Wake is not the only knuckleballer out there

Charlie Haeger of the LA Dodgers is 1-1, 1.93 ERA after recently being called up from AAA. He has pitched 14 innings in 2 the two games he has started since getting the call, allowing 8 H’s, 3 ER’s, 4 BB’s, while notching 9 K’s. He has only 48 major league innings spread out over 4 seasons with the White Sox, Padres, and now the Dodgers. Haeger also throws a change up, an occasional curveball and even a fastball on occasion.

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What happened to Charlie Zink?

Charlie Zink had a perfect 1-2-3 inning in his major league debut Tuesday night. Three All-Stars, nonetheless (Kinsler, Young, Hamilton.) So what happened in the 2nd inning when he gave up 2 runs and in the 4th inning when the wheels came off?

He had to wait about 40 minutes after the 1st inning before he was able to take the mound again, while waiting for the Sox to pound out those 10 runs. Now I'm not complaining about the ostentatious display of offensive prowess, but a knuckleballer does not like to sit still for very long in between innings. As reported in the Providence (RI) Journal, Zink even got up two times to throw in the batting cages to stay warm.

Jim Bouton, author "Ball Four", his controversial diary written during his 1969 season with the old Seattle Pilots and the Houston Astros, was a knuckleballer. His coaches and managers at first didn't want him throwing that pitch at all, much less a whole game. Once he became proficient enough with the pitch and convinced his coaches and managers to let him throw it for the whole game, he discovered that he needed to be throwing a lot more often than a conventional starter, a LOT more often.

It looks promising that Zink did not feel too defeated by his last 3+ innings as shown by his comments in the Providence Journal report. My hope is that he continues to shine in Pawtucket for the remainder of August and gets called up in September. Wakefield then returns from the DL, pitches a gem and leaves the game after 7 innings with a healthy lead. Enter Zink. Cash is already behind the plate. Zink then pitches 2 more knee-buckling innings.

It could happen. Hang in there, Charlie Zink.

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Sox Need More Cash

Kevin Cash has been quite a pleasant surprise. The rookie has done a fantastic job of handling Wake's knuckleball this season. I miss Dougie just as much as anyone, but he just didn't hit the ball enough, ykwim? While Cash hasn't set the world on fire with his BA (.242 last time I checked), he's at least hitting well above the Mendoza line, (and not at or below it.)

So why do the Sox need Cash even more? Well, if we take a look down in Pawtucket, we find a pitcher by the name of Charlie Zink who is tearin' it up down there right now. He's 11-3 with a 2.54 ERA, and he throws the knuckleball!

Will we see 2 knuckleballers pitching for the Sox soon? With 'Tek on the backside of his career, and Cash doing a good job of handling that screwy pitch from Wake, I'm guessing it's a good possibility we will see Zink-Cash battery in September, if not sooner.

Has there ever been a team with 2 knuckleball pitchers at the same time?

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Can Wake Break All-Time Sox Win Record?

Tim Wakefield will be 42 before the season ends this year.

He currently sits 38 games behind Roger Clemens (we'll leave the * off for this record because he likely didn't start juicing until after he left the Sox) and Cy Young for the all-time Red Sox wins record.

Wake has 154 wins for Boston. He spoke to the Associated Press about his hopes to break the record, ""I'd like to get to 200 wins and I'd like to maybe tie or break Cy Young or Roger Clemens' record for all-time Red Sox (wins) but I don't know of that's possible," Wakefield said.

"If I win 20 games the next two years, it's possible," he said with a laugh. "It's probably within reach if I can play for four more years."

If you look at Phil Neikro, who played until he was almost 50, it's possible.

I remember watching Charlie Hough, another ancient knukleballer (I think he was 45 at the time), pitch for the Marlins in Miami back in '93 He got them their second-ever win during that game. I don't think he pitched a ball faster than 65 mph.

I think Wake can do it.

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