Sox staff in throes of a slump

August 08, 2006|Gordon Edes, Globe Staff

Tim Wakefield turned 40 last week, an occasion that received less fanfare than it should have because the knuckleballer is on the disabled list.

But if there was a time to make the case that Wakefield remains as valuable as ever to the Red Sox -- even if it won't be that much longer before he's more concerned with AARP than ERA -- it is now, with the pitching staff going through its roughest stretch of the season.

As the Sox head into Kansas City tonight for the start of a three-game series against the Royals, the best news that manager Terry Francona could receive is that Wakefield is getting closer to coming out of the pool, where he has been rehabbing the stress fracture in his ribs, and returning to the mound. It won't happen soon, as Wakefield just began playing catch last weekend. But his eventual return to health could provide a much-needed lift.

On July 21, the Sox hit five home runs in a 9-4 win over the Mariners in Seattle to open a 3 1/2-game lead over the Yankees in the American League East. The next day would have been Wakefield's regular start, but he'd been placed on the DL. The Sox started a marginal prospect named Kason Gabbard that day, and while he pitched better than anyone had the right to expect, the Sox lost that afternoon and the next day as well. That started a 6-9 stretch that has dropped them two games behind the Yankees in the division. They also are tied for the wild-card lead with the White Sox and are a half-game ahead of the Twins.

While the bullpen has received a good deal of heat in the aftermath of back-to-back shaky efforts in losses to the Devil Rays, Sox starters have also struggled, with a 3-7 record and 6.00 ERA over those 15 games. No starter other than Curt Schilling (twice) and Josh Beckett (once) has won in that time, and only once has a starter gone as many as seven innings (Schilling in last Friday's 3-2 win over Tampa Bay). That has had a ripple effect on a pen that is showing the strain of a heavy workload.

And that's where Wakefield comes in. Last season, Wakefield went seven innings or more in 19 of his 33 starts. He was on a similar pace this season, going seven or more in 7 of 13 starts until mid-June, which is when he said he first began experiencing pain. In his last six starts prior to going on the DL, Wakefield didn't last seven innings once, which also added to the pen wearing down.

And say what you will about Matt Clement, who looks as if he's done for this season, but last season he went seven or more innings 12 times in 32 starts.