No knock on a guy that has been a rock in the Red Sox organization for nearly two decades, but his career has been defined by a steady approach through the highs and lows that exist in practicing a unique craft with a pitch that defies logic.
Because of that, his heretofore fruitless pursuit of the milestone was easy to stomach, even for him. As long as he was giving the team a chance to win, he, and those who rely on him and root for him, could be pleased. And he was, sporting a 4.08 ERA in his first four attempts at No. 200, three of those resulting in quality starts and the fourth a complete game. Boston split the four games, with Wakefield getting tough losses in the others.
However, the way the fifth one fell apart had to sting — for all involved.
One out into the sixth inning Saturday night at Kansas City, Wakefield had allowed one run on six hits and no walks. He held a 4-1 lead. In a matter of just eight pitches, it was 4-3 and his chance at history was in the hands of the bullpen. In a matter of just eight hitters, the Royals led 9-4, having teed off on Matt Albers and Franklin Morales.
Wakefield was at 97 pitches when the hook came. Terry Francona felt good about the decision at the time. Not so much postgame.
"He's in the sixth inning, pitch count's getting up there," Francona said. "He's getting some pitches up in a hurry. We had what I thought were pretty good matchups with Albers, who's really been [good]. Bottom of the order. It didn't work too well.
"If I had known that's what was going to happen I'd of probably left [Wakefield] in. Just the ball was getting up and I thought it was time to help him out. We didn't help him out."
Albers, a stalwart in the bullpen for the better part of four months, continued his August swoon by blowing the one-run lead in an instant and then melting down under a barrage of Kansas City hits. There were seven in the inning, including three off Albers and finally a two-run triple off Morales.
By then, Wakefield, whose forlorn face was shown on TV screens taking it all in, had left the dugout for the safety of the clubhouse. There, he likely had thoughts of this nearly month-long chase for one big win.
"We definitely want it, obviously," said catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. "We want the win, we want him to get to 200. But have to wait until next time. It's one of those things where we're going out there playing hard and it's just tough. It's getting kind of frustrating. This is his sixth chance trying to do it."
There have been stops along the way in Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle and Kansas City, not to mention one start in Fenway Park. The next opportunity — the sixth one Saltalamacchia referred to — comes Thursday in Texas, where Wakefield hopes that if the milestone remains elusive, at least it won't be so painful to see it all fall apart.
