Unlikely All-Star

For the first time in his career, Tim Wakefield doesn’t get to take the upcoming All-Star break off: he’s headed to St. Louis. As everyone and their dog has noted, Wake will be the oldest first-time All-Star since Satchel Paige – who I’m pretty sure was still playing back when Wake was a rookie.

And it’s hard to argue that Wake was selected not for his middling stats (a 4.31 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 5.1 K/9 aren’t usually getting you anywhere nearer the All-Star Game than your own TV set), but as a kind of Lifetime Achievement Award. AL Manager Joe Maddon even fessed up to as much, both in his pre-selection comments:

Asked if he considers things like Wakefield’s age (42) and the fact he has never made an All-Star team, Maddon said yes.

“Sentimentality, body of work and, of course, the season he’s having,” Maddon said. “I’m very much aware of his stature in the game and the kind of guy he is.”

As well as his post-selection comments:

But Maddon said Wakefield’s selection was in part due to the career body of work from a pitcher who is his generation’s master of the game’s most vexing pitch.

“I just felt that getting him on the team was the right thing to do,” Maddon said.

But considering the many blatantly ridiculous All-Star selections in the past (and don’t even get me going on Gold Glove voting), this is far from the most egregious choice – and I honestly don’t give a hoot how Wake got there… I’m just glad he’s in.

And apparently, so are most other Sox fans. Sean McAdam, writing for Fox Sports, has a great article about how Tito tried to fool Wake into thinking he didn’t make the team – but couldn’t hold out very long. And he also sets the scene at Fenway, when the fans found out Wake had been named an All-Star for the very first time.

The All-Star selection show was ongoing as the Red Sox took the field Sunday afternoon at Fenway to finish their series with the Seattle Mariners. In the middle of the third inning, Carl Beane, the Red Sox P.A. announcer revealed the Sox players chosen, one-by-one, as the video scoreboard focused on Jason Bay, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon and Josh Beckett.

Finally, milking the drama, Beane concluded: “And making his first All-Star appearance … ” The rest was smothered by applause as Fenway rose as one to salute Wakefield, who sat beaming in the home dugout, acknowledging the long standing ovation.

And of course, that led to an on-camera interview with Wake during the game on NESN from the dugout – which also meant we all got to witness the priceless Patented Papi Hug moment:

Wakefield has wasted no time, soliciting advice from his fellow All-Stars about what to do and how to act. He’s like a rookie all over again – and this time, Dustin Pedroia is the grizzled veteran:

He has already started asking his fellow All-Stars about little details, like what he’s supposed to wear to the All-Star functions.

“He asked me like I’ve been there a lot,” said Pedroia, who won the fan voting at second base to earn his second career All-Star nod. “I was there one time. I’m like, ‘Wake, man, I don’t know what I’m doing.’ That was pretty funny, though, because I’ve asked him probably 1,000 questions since I’ve been in the big leagues — and that was the first time he’s ever asked me what to do.”

What are the odds Pedroia has already told Wake he has to carry the pink Hello Kitty backpack in St. Louis?