Synopses & Reviews
Tim Wakefield is an enigma. At forty-four years old, he is the longest-serving member of one of baseballs most popular franchises. He has pitched more games than any other player in Red Sox history. And he is close to eclipsing the winning records of two of the greatest pitchers ever to have played the game. Yet few realize the full measure of his success. In fact, that his career can be characterized by such words as longevity and consistency defies all odds, because he has achieved all of this with the games most mercurial weapon—the knuckleball. Knuckler is the story of how a struggling position player risked his future on a fickle pitch that would eventually define his career. The pitch may drive hitters crazy, but how does the pitcher stay sane? The moment Wakefield adopts the knuckleball, his career seeks to answer that question. Early on, he enjoys a meteoric rise, but just as quickly he falters. Wakefield then joins the Red Sox, playing in the shadow of Roger Clemens and then of Pedro Martinez. He consistently wins games and gives his team the innings it needs, yet disaster almost always looms. In 2003, he gives up a crushing home run in one of the most ignominious postseason losses in history, only to bounce back to help the Sox win it all the following year. Wakefield not only keeps his head, he becomes one of the most admired and respected players in the game. A remarkable story of one players success in spite of being the exception to every rule, Knuckler is also a lively and entertaining meditation on the dancing pitch, its history, its mechanics, its mystique, and the inevitable ironies it brings to bear.
Review
"An incredibly intelligent, self-aware glimpse inside an admirable career. The preseason pick for best baseball book of the season." and#8211;
Booklist (starred review) "A must-read." and#8212;
Boston Globe "A must-read." and#8212;
Boston Globe "A must-read." and#8212;
Boston Globe "A must-read." and#8212;
Boston Globe "A must-read." and#8212;
Boston Globe and#8220;Knuckler is a terrific book about one of baseball's most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseball's most misunderstood pitch. There are wonderful stories and anecdotes here, but it's also a portrait of a humble, caring man who has carved out a special niche for himself. If you love baseball (not just Red Sox baseball), Knuckler is for you. If you don't care a hang about baseball, but like stories about exceptionally talented people behaving decently, Knuckler is also for you. And if you're sick to death of sports stories about athletes behaving badly, Tim Wakefield's book is the perfect antidote.and#8221; and#8211;Stephen King "A must-read." and#8212; Boston Globe
and#8220;Knuckler is a terrific book about one of baseball's most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseball's most misunderstood pitch. There are wonderful stories and anecdotes here, but it's also a portrait of a humble, caring man who has carved out a special niche for himself. If you love baseball (not just Red Sox baseball), Knuckler is for you. If you don't care a hang about baseball, but like stories about exceptionally talented people behaving decently, Knuckler is also for you. And if you're sick to death of sports stories about athletes behaving badly, Tim Wakefield's book is the perfect antidote.and#8221; and#8211;Stephen King
"A must-read." and#8212; Boston Globe
and#8220;Knuckler is a terrific book about one of baseball's most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseball's most misunderstood pitch. There are wonderful stories and anecdotes here, but it's also a portrait of a humble, caring man who has carved out a special niche for himself. If you love baseball (not just Red Sox baseball), Knuckler is for you. If you don't care a hang about baseball, but like stories about exceptionally talented people behaving decently, Knuckler is also for you. And if you're sick to death of sports stories about athletes behaving badly, Tim Wakefield's book is the perfect antidote.and#8221; and#8211;Stephen King
and#8220;To read Knuckler is to appreciate that there is no gimmick, no fluke, no chance to Tim Wakefield approaching 200 wins and 20 major league seasons. This book is about resiliency, diligence and the tunnel vision required to live by what appears to be the most fanciful pitch thrown by man." and#8211;Peter Gammons, MLB baseball analyst and member of the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame "A must-read." and#8212; Boston Globe
and#8220;Knuckler is a terrific book about one of baseball's most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseball's most misunderstood pitch. There are wonderful stories and anecdotes here, but it's also a portrait of a humble, caring man who has carved out a special niche for himself. If you love baseball (not just Red Sox baseball), Knuckler is for you. If you don't care a hang about baseball, but like stories about exceptionally talented people behaving decently, Knuckler is also for you. And if you're sick to death of sports stories about athletes behaving badly, Tim Wakefield's book is the perfect antidote.and#8221; and#8211;Stephen King
and#8220;To read Knuckler is to appreciate that there is no gimmick, no fluke, no chance to Tim Wakefield approaching 200 wins and 20 major league seasons. This book is about resiliency, diligence and the tunnel vision required to live by what appears to be the most fanciful pitch thrown by man." and#8211;Peter Gammons, MLB baseball analyst and member of the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame
"A must-read." and#8212; Boston Globe
and#8220;Knuckler is a terrific book about one of baseball's most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseball's most misunderstood pitch. There are wonderful stories and anecdotes here, but it's also a portrait of a humble, caring man who has carved out a special niche for himself. If you love baseball (not just Red Sox baseball), Knuckler is for you. If you don't care a hang about baseball, but like stories about exceptionally talented people behaving decently, Knuckler is also for you. And if you're sick to death of sports stories about athletes behaving badly, Tim Wakefield's book is the perfect antidote.and#8221; and#8211;Stephen King
and#8220;To read Knuckler is to appreciate that there is no gimmick, no fluke, no chance to Tim Wakefield approaching 200 wins and 20 major league seasons. This book is about resiliency, diligence and the tunnel vision required to live by what appears to be the most fanciful pitch thrown by man." and#8211;Peter Gammons, MLB baseball analyst and member of the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame
"Tim Wakefieldand#8217;sand#160;Knuckler is a fastball right down the middle of the plate. It is an honest, straightforward and very enjoyable account of the national pastime.and#8221;and#160; and#8211;Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner of Baseball "A must-read." and#8212; Boston Globe
and#8220;Knuckler is a terrific book about one of baseball's most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseball's most misunderstood pitch. There are wonderful stories and anecdotes here, but it's also a portrait of a humble, caring man who has carved out a special niche for himself. If you love baseball (not just Red Sox baseball), Knuckler is for you. If you don't care a hang about baseball, but like stories about exceptionally talented people behaving decently, Knuckler is also for you. And if you're sick to death of sports stories about athletes behaving badly, Tim Wakefield's book is the perfect antidote.and#8221; and#8211;Stephen King
and#8220;To read Knuckler is to appreciate that there is no gimmick, no fluke, no chance to Tim Wakefield approaching 200 wins and 20 major league seasons. This book is about resiliency, diligence and the tunnel vision required to live by what appears to be the most fanciful pitch thrown by man." and#8211;Peter Gammons, MLB baseball analyst and member of the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame
"Tim Wakefieldand#8217;sand#160;Knuckler is a fastball right down the middle of the plate. It is an honest, straightforward and very enjoyable account of the national pastime.and#8221;and#160; and#8211;Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner of Baseball
"A must-read." and#8212; Boston Globe
and#8220;Knuckler is a terrific book about one of baseball's most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseball's most misunderstood pitch. There are wonderful stories and anecdotes here, but it's also a portrait of a humble, caring man who has carved out a special niche for himself. If you love baseball (not just Red Sox baseball), Knuckler is for you. If you don't care a hang about baseball, but like stories about exceptionally talented people behaving decently, Knuckler is also for you. And if you're sick to death of sports stories about athletes behaving badly, Tim Wakefield's book is the perfect antidote.and#8221; and#8211;Stephen King
and#8220;To read Knuckler is to appreciate that there is no gimmick, no fluke, no chance to Tim Wakefield approaching 200 wins and 20 major league seasons. This book is about resiliency, diligence and the tunnel vision required to live by what appears to be the most fanciful pitch thrown by man." and#8211;Peter Gammons, MLB baseball analyst and member of the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame
"Tim Wakefieldand#8217;sand#160;Knuckler is a fastball right down the middle of the plate. It is an honest, straightforward and very enjoyable account of the national pastime.and#8221;and#160; and#8211;Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner of Baseball
"I have always admired Tim Wakefield, as he plays baseball with a great deal of integrity, the way the game should be played.and#160; Knuckler gives readers a rare glimpse at the man behind the baseball and his remarkable work on and off the field."and#160; and#8211;Carlton Fisk, Hall of Fame catcher "A must-read." and#8212; Boston Globe
and#8220;Knuckler is a terrific book about one of baseball's most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseball's most misunderstood pitch. There are wonderful stories and anecdotes here, but it's also a portrait of a humble, caring man who has carved out a special niche for himself. If you love baseball (not just Red Sox baseball), Knuckler is for you. If you don't care a hang about baseball, but like stories about exceptionally talented people behaving decently, Knuckler is also for you. And if you're sick to death of sports stories about athletes behaving badly, Tim Wakefield's book is the perfect antidote.and#8221; and#8211;Stephen King
and#8220;To read Knuckler is to appreciate that there is no gimmick, no fluke, no chance to Tim Wakefield approaching 200 wins and 20 major league seasons. This book is about resiliency, diligence and the tunnel vision required to live by what appears to be the most fanciful pitch thrown by man." and#8211;Peter Gammons, MLB baseball analyst and member of the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame
"Tim Wakefieldand#8217;sand#160;Knuckler is a fastball right down the middle of the plate. It is an honest, straightforward and very enjoyable account of the national pastime.and#8221;and#160; and#8211;Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner of Baseball
"I have always admired Tim Wakefield, as he plays baseball with a great deal of integrity, the way the game should be played.and#160; Knuckler gives readers a rare glimpse at the man behind the baseball and his remarkable work on and off the field."and#160; and#8211;Carlton Fisk, Hall of Fame catcher "Competent and entertaining, Wakefield's book is one to savor, especially for the stat-obsessed baseball fan and the novice pitcher in search of a knuckleball to call his own." and#8211;Publishers Weekly "Competent and entertaining, Wakefield's book is one to savor, especially for the stat-obsessed baseball fan and the novice pitcher in search of a knuckleball to call his own." and#8211;Publishers Weekly
"Competent and entertaining, Wakefield's book is one to savor, especially for the stat-obsessed baseball fan and the novice pitcher in search of a knuckleball to call his own." and#8211;Publishers Weekly
"Provides valuable insights on perseverance, professionalism, and the ability to forget the last pitch." and#8211;Library Journal
Synopsis
At forty-four years old, Tim Wakefield is the longest-serving member of one of baseballand#8217;s most popular franchises. He is close to eclipsing the winning records of two of the greatest pitchers to have played the game, yet few realize the full measure of his success. That his career can be characterized by such words as
dependability and
consistency defies all odds because he has achieved this with baseballand#8217;s most mercurial weaponand#8212;the knuckleball.
Knuckler is the story of how a struggling position player bet his future on a fickle pitch that would define his career. The pitch may drive hitters crazy, but how does the pitcher stay sane? The moment Wakefield adopted the knuckleball, his career sought to answer that question. With the Red Sox, Wakefield began to master his pitch only to find himself on the mound in 2003 for one of the worst post-season losses in history, followed the next year by one of the most vindicating of championships. Even now, as Wakefield battles, we see the twists and turns of a major league career pushed to its ultimate extreme.
A remarkable story of one playerand#8217;s success despite being the exception to every rule, Knuckler is also a lively meditation on the dancing pitch, its history, its mystique, and all the ironies it brings to bear.
Synopsis
Tim Wakefield is an enigma. At 43 years old, he is the longest serving member of one of the worlds most popular franchises. He is ever so close to eclipsing the winning records of two of the greatest pitchers to have ever played the game, and yet few realize the full measure of his success. That his career can even be characterized by such words as dependability and consistency defies all odds because he has achieved this with the games most mystifying and mercurial weaponthe knuckleball. Knuckler is the story of how a struggling positional player chanced his future on a fickle pitch that would eventually define his career. With the knuckleball new to his arsenal Wakefield goes from also ran to shining star with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and just as quickly falls back to earth. When he lands with the Red Sox, Wakefield begins to master the whims of his pitch until in 2003 he has the ball for one of the most ignominious post-season losses in history. All is righted when the Sox prevail in the 2004 World Series and come to know the heady days of winning championships. And even now, as Wakefield battles an aging athletes body to try to become the winningest pitcher to have ever played for the Boston Red Sox, we see the twists and turns of a major league career pushed to their ultimate extreme. A remarkable story of one players success in spite of being the exception to every single rule, Knuckler is also a lively meditation on the dancing pitch, its history, its mystique and all the inevitable ironies it brings to bear.
Synopsis
The story of one of baseball's most unlikely successes-- a knuckleball pitcher who has outlived, outmatched, and outsmarted the dancing pitch
Synopsis
The incredible story of one of baseball's rarest and most resilient performers, and of the confounding pitch that would change his life and define his career.
Synopsis
and#8220;A terrific book about one of baseballand#8217;s most underrated pitchers, not to mention baseballand#8217;s most misunderstood pitch.and#8221; and#8211; Stephen King
Tim Wakefield is an enigma. At forty-four years old, he is the longest-serving member of one of baseballand#8217;s most popular franchises. He has pitched more games than any other player in Red Sox history, and in 2011 he reached the milestone of 200 career victories. Yet few realize the full measure of his success. In fact, that his career can be characterized by such words as longevity and consistency defies all odds, because he has achieved all of this with the gameand#8217;s most mercurial weaponand#8212;the knuckleball.
Knuckler is the story of how a struggling position player risked his future on a fickle pitch that would eventually define his career, making him one of the most respected players in the game. It is also a lively and entertaining meditation on the dancing pitch, its history, its mechanics, its mystique, and the inevitable ironies it brings to bear.
and#8220;This book is about resiliency, diligence, and the tunnel vision required to live by what appears to be the most fanciful pitch thrown by man.and#8221; and#8211; Peter Gammons, MLB analyst
and#8220;Knuckler gives readers a rare glimpse of the man behind the baseball and his remarkable work on and off the field.and#8221; and#8211; Carlton Fisk, Hall of Fame catcher
About the Author
TIM WAKEFIELD has pitched for the Red Sox since 1995 and has won two World Series. Noted for his charitable contributions off the field, he has been nominatedandnbsp;seven times for the Roberto Clemente Award.
TONY MASSAROTTI is a nationally recognized sports columnist and the author of the New York Times Bestseller Big Papi (with David Ortiz).