Wake finally gets his due

It’s been a long and winding road for Tim Wakefield since he burst onto the big league scene with the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 1992.

Released by the Bucs shortly thereafter, busted down to the bullpen during the low times with the Red Sox and omitted from the playoff roster on several occasions, the venerable 42-year-old knuckler has seen and done it all.

Wakefield has weathered enough storms that he’s now the second-winningest pitcher in franchise history. He stands only 17 victories behind Hall of Famers Cy Young and Roger Clemens for sole possession of Boston’s top spot. Wakefield ranks second behind Bob Stanley in Sox games pitched during his 15 seasons in Red Stockings, and sits only 85 2/3 innings shy of the most innings pitched in franchise history.

Wakefield made himself a Sox for life when he signed a one-year contract with team options in perpetuity going forward for a meager $4 million per season, and he’s captured a pair of World Series titles in Boston. The only reachable pinnacle he’d never experienced was an invitation to the American League All-star team, and — as his teammates will attest — it’s been a long time coming for the team’s longest-tenured member.

“I think any time you have players selected for the All-Star game it’s certainly an outward acknowledgement of the work that they’ve done and also for the time put in during the offseason,” said Sox pitching coach John Farrell. “For Tim, it’s certainly been a long time coming. I don’t think there’s anybody happier for Tim than the guys in this room.”

Wakefield has been riding a wave of All-Star chatter for the better part of six weeks leading up to the Midsummer Classic as the wins continued to pile up.

“I tried not to, but it’s kind of hard not to think about [being an All-Star],” said Wakefield of his mindset leading up to All-Star game. “I feel very honored and humbled. At the same [time], excited and nervous.”