Boston Red Sox knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield—never known for having a ton of velocity on his pitches—says he has a strong suspicion that catcher Jason Varitek was taunting him when he called back to back fastballs during the same at-bat in the 4th inning.
"Yeah, yeah, let's all make fun of the 45-year-old guy that tops out in the high 70s," said the 19-year veteran of what he assumes was his catcher making fun of him right in the middle of a major league game. "He's probably just trying to make himself feel better for all the times I laughed at him while he's trying to hit. You can't help but crack up at some of those swings."
Wakefield tried to "amp one up there" when given the fastball sign yet again the next inning, but injured himself and was placed on the disabled list with strained internal and external obliques, a partial rotator cuff tear and a bulging disc in his lower back.
"Yeah, yeah, let's all make fun of the 45-year-old guy that tops out in the high 70s," said the 19-year veteran of what he assumes was his catcher making fun of him right in the middle of a major league game. "He's probably just trying to make himself feel better for all the times I laughed at him while he's trying to hit. You can't help but crack up at some of those swings."
Wakefield tried to "amp one up there" when given the fastball sign yet again the next inning, but injured himself and was placed on the disabled list with strained internal and external obliques, a partial rotator cuff tear and a bulging disc in his lower back.
Source:
- http://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/24/us/world-series-time-location-dodgers-astros-mlb-trnd/index.html