Wakefield’s autobiography, like his career, is a real page-turner

BOSTON – Tim Wakefield’s popularity as a member of the Boston Red Sox was on display Tuesday, as Sox fans lined up to see their hero sign copies of his autobiography, “Knuckler: My Life with Baseball’s Most Confounding Pitch,” at the Prudential Center Barnes & Noble.The title references the knuckleball with which Wakefield has frequently mystified batters throughout his almost two decades in Major League Baseball, and the book – co-written in the third person with Boston sports journalist Tony Massarotti – should delight fans of the unconventional pitch.Chapters of the book (published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) contain often-humorous quotations from MLB figures regarding the knuckleball (legendary hitting coach Charlie Lau: “There are two theories to hitting a knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them works”) ? famed knuckleballer Phil Niekro penned the Foreword ? and the reader learns just how “Wake” developed into a knuckleball pitcher (his father, Steve, taught him to throw it).Fans seemed eager to meet Wakefield, with quite a few asking him to pose for pictures with their cell-phone cameras. Dressed in a blue-and-white striped shirt, he smiled and shook hands in the bookstore café, less than 24 hours after coming on in relief for the Sox in their loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park (a tough night for both Wakefield and the Sox, with the knuckleballer getting lit up for 5 runs in 3.1 innings of a 16-5 defeat).While waiting for their chance to meet Wakefield, fans chatted about local sports topics, from past autograph sessions, the team’s current season, and the Boston Marathon (outside, construction work for the Marathon finish line was taking place in nearby Copley Square).Wakefield’s career contains enough twists and turns to fill the 274-page book. Many of his adventures have come in his seasons with the Sox (this year is season No. 17). He started his Boston career with a glittering 14-1 stretch in 1995 (finishing 16-8 for the American League champs) ? was both a hero and goat for the Sox against the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS (winning two games before surrendering the series-winning homer to Aaron Boone in extra innings) ? and earned redemption, along with the entire franchise, in the 2004 World Championship season.He has pitched more innings than anyone else in franchise history, and now he is closing in on two other milestones: the Sox all-time wins record (he has 179; Roger Clemens and Cy Young each have 192) and 200 career victories (he has 193, with Boston and Pittsburgh).The book, in part, has the bittersweet feel of a farewell address ? not only regarding a pitcher on the back end of his pro baseball days, but also to the pitch that made him famous.”As Tim Wakefield approached the end of his career, a long and distinguished line of knuckleballers seemed to be fading with him,” the authors write.Nevertheless, the long line of well-wishers at the Pru on Tuesday showed that there is still plenty of support for Wakefield in Boston.