It's been hard for fans to read about the constant setbacks and even more difficult at times watching him try to play through the pain, but Tim Wakefield isn't about to let his back injury end a tremendous 2009 campaign.
"I don't want to pull the plug," Wakefield told projo.com. "I've gone this far."
Far indeed. The 43-year-old knuckleballer has pitched just twice since early July due to a strained lower back, but he continues to battle back with the determination of completing the regular season — and hopefully beyond.
Wake tossed 47 pitches Tuesday in a side session at Fenway Park prior to the Sox taking on the Angels in Game 1 of the three-game series with the AL West's top squad.
"We want to wait and see how he shows up tomorrow — and if he's better, worse, the same, we'll go from there," said manager Terry Francona.
Should Wakefield's body react kindly to Tuesday's session, he may be on the bump for either Sunday in Baltimore or Monday in Kansas City.
Wakefield, who earned his first invitation to the All-Star game thanks to a 11-3 record and a 4.31 ERA after his first 17 starts, could undergo surgery to clean out the disc material in his back that is causing pain and discomfort in both his back and leg.
"The strength deficit from one side to the other is very noticeable," Francona said. "It's certainly not getting better, because he's trying hard to do what he does, which is pitch. We're trying to stay with this and do the right thing. And I don't know if we know what the right thing is yet."
