Jason Varitek And Tim Wakefield To Be Inducted Into Red Sox Hall Of Fame
This May, the Red Sox will be inducting two of the most significant players in the franchise’s history into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.
Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield belong in the same sentence when you’re talking about all-time great Red Sox players, which means they certainly belong in the Red Sox Hall of Fame together. They do not, however, belong on the same field together. My god. I’ve only felt like I was going to puke from watching sports a handful of times, and watching Wakefield pitch to Varitek as his catcher, with men on base, in the 2004 ALCS is right at the top of that list. Kinda makes me think that Doug Mirabelli should also be an honorary inductee by default with this class. I can’t even imagine how many smashed TV screens that man has saved the city of Boston.
But in all seriousness, Varitek and Wakefield are two of the most deserving players to ever have this honor, and I know what playing for the Red Sox meant to both of these guys, so I can only imagine how proud both of them will be on May 19 when they are inducted, and on May 20 when the Red Sox have a ceremony for them before the game. I’m sure they’d never admit it, but I think it’s fair to say that both of them could have gotten at least a one-year deal to play elsewhere at the end of their careers if they really wanted to continue playing. But they both chose to retire, instead of having to wear another uniform.
And it’s also worth noting that neither of their jersey numbers — No. 33 and No. 49 — have been issued since they both retired after the 2011 season. Number retirements have previously been reserved for all-time Red Sox greats who ended up in Cooperstown (with the exception of Johnny Pesky), but I get the sense that those rules are out the window now. While getting inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame is one hell of a stamp to put on a career, I think that prestigious honor shouldn’t make or break a number retirement decision. Varitek and Wakefield have meant so much to the Red Sox franchise, both on and off the field, over their combined 32 years in Boston. So much so that it wouldn’t surprise me at all, if one day we see both of their numbers hanging in right field, never to be worn again.