AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RED SOX v YANKEES

October 12, 2003

Tim Wakefield

TIM WAKEFIELD: I'm kind of honored people are interested in the pitch, but the same questions year after year after year, I figured once I talked about it a couple of times people would kind of get the picture. It's interesting to me to know the physics of what goes on behind my pitch.

TIM WAKEFIELD: Not at all. I haven't heard any concern of safety reasons for myself or my teammates. New York does a great job as far as -- and especially the family section -- they do a great job controlling our guests and families up there.

TIM WAKEFIELD: No. I think during the course of the regular season, I pitched against them four times, and both times were consecutive starts. Like I think Roger and I faced against each other here and then their place and again the same thing happened my next two starts, consecutive starts.

TIM WAKEFIELD: I think you'd have to ask the Yankee hitters that. I mean, I can't answer that question honestly. I mean, I've had back-to-back starts against the same club, done well and other times, I've done poorly in my second start. Or pitched poorly against them in my first start and then pitched great against them in my second start. So you'd have to ask the hitters that question.

TIM WAKEFIELD: Well, with every game, it's important when you get into this time of the year, playoff contention, we were down two games to zero against Oakland and every game was important there. And even though we are only down 2-1, tonight is just as important as tomorrow night and just as important as Wednesday and Thursday night back New York. So every game you have to take seriously. It doesn't really matter what the series score is, but I think every start and every game is just as important as the other one.

TIM WAKEFIELD: I don't speak for those guys. If you want to ask me a question concerning last night, ask me the question, but as far as last night is concerned, it's an emotional time of year for everybody. And sometimes your emotions take control over your thinking and it was just one of those situations that got a little bit out of hand last night. But I don't expect that there will be any repercussions the rest of the series.

TIM WAKEFIELD: I think in 1992 I was a little scared. I was pitching with fear, which may have helped me a little bit. Over the last ten years, I've been able to learn to try to control my emotions and I'm going to try to do the same thing tomorrow night.

TIM WAKEFIELD: Not really. I think it can be the same. Obviously, a conventional pitcher sometimes doesn't have his best stuff. As for me, it's all a feel. I may not feel it one day, but I still have to go out there and pitch and try to get outs. I've answered this question a bunch, to indicate if I've got my good stuff. I can't really say that because I've come out of the bullpen thinking I've got great stuff and I get into a game and I can't get it over the plate or it's not moving well or something happens and vice versa. I've left the pen thinking "Oh, my gosh, I'm not even going to last one inning," and I'm going six or seven strong innings. There's really not an indicator to tell me if I feel like I have it. I try to use my time in the bullpen prior to the game just trying to get loose and trying to get a feel of the pitch.

TIM WAKEFIELD: Extra guarded in what concern?

TIM WAKEFIELD: Well, I'm going to take it like any start during the regular year, just prepare myself mentally. It's going to start to have had -- it started yesterday. I'm going to go out and get my work in, whatever I can get done today with the rain, and then come tomorrow, I'll be mentally prepared going into tomorrow.

TIM WAKEFIELD: It was for me. When I first got to the big leagues with the Pirates, I wanted to wear 49 in honor of Charlie Huff and Tom Candiotti. I worked with Charlie Huff that spring before I got called up to the big leagues, so I want wanted to keep the fraternity thing with the number going.

TIM WAKEFIELD: I learned later that he wore the same number.

TIM WAKEFIELD: The same as any conventional guy. I have other pitches, fastball, curveball, a cut fastball, and over the past ten years, I've learned how to pitch with my knuckleball. If it's not working, I'm still going to throw it, but I'm going to be more cautious in throwing it. And I'm going to try to pitch a little more with it than I would where I feel like I've got great control and it's moving a lot where I'm going to throw it 85 percent of the time.

TIM WAKEFIELD: You'd have to ask them that question. I really can't answer that.

TIM WAKEFIELD: I mean, I come to this room expecting to answer questions on tomorrow's start, not last night's start. So you'd have to go through either the Red Sox or try to get a hold of Pedro somehow. I'm not up here to answer questions on last night's game.