Why Tim Wakefield should reunite with the Pirates

Tim Wakefield's Red Sox career should be over.

The beloved pitcher had a 5.12 ERA this season, and his chase for his 200th win was a major distraction to the club. If he returns to the Sox, it will be to chase more milestones, not to help the team.

At 45 years old, his "fastball" is into the mid-60s, and after 17 years in the league, AL hitters have clearly learned to hit his knuckleball.

So he's distracting the Sox and can't pitch well in the AL. Should he retire?

Wakefield's knuckleball is just as good today as it was 19 years ago, and he's still healthy enough to play. He's also an immensely likable pitcher, a veteran with leadership (and World Series) experience, and has many milestones ahead of him.

He should return home to the Pirates.

Pitchers who go from the AL to the NL generally have better success, due mostly to the lack of the DH in the league. But Wakefield will have an even greater chance at success. It's been 17 years since the NL has seen a knuckleball as good as Wakefield's (no disrespect to R.A. Dickey). The last time Wake let that knuckleball dance for the unsuspecting NL, his ERA ended up at 2.15. So Wakefield could easily confound hitters in the NL for a few more years at least. The NL in general is the only place his career could continue.

The NL Central is also his best bet. A Central division suddenly lacking Prince Fielder (certainly) and Pujols (probably) will be one of the lightest hitting divisions in baseball.

And the Pirates are definitely his best bet in the Central. They need pitching help (11th out of 16 in ERA this season). They need veterans (not a single one of their starters is over 30). And they need inexpensive players (Wakefield cost $1.5 mil).

But most importantly, they need a culture change. After 19 straight losing seasons, the Pirates are a franchise without hope. What better way to bring in some hope than to bring back the only active player who was part of a Pirates winning season?

The fans haven't had a true franchise player in years. What better way to rejuvenate the fans than to bring back a successful major leaguer who started in Pittsburgh? To bring the active wins leader back to the yellow and black?

A return home after 18 years is just what Wakefield and the Pirates need to keep from fading away.