Why Wakefield?

[Velcro]

who was the appointed closer?  Williamson?  I guess, by default, but wakefield had a save in the post season too.  

Spilled milk now anyway.  Little is gone, so it doesn't even matter anymore.  

[KnightsRule]

I agree it is over but the debate rages on. The sox were on the road and I do believe willkiamson would have closed the game if the sox had scored in any extra inning. Rivera was not going to pitch much longer and I believe Grady felt Wakefield could have pitched 9 innings if need be but who were the yanks going to bring in when Rivera was done? The Sox closer was Kim, he was not even on the playoff roster for the series. Lowe had closed games as did wakefield and williamson. The sox were not a team with a bonafide closer so Grady went with his best pitcher in the series and as he said himself, if the sox took the lead he would have brought in Williamson to CLOSE the game. I agree to disagree with you on this matter.

[GarySJ]

Fair enough. I was just surprised that the 11th inning decision got so little attention, compared to the 8th inning move.

[S p e n c e]

Just to clarify Williamson was not the "appointed closer"  Byung yung Kim was, but he had a shoulder injury and sat out the series with the Yankees, Williamson was strictly a bullpen guy.  Thats why he didnt have any saves during the season.  If the Sox would have won they said they would have activated thier closer Kim for the series against the Marlins.  

Don't know if this helps understand that decision to bring in Wakefield and not Williamson, but I thought it was relevant.

[KnightsRule]

I dont know where you get your info from but Sox had NO intentions of bringing Kim back for the Series if they made it that far. Williamson was the closer for the Reds when Sox aquired him but pitched terrible from day one in a sox uniform.  I think he will be the closer going forward but highly doubt Kim will ever suit up for the sox again. I was at Fenway and inside the back offices during the Yanks series as my cousin is a director for the team and there is no love for Kim at all there. The guy was not injured either he quit on the team after he blew the first playoff game in oakland. He flipped off the home crowd during sox/a's series when he was introduced to a chorus of boos.  During the famous Pedro/Clemens game, kim was the last bench player announced and was booed loudly and he stuck his hand up which was wrapped into what appeared to be one giant middle finger but he says he did it as a joke as to say I cant flip the crowd off as my hands is all taped up.

[S p e n c e]

I realize the circumstances surrounding Kim, but unlike you, I don't have these incredibly valuable inside sources close to the team as you claim to have.

I was going soley by what I heard in the media, and the media stated he was sitting out against the Yanks due to a shoulder injury, but that was most likely just a cover due to the Yankees having his number in years past and partially due to flipping off the fans as you stated.

BUT the OFFICIAL reason for him not being on the roster was for the shoulder as I said.

And I did hear on several occassions that if the Sox won, he would play in the World Series, but I guess we will never know for sure will we.