Wakefield's greatest hits

Sometimes Tim Wakefield thinks about his first start with the Red Sox, in Anaheim, Calif. on May 27, 1995 and it feels like yesterday. Sometimes it feels like happened a long time ago. Last night, Wakefield said after starting his 383d game as a Red Sox hurler, more than anyone else, it felt like yesterday.

In between that first start and last night, there's been a whole lot of good, some bad, and plenty to talk about. “He’s been a really consistent pitcher with an inconsistent pitch,” manager Terry Francona said. “You throw his numbers out at the end of the year, and they’re always unbelievable. You got to put a seatbelt on sometimes to watch it.”

Wakefield’s push for an All-Star nod this year has brought some overdue attention to his unique career, with more and more national writers putting him into perspective.

Got us to thinking: Of his 383 starts with the Sox, which were the best? For criteria, with the help of Baseball Reference, let's revert to Bill James's game scores. Here's how they work: Start with 50 ponts. Add 1 point for each out, 2 points for every completed inning after the fourth, and 1 point for every strikeout. Subtract 2 points for every hit, 4 points for every earned run, 2 points for every unearned run, and 1 point for every walk. Last night, for example, was a 66.

With that criteria, these are Wakefield's best Red Sox starts:

1. May 6, 2008 84
2. Sept. 11, 2005, 83
3. Aug 13, 2007, 82
4. June 24, 2005, 82
5. May 10 1998, 82
6. July 29 1997, 81
7. June 4, 1995, 81
8. June 9, 1995, 80
9. July 18 1997, 80
10. Sept. 12, 2008, 80