How John Farrell Destroyed the Greatest Knuckleball Prospect

How John Farrell 

Destroyed the Greatest Knuckleball Prospect 

by Bill Russo

Make no mistake about it. Stephen Wright in 2016 was on his way to one of the best seasons ever pitched by a Knuckleballer.  And that’s saying something because the iconic ‘Flutter-by’ pitch delivered 318 wins for Phil Niekro, 260 for Ted Lyons, 221 for Phil’s brother Joe, 216 for Charlie Hough and 200 for Tim Wakefield.  

Will the figures please stand up and shout out the proof of Wright’s potential?


On May 8, 2016, Wright baffled the New York Yankees with his ‘flutter-by’ pitch for nine full innings allowing just three hits in his first complete game win, a 5-1 victory.  The only run mustered by the Bronx club came with two outs in the ninth inning – a sacks empty shot by Brett Gardner. Wright struck out seven. 

As the All-Star game approached, the fans and MLB took note, placing him on the American League roster, with his glittering ERA which was the lowest of any starting pitcher in the league.  His record going into the break was 9-5 for a Red Sox team that featured a very young Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley, and a superbly aging Big Papi, David Oritz.  

By mid August the 31 year old right-hander racked up 13 plusses with only six losses.  He also showcased his endurance by hurling four complete games. Only Chris Sale and Johnny Cueto, with 6 and 5 respectively had more; and they had a whole season to accumulate their stats.  Stephen Wright did not…thanks to Red Sox 'Manager' John Farrell.


Flashback to Sunday, August 7, 2016. The Red Sox were playing the Dodgers in Los Angeles on their way to a 93 win season and a division title.  The Dodgers had a 6-3 lead going into the sixth but the Fenway gang closed the gap to 6-5.  David Ortiz walked and went to second base on an RBI single by Mookie.  Farrell suddenly decided to pinch run for Big Papi, although he didn’t make the move when the slugger was on first base. 


Pinch running for Ortiz may have made some sense, but taking the greatest clutch hitter in baseball out of a game where he might get another at bat is pretty dumb.  Next, Farrell became Dumb and Dumber when he chose his best pitcher Stephen Wright to be the pinch runner.  

Wright was scheduled to start against the suddenly hot Yankees in just three days, but Farrell sent him in anyway even though he had Sandy Leon or another position player available. Wright hadn’t run bases since his college career ten years prior. 


Like a good soldier, Wright took second base.  Trying to grab a lead off the bag, he was forced back when the pitcher tried to pick him off.  The worst-case scenario played out as he jammed his shoulder, was forced to leave the game, and went on the disabled list.  


He missed almost the entire 2017 and 18 seasons.  In the 2018 season he pitched just enough to show that he still had the potential to be one of the greatest of all times.  He was 3 and one with a miserly 2.68 ERA.  Only Chris Sale and late pick-up Ryan Brasier had better numbers.


To be fair, the foolhardy Farrell decision resulted in a shoulder problem while the more recent injuries have been knee problems.  As of 2020 he’s slated for Tommy John Surgery. 


Wright may have had various injuries, but they all trace back to the Farrell Flub because….. the shoulder bone is connected to the back bone and the back bone is connected to the knee bone and the knee bone is … oh ‘Dem Bones’.  They are all connected and the whole thing is Farrell’s fault.


I think it’s safe to say that Stephen Wright, who became the last Knuckleballer in Baseball when R A Dickey retired; is all washed up.  His career is over, kaput, finis.

Except for one thing.  He throws a ‘flutter-by’ pitch, the Knuckleball.  Knuckleball pitchers often don’t get started until they are past 30.
  
Cases in point: Hoyt Wilhelm who won 143 games and had 227 saves, pitched in the major leagues until 16 days before he turned 50!  Phil Niekro was not far behind retiring at age 48.  Charlie Hough hung up his spikes at 45.  R A Dickey was 42 and didn’t start to get good until he hit 37, when he won 20 games for the first time as well as the Cy Young Award.  Tim Wakefield pitched until he got his 200^th victory at the age of 44.


At this writing (in the year 2020) Stephen Wright is 35 years old.  He can take a year or two off and come back at 38 and still wind up as one of the greatest Knuckleball throwers of all time. 


I hope so, because he is the last of a dying breed and it’s always a fun adventure to watch a knuckleballer flirt with both disaster and greatness in the same game.

Good luck to you Mr. Wright. I will be wishin’ and hopin’ to see you on the mound sooner than later.

Most Wins by Knuckleball pitchers:

318 – Phil Niekro

260  – Ted Lyons

221 – Joe Niekro

216 –Charlie Hough

210 – Jessie Haines

208 – Eddie Cicotti

200 – Tim Wakefield

As of July 2020, Stephen Wright has just 24 wins – Thanks a lot Farrell, you bum!

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