In addition to next year's guaranteed contract (worth a reported $4 million), the club put in a unique clause that will allow them to pick up an option for Wakefield in 2007 and any season thereafter.

"For the last 11 years, Tim Wakefield has represented the best of the Boston Red Sox," said Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. "His continuing contributions to the success of the franchise on the field are matched only by his dedication to community service. This agreement virtually guarantees Wake will retire as a Boston Red Sox, which is fitting. In the long, proud history of the franchise, few men have brought greater honor to the uniform."

Wakefield has been with the Red Sox since 1995, making him the longest-tenured player on the team. The 38-year-old right-hander has long expressed a desire to remain with the Sox for the rest of his playing days, and this new pact makes it all but certain that will be the case. It was a joyous day for Wakefield.

"It means a lot," Wakefield said. "Words can't describe how I feel right now. I'm very thankful that my agent and Theo and the organization spent a long time hashing out the details of [helping] me stay here for the rest of my career. I'm really excited about that."

Because Wakefield has at least 10 years of service time, and five with the same team, the Red Sox cannot trade him without his consent. Not that they'd want to anyway.

"It was something that was in the works for a while," said Epstein. "We were operating on the presumption from both sides that Tim would stay with the Red Sox. We were just trying to figure out exactly how.

"I think Wake deserves all the credit in the world for having priorities. Obviously, he could have pushed it to free agency and gotten other teams involved, and potentially maxed out years and dollars, but that's not necessarily what was important to him. What was important to him was finding something fair that allowed him to stay here for as long as possible."

Already a fixture at Fenway for the last decade, there's a chance Wakefield could keep twirling that knuckleball for years to come.

Hall of Famer Phil Niekro didn't throw his final Major League knuckleball until he was 48. Joe Niekro, also a knuckleballer, kept chugging away until he was 43. Charlie Hough, a knuckleballer that Wakefield now uses as a consultant, didn't retire until he was 46.

"Realistically? I can't answer that question honestly right now," said Wakefield. "Based on the history of Charlie and Phil and Joe, [I could pitch] at least until I'm 45. I don't know if that's possible. Absolutely, I want to pitch as long as I can."

Wakefield has been an invaluable performer for the Sox since former general manager Dan Duquette plucked him off the scrap heap after Wakefield was released by the Pirates.

"At that point in my career, after being released by Pittsburgh, I went home for two days and I didn't know if I was ever going to play again," Wakefield said. "And Dan Duquette called me and offered me a chance to wear this uniform."

And all Wakefield did upon joining the Sox was jump out to a 14-1 start, helping the 1995 team win the American League East.

He's been part of the last five Red Sox teams to qualify for postseason and experienced both the low of surrendering a walk-off homer to Aaron Boone in Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series and the high of being a part of the 2004 World Series champions.

While the Red Sox were being pounded in Game 3 of last year's ALCS, Wakefield sacrificed his Game 4 start by coming out of the bullpen during New York's 19-8 romp. Two days later, he pitched three shutout innings in the 14-inning epic of Game 5, playing a major role as the Sox became the first team ever to rally from a 3-0 deficit in a postseason series.

"I think Tim does so much more than that shows in his stat line to help the team stay together and succeed through the course of the season," said Epstein. "Whether it's wearing his spikes every day and knowing you have that weapon in extra innings. ... If you happen to have a starter who has to miss a turn, you don't necessarily have to make a roster move. Wake is there to step in and can possibly go on short rest.

"It's one thing to have the physical ability to do that, which is unique in and of itself, but to have the team-first attitude to constant remind people that you're there to help the team the way Wake does, it was probably best personified in the ALCS Game 3 last year. It's really remarkable and it's not lost on anyone."

While some pitchers in Wakefield's situation might have wanted some certainty that they'd continue to be a starter before signing an extension, the knuckleballer vowed that he'd keeping doing whatever was best for his team.

"I love to start," Wakefield said. "That's my main objective here. But also understanding the situation that that the club has, and I've expressed it to Theo and [Terry Francona], that if there comes a time where I'm not doing my job as a starter and we have other guys they want to stick in there, I don't have a problem going to the bullpen. Or even between starts. I still take a lot of pride in wearing my spikes every day and being able to go down to the bullpen and help us win ballgames the best way I know how."

Players, managers, coaches and front-office members of the Red Sox have for years raved about Wakefield's dedication to the team and his professionalism. At the same time, he's made those same people equally proud by being one of the team's most involved members in the community.

Six times, Wakefield has been nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award, presented annually to the Major Leaguer who best combines baseball skills with community work.

Naturally, upon his extension, Wakefield announced that he will donate $100 for every strikeout he notches in 2005, with half the money going to the Franciscan Hospital for Children and the other half going to the Jimmy Fund.

Not to be overshadowed by all his other attributes is the fact that Wakefield remains a quality pitcher. He's gotten off to a fast start this season, posting a 2-0 record and a 1.37 ERA in his first three starts.

"I'm happy for Wake," said Francona. "He wanted to be here. I think everyone else wanted him to be here. That's great."

Wakefield is among the Red Sox leaders in several career pitching categories. He is second in appearances (390), third in innings (1,866, trailing only the legendary tandem of Roger Clemens and Cy Young), third in starts (253, trailing those same two pitching giants), third in strikeouts (1,343, trailing Clemens and Pedro Martinez) and seventh in wins (116).

Now he will have a chance to add to those numbers and further cement his legacy.

"I've looked at it a little bit, but I don't think I'll reflect on it until I retire," Wakefield said. "It's something that I always take a lot of pride in. You kind of want to reflect on what you've accomplished. But again, you have a goal in front of you and I never like backward until I can walk forward and know what my goal is. From a team standpoint, it's to get to the World Series and win another one. That's my goal this year."