Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield was diagnosed with a "very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer," ex-teammate Curt Schilling announced on his podcast.
Schilling admitted he was unclear whether Wakefield wanted his battle with cancer revealed in a public format. Schilling said he elected to do so due to the power of prayer as well as a sense of guilt.
"The situation in Tim's case is incredibly serious," Schilling said. "He went in and had surgery and I think there's a lot of guilt, and a lot of it is selfish in the sense that I feel bad that we haven't talked as much."
Social media backlash toward Schilling for divulging Wakefield's news followed soon after his announcement.
Among those voicing their displeasure was Catherine Varitek, the wife of former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek.
"(Expletive) you Curt Schilling, that wasn't your place!" she wrote on Twitter.
Schilling is a cancer survivor. He was treated for throat cancer in 2014.
Wakefield, who has not publicly commented on his health, was a 200-game winner best known for his use of the knuckleball.
A two-time World Series champion, Wakefield spent 17 of his 19 major-league seasons with the Red Sox.
Wakefield, 57, posted a 14-12 record with a 4.17 ERA in his first two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1992-93) before climbing to third in career wins in Red Sox franchise history. He posted a record of 186-168 with a 4.43 ERA in 590 games (430 starts) with Boston.
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