CLEVELAND -- Tim Wakefield has a book. It is a collection of points for the pitcher to remember, a kind of checklist.

At the top of the first page are the three most important reminders that the 43-year-old has come to realize that his success relies on.

1. Be aggressive.

2. Be confident.

3. Believe in yourself.

Up until just a few days ago, Wakefield hadn't heeded the wisdom of any of the three. He had lost his way.

When you're Stephen Strasburg -- a 21-year-old with the security of an 100 fastball and knee-buckling curve -- living by the prerequisite rules of success isn't met with too many roadblocks. For Wakefield, those luxuries aren't often readily available, especially when you're feeling like your job is on the line with each 70 mph pitch.

"It's been one of those years," he said, "that's been tough to deal with."

Tuesday night, standing in front of a locker with the sign "2777" hanging above his head while carrying a bottle of celebratory champagne, Wakefield smiled a smile rarely seen this season. Thanks to a standout performance in the Red Sox' 3-2 win over the Indians at Progressive Field and the claiming of the team record for most innings pitched (hence the sign), he had rediscovered what was important.

"I was probably trying too hard," Wakefield explained after allowing just two runs on four hits over 7 1/3 innings. "For me it's all feeling, timing and rhythm. The reason I was frustrated last week was because I had one bad inning (in his last start) and I felt like I had to be perfect. But I think I'm at the point now that I should have been, and have been the last couple of years, where I can enjoy the career I've had. When things were going good I would have fun. I would have a smile on my face. The last couple of starts the smile wasn't there.

"It puts it in perspective."

Tuesday night was ONE of Wakefield's two wake-up calls this past week. The first came during the pitcher's side session in Baltimore, when pitching coach John Farrell offered a suggestion, which pushed open doors the knuckleballer admitted had been closed throughout his entire 2010 campaign.

Up until that mechanical adjustment, Wakefield not only hadn't been pitching the right way (as his last two outings -- 9 2/3 innings, 15 runs -- would suggest), but he hadn't been approaching his existence as a big league pitcher in the correct manner, either.

With that one tweak, however, everything -- and we do mean everything -- fell into place.

"Last week was tough," he explained. "I think mainly because knowing the situation here and I was probably putting too much pressure on myself thinking I have to go out and throw shutout ball to maintain my job. 

"I had one bad inning last week, and it made me think that I didn't want one bad inning to ruin a whole career. I don't want to be that guy. It's funny because as soon as John pointed out that mechanical flaw, all that confidence came back. I was like, 'There it is.'"

Gone were thoughts of what will happen when Josh Beckett returns from his injury, or the ramifications of a third straight subpar performance. All of a sudden Wakefield was …

1. Aggressive.

2. Confident.

3. Believing in himself.

"Instead of having 17 thoughts going through my head when I'm pitching, there was one thought," he said. "I have it all written down in a little book too, that I read, that I just overlooked it. The most important part of it was pitching to win instead of pitching not to lose.

"I felt like I was pitching for my job. You didn't want to mess up. You're pitching not to mess up. The fine line of getting over that hump is not being afraid to fail, and being confident, and aggressive, and believing in yourself. I started believing in myself."

The end result was an impressive performance, and a record, but, more telling, a smile that had been missing since last season.

"It puts it in perspective," Wakefield said. "Hopefully I can enjoy it for a while. I think I will."