The Rhodes Scholar Speaks

Jonathan Papelbon explains his comments on Wagner and how the story blew up in his face. Watch below:

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Papelbon Laughs Off Pedroia

On CSNNE's Cinco with Cinco, Jonathan Papelbon is asked what his reaction would be if Pedroia charged the mound. He laughed at the idea but when asked about Manny Ramirez he seemed to be up to the challenge. Watch below:

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Paps Talks About Blown Save - Video

Jonathan Papelbon speaks with reporters after last night's bad outing. Watch below:

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Paps Talks About the Trade Deadline - video

Lou Merloni interviewed Jonathan Papelbon for CSNNE before last night's game and asked him about roster moves for the Red Sox. Watch below:

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Papelbon is now alone in the Red Sox record books

No, it's not 500 saves like Mariano Rivera got this week, but Jonathan Papelbon got his own record breaking save this week.



Jonathan Papelbon recorded his 20th save of the season which was also his career 133rd save with the Boston Red Sox. That makes him the all time leader for saves by a single player within the Red Sox Organization. Papelbon tied Bob Stanley for the record on Monday night when he got a 1 out save to beat the Orioles 4-0. Pap tried to get the record save on Tuesday, but we all know how that went down. Instead Pap got the statistic we never like to see...a blown save. Redemption was just a few hours away though as Pap came to the mound in the 11th inning on Wednesday afternoon and got a 1-2-3 save to protect the Red Sox comeback 6-5 win.

Papelbon's comments about the save and his place in the record books:

“It feels good,’’ Papelbon told the Boston Globe. “When I set out to do this, to be the closer of the Boston Red Sox, there were a lot of goals in sight. And this was one of them. To finally get there and kind of get it out of my head is good for me. All right, that’s done. Let’s move on.’’

And we all are excited to move on and have Papelbon continue to rack up saves and records....hopefully well into October and beyond. We know he is eyeing the success that Mariano Rivera has had and is looking to gain that kind of success. Yes, Mo plays for the Yanks, but I can't help but respect and like the guy. I hope that Papelbon has the kind of success and longevity that Mo has had...and hopefully like Mo, Pap can do it with one ballclub (One has to dream, right?).

So far, I like Pap's numbers when it comes to the chase of Mariano Rivera. Mo has been the closer for the Yankees for 12 years and as of this date, has 502 saves. Pap has been the closer for the Sox for 4 years and has 133 saves. If Pap stays healthy and competitive, I can see a serious run at a record like that...hopefully with a Big Ol' B on his hat while doing it.

Congrats Pap....and many more!

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Sweet Return to Playing the AL East

Ah, now that this interleague mumbo jumbo is over for 2009...well, at least until hopefully October...the Red Sox got back to business which means playing the Al East's own Baltimore Orioles. Much like the Nationals and Braves...playing the Orioles is like playing at home when you are away.



Tonight it was Jonny Lester on the mound verses Jason Berken. Lester's numbers have been ridiculously good against the Orioles and he continued it tonight. He pitched 7 shutout innings.....and was following by 2 more shutout innings from the bullpen. Lester struck out 8 batters and only allowed 5 hits. Delcarmen and Okajima took care of the 8th inning and we were on to the 9th. Ramon Ramirez came on for the 9th inning. He quickly retired the first two batters he faced and then gave up a hit and a walk to the next two. So, that meant that Jonathan Papelbon was up and in the game going for his 19th save of the season and career 132th save as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Papelbon got the "Second Coming of Christ" aka Matt Wieters to pop out to left field and GAME OVER...SOX WIN.

Papelbon is now tied with Bob Stanley for 132 career saves with the Boston Red Sox. When Pap gets his next save, he will alone hold that stat line.

Oh wait, I also get to sing JD Drew's praises and we know how much I LOVE to do that. JD was on fire tonight. He was a double short of the cycle. He started off with a triple that ALMOST left the park. Followed by a two run homerun and then a little itty bitty single. He was a hitting machine. JD was moved into the lead off spot and Dustin Pedroia was moved back in the 2 spot. So far, this small sample size seems like a genius move from Tito.

Let's see anything else to report. Oh. Sox defense was also pretty gosh darn good tonight. JD Drew made quite a number of great catches out in right field. Jacoby Ellsbury made his usual spectacular catch in center field. Nick Green continues to impress at short stop with that bullet of an arm of his. Jason Bay...on that pop up to left field to end the game. It was not routine. Jason Bay slid over and made a breath taking diving catch to end the ball game and give Pap his record tying save.

All in all. A good game folks. Let's do it again tomorrow.

Sox WIN 4-0.

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Papelbon and his attempt at damage control

So, Papelbon should seriously have a guy on his payroll whose job is to follow him around and stop him from saying stupid things. It would be well worth the money. I adore Pap, we know this....but the concept of thinking before you speak is a foreign concept to the boy.

As Matt reported yesterday Papelbon stated in a radio interview that he would consider playing for the Yanks once he became a free agent in 2011. I guess Pap realized that making such statements in 2009 when you are currently playing for their rivals, the Red Sox, might not be such a fantastic idea.

So, Pap has now backed away from said comments in a new article over at the Boston Globe.

"I don't want to go (expletive) play for the Yankees," he said. "I've been on a team for the past five years that's been in first place more than any other (expletive) team otherwise. Why would I want to leave?"

"For me, I want to go to a place where I'm happy," he said. "For me, the only thing that's important is that, A, it's like a family and B, I have manager and a GM that's going to protect me, and I know that here."

OK. So, Pap needs to learn some PR and business lessons. His agent should really be calling him and giving him some much needed tips.

Do I think if things are ideal...Pap wants to resign with the Sox? Absolutely. I think he is honest when he says he is happy with the Red Sox. The dude loves his job, loves that the Sox win, loves the culture and attention in Boston, etc. However, I also think it is bull to the shit when he says that the only thing that is important is to be happy when he becomes a free agent. He hasn't spent YEARS now talking about contracts and his love of the benjamins to not have money be the prime factor. The guy is out to set the standard for contracts when it comes to closers and I think he realizes he might not be able to do that with the Sox.

I love me some Papelbon. I think he's not only incredibly talented, but also highly entertaining to watch as an "ath-a-lete." I want him to stay with the Sox until he is old and gray. However, if he doesn't sign with the Sox...I think the only team who can give him the type of contract he wants is the Yankees....he knows....we know it...the Red Sox knows it.

But seriously Pap. Shut your mouth. At least for right now.

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Papelbon Talks About His Future

Jonathan Papelbon appeared on XM/Sirius Home Plate program “The Show" today and was asked about playing for another team:

Host, Jody McDonald: “If you couldn’t work out a contract with the Red Sox before free agency comes up and you eventually become a free agent, is the Bronx ever a possibility?”

Jonathan Papelbon: “Oh, of course. I mean, I think if we can’t come to an agreement on terms here in a Red Sox uniform, I mean, I think that’s pretty much the writing on the wall. If they can’t come to terms with you they’re letting you know that, ‘Hey you know what? We can go somewhere else.’ And I think it’s the same way on the other side, ‘Hey if ya’ll can’t come to an agreement with me then I can go somewhere else.’ Not only in the Bronx, but anywhere. I think anywhere is a possibility. You always have to keep that in the back of your mind because you can’t just be one-sided and think that, ‘Oh I’m going to be in a Red Sox uniform my entire career.’ Because nowadays that is very, very rare and hopefully we can because there’s no question I would love to stay in a Boston Red Sox uniform but I have to do what’s best for me and play in an atmosphere where I’m wanted and play on a team where I’m wanted and that’s all I can really say about that, you know?”

His answer is honest and should come as no surprise. Throughout Papelbon's time in Boston there have been several instances where he has complained about his contract. He is going to go for the big payday when he becomes a free agent and if that is with the Red Sox then he will stay, if it is anywhere else he will go. So for now just enjoy the ride with Paps and hope things work out in the long run.

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Jager Shots With Papelbon

In this week's Cinco with Cinco, Paps indicated that a shot of Jagermeister is his drink of choice. Watch below:

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Papelbon v. A-Rod: Classic Moment

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Papelbon on Oki's Gambling Problem

Jonathan Papelbon joked that Hideki Okajima needed to call 1-800-GAMBLER after he showed him how to play craps. Watch below:

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Paps: "Don't F' With Beckett"

Jonathan Papelbon was back on CSNNE and delivered the goods as always. When asked about the bunt attempt to try to break up Beckett's no-no Paps delivered the goods:

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NY Post Photographer Angers Papelbon

Jonathan Papelbon was not happy after blowing the save on Saturday night when a NY Post photographer tried to take his picture. Paps responded with, "Don't take my fucking picture," and then threw a towel at him. The towel missed.

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Paps Ruins Beckett's Gem

It was bound to happen sooner or later; Papelbon had been playing with fire and tonight he got burned. With two outs in the 9th, Paps gave up a 2-run gopher ball to Omir Santos over the monster, Sheff was on first from a walk earlier in the inning. It was a game the Red Sox should have won, especially with the way Beckett pitched. In eight innings Beckett gave up just 5 hits and one unearned run.

Red Sox Lose 3-2 BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mets	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	6	0
Red Sox	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	1

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Paps Goes Off the Reservation - Video

Jonathan Papelbon was surprisingly level-headed when talking about steroids on CSNNE but now he is back to making Red Sox management cringe with statements like he is no longer “choking his splitty." Watch below:

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Jonathan Robert Papelbon: Closer Extraordinaire

So, I am going to stay in denial about the woes of the Red Sox lately because well, denial is my friend. It's the only way to go. We lost a series to the Seattle Mariners. Oh God! Nick Green is an error machine while Lugo is playing like an All-Star. Jon Lester can't seem to get a good clean start under his belt. Papi still hasn't hit his first homer. We are the #1 team in the MLB in the GIDP stat. We seem to think leaving the bases loaded is what the cool kids do. The Yankees have been winning games they are supposed to lose while we are losing games we are supposed to win. Yeah...denial, that's the way to go.

Instead, I am going to talk about one of my favorite players, Mr. Jonathan "Cinco Ocho" Papelbon.



I adore him. Having him on the mound in the 9th inning is a beautiful thing. I know...he might not be ours forever, but that is also something I am going to stay in denial about. PAP time is one of my favorite times of the game. One, it means we are ahead and honkering down in on a win. And two, the guy is about as legit as a closer as you can get.

Yes, Pap has not been as crisp or tight as we are used to seeing. He seems content on filling hospitals in Red Sox Nation with his heart attack antics. We are used to seeing him come in and get a 1-2-3 inning and securing the win with ease. This year, Pap seems to like making it just a smidge more difficult on himself. Which of course begs people to constant wonder...usually on Twitter...what is going on with Papelbon. Is he hurt? Are hitters finally figuring out his fastball? Is the era of Papelbon over so soon?

At this point, I am not concerned about Papelbon. Sure, I'd like him to go back to the days of making it look easy, but all in all....the guy is still getting the job done. He is 10/10 in save opportunities. Sure some have been close, but when it came to it, he got the job done. Here is a quote from an article over at the Redsox.com where Pap talked about getting into and out of trouble following a Tampa Bay save where he almost blew it and then struck out the side:

"I basically put myself in a situation where I had to go into punchout mode. That's not always the situation I want to be putting myself in, but it is what it is. I always know that that gear is there. It's just, when do I need to bring it out?"

My initial response to that is ALWAYS....always bring out that gear. However, that is not realistic, nor good for the team. If that happened, we'd have a worn out Pap by the time October rolls around. It is good though to know that gear is there and that when needed...Pap can ramp it up and get it done.

Another stat that is somewhat concerning is the walks Pap has given out. Last year he only issued 9 walks. This year, he has already issued 10 and we are in the middle of May. He seems to be going to full counts much more often this year instead of getting people into 0-2 counts and then going in for the kill. Pap is working on new arm mechanics which he says really reduces the strain on his arm. He has said he can throw 30 pitches and his arm feels like it used to when he threw 15. He has said it is still a work in progress and he is tweaking it as his outings are going. Why fix something that isn't broken? Well, it is a great preventative move. We all saw how beat up Pap was last year in the ACLS. If he can throw and get the same results, but not put as much strain and pressure on his arm....I say, me likey. I think the amount of walks Pap will issue will drop steadily once he has full command of his mechanics. At least, that is my hope.

Alright, one more stat just for good measure. It is a good and a bad stat. Here is his current BAA: Bases Empty (.360), Runners On (.114), RISP (.071). Ok, the .360 is not great. He needs to stop allowing men on base. STAT. However, the good in those stats is that once someone gets on, he locks in. And, if someone gets into scoring position, Pap basically becomes unhittable.

So all in all, I don't like that Papelbon seems to drive us crazy this year. I would like him to go back to making it look easy. However, am I concerned? Nope. I think the guy is still one of the elite closers in the business and we should be thanking our lucky stars every single day that WE have him. Pap is a confident man. So, as long as he is confident in his abilities...so am I.

Rock On Cinco Ocho! I hope to see you on the mound very very soon.

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Papelbon Caption Contest

Every day there is a caption contest for a photo at the Huffington Post. Today's photo is of Jonathan Papelbon after striking out the side in last night's game. You can enter the contest here, I'll update the winning caption and some of the better entries tomorrow.

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Papelbon: I Don't Know Manny, He Quit on Me, He Quit on Our Team

Here's the video from CSNNE:

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Papelbon Backs Sox Manny Decision

Yes, I know it is time to move on from the Manny stories but we still have not heard from many of the players on their opinion of what went down. Papelbon told Esquire Magazine what he thought:

"He was on a different train!" Paplebon said. "And you saw what happened with that. We got rid of him, and we moved on without him. That comes from the manager, and it comes from guys like Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield and David Ortiz.

"So Manny was tough for us. You have somebody like him, you know at any point in the ball game, he can dictate the outcome of the game. And for him not to be on the same page as the rest of the team was a killer, man!"

Paps seems to say the entire team was behind the move, which is what the press had been saying at the time. Some people thought the press pushed Manny out of town but that does not seem to be the case.

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What We Learned From the Papelbon Deal

The Red Sox effectively silenced their closer for the near future by giving him a heafty one year deal and avoiding arbitration. Rob Bradford of WEEI points out:

"The deal is the largest given to any first-year arbitration eligible pitcher, and is the third-highest agreed to by any first-year arbitration eligible player...What this shows is that the Red Sox have been listening to, recognizing, and agreeing to much of what Papelbon and his agents, the Levinsons, have been saying."

Papelbon wants to be the highest paid closer in baseball and wants to change the pay scale for closers. The recent contract shows that he may get what he wants but he now has the pressure to be the best closer in baseball this season if he wants to get the money he thinks he deserves.

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