"Not only 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. . . . 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?" - Jonathan Papelbon during an interview with XM Radio on Thursday.
Oh god, here we go again.
Or at least that's the current thought process of Red Sox Nation. We've seen this before, some of Boston's most beloved fan favorites making their plans for the future in advance to the media.
In recent years, it started with Big Mo. As Mo Vaughn irately insisted that 'it wasn't about the money', Sox fans saw the Hit Dog pound 40 homers along with a .337 average only to jet off to Anaheim 80 million dollars richer.
Undoubtedly, the most bitter pill for Red Sox fans to swallow came in the 2005 offseason when fan favorite and All-Star center fielder Johnny Damon traded in his red socks for pinstripes.
Damon, who's signature beard and long hair created a legion of fans and cult following in Boston had stated "There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they're going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need." Johnny's loyalty became non-existent when he accepted the Yankees four-year 56-million dollar deal.
Now, with Jonathan Papelbon's recent comments, are Red Sox fans preparing for the inevitable?
To say Papelbon's been a stud would be an understatement. In three full seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Papelbon has a 1.84 ERA and his 129 career saves put him just four more away from becoming the franchise's all-time save leader. He's still three years away from being a free agent, but the concern is there, and for good reason.
Papelbon's numbers speak for themselves, in the game of baseball is one where a reliable closer has become a premium. As teams such as the Blue Jays, Athletic's and Phillies can tell you, a top of the line closer can make the difference between your team competing in the long run or just being a pretender.
Papelbon's already stated his desire to test the waters of free agency when his current deal expires, but on Friday an annoyed Papelbon re-touched on his comments during the interview. He vehemently stated "I don't want to play for the (expletive) Yankees." and went on to drive the point of being happy to be a member of the Red Sox organization.
It's nice Jonathan, it really is, but we've heard it before.
Fact is, and it's a harsh reality for the Fenway Faithful but don't expect the Red Sox to break the bank in an attempt to keep Papelbon in Boston. In most cases, when Theo Epstein and Sox ownership have made their decision to move on, they've often been the victors as the careers of players who've left often are never the same.
They also do not want to commit Green-Monsterous money to a player one's career could be ruined with one injury to his pitching arm. Cases such as the one north of the border with Toronto's high-paid yet oft-injured closer B.J Ryan, is a prime example of what over paying for a closer can do to your team.
In the event of Papelbon leaving Boston after 2011, who'll they turn to? In all likelihood, Daniel Bard would be the obvious replacement for Papelbon into the future. It's even debatable that the Red Sox are grooming Bard in an attempt to prepare him for the job come 2012.
It may be more than three years away, but Red Sox fans would be wise to start preparing for the heartbreak because in the end, their favorite is just another athlete looking for the big pay day.
- Login to post comments