Papelbon pledges allegiance to Red Sox Nation
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| Papelbon's act has not gone over well in Philly. Boston needs a closer though! Photo courtesy of NYPost |
"I don't feel much like a Phillie"Papelbon declared, even though he is only 6 saves away from owning the record for most saves in Philadelphia franchise history.
Papelbon came into the game with the bases loaded and the tough task of trying to get Hanley Ramirez out. While the score sheet says he was successful, not many fans will agree that Pap didn't get a little lucky, as Ramirez flied out to deep left center field on a drive that didn't clear the fences simply because of the wind and cold weather that killed the ball before it went over. Papelbon would work a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the 2015 season.
When asked post game about his comments about not feeling like a Phillie, Papelbon backed off a little, saying
So you ask me what runs deep in me? The Red Sox still run in me. It’s where I’m from. It’s where I grew up. It’s who I became as a pitcher, so that will always stick with me, no matter what. That doesn’t really change anything how I go about my business.”
Yes, he was one of the more animated characters that the Red Sox clubhouse had during their 2007 championship run, but the Red Sox and their fans loved Pap because he got the job done and wore his emotions on his sleeve. Who doesn't remember the dancing on the field after the 2007 World Series and the countless beers he poured over his head? Number 58 hasn't acted any different in Philly than he did in Boston; always a mouth who is willing to tell the media what's on his mind, Papelbon seems to be a tired horse that needs to be put to pasture in Pennsylvania. But is this just cruel fate mocking us Red Sox fans right now? Papelbon wants out of a team that is going no where, and the Red Sox just lost their 40 year old closer to an injury and no one knows if he'll ever be the same again. Palelbon's velocity has decreased every year since he left Fenway, but he had the second most saves in his career last year with 39, and his ERA was still a minute 2.09 in 2014. I feel like calling Ruben Amaro tonight and asking if he'll take some of Pap's salary so we can have our closer back. Or, at the very least, can't we package him in a deal with Hamels for some of our prospects? I hear Philly needs a youth movement..........
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