I Miss Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Papelbon embodied what playing for Boston and the Red Sox means. Papelbon, one of the best closers across MLB in his prime, is forever linked to a Red Sox organization he helped lead to another World Series win in 2007. He is the all-time saves leader for the club, displaying his passion on the mound with a thousand-yard stare and an intense fire that made him the absolute lunatic beloved by Red Sox nation to this day. In the aftermath of the Red Sox trading Chris Sale, I remember how much I missed Papelbon.
With his playing days behind him, Papelbon has stayed very vocal in Red Sox and Baseball media. He will be inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame alongside other Red Sox greats Dustin Pedroia and Trot Nixon this upcoming season.
An Emotional Spark:
With how this organization has been these last few years they seem to have lost their passion and competitive spirit. I can’t pinpoint the true heart and soul of this Red Sox team anymore–that vocal leader. That was Sale, but now there’s no one I can think of who fits that mold. Papelbon losing his mind after securing the World Series against the Rockies is a visual I will never forget.
Jonathan Papelbon anchored a Red Sox bullpen for six years–six years of not worrying about who’s taking the ball in the ninth inning to secure a Red Sox win. Overall, Jonathan Papelbon was the closest thing I had to seeing prime Eric Gagne.
He was that unbeatable final boss with his high 90s four-seamer, with his wipeout slider and splitter. Papelbon was good for a career 2.99 ERA, 31 saves per season and 10.7 strikeouts per nine. After two more stays with the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals, including two more All-Star appearances and a fight with Bryce Harper.
Papelbon wrapped up a very notable MLB career, a career I believe could have been greater. In only a 12-year career, Papelbon ranks 11th in All-Time career saves at 368, according to Baseball Reference. Every other name ahead of him has at least two more years more than him; we’re talking about an MLB Hall of Famer with two or three more productive years under his belt.
Cultural Change:
Nowadays, the “closer” role seems to be in flux again if the Red Sox trade Kenley Jansen. Good Red Sox teams always have great closers like Keith Folke, Craig Kimbrel and Koji Uehara, including Papelbon—one after another.
If the Red Sox trade Jansen, they need to find a proper replacement for the all-time great closer. Boston’s bullpen does not need more instability like 2022. That is a step backward, I believe if it does not have a proper closer, they are not serious about winning. Hence, my opinion is to not trade Jansen just to free up money, especially if there’s going to be no real benefit.
At the end of the day, I appreciate Jonathan Papelbon for playing the game with such passion to the point of insanity with an unbreakable will to succeed. Although, his passion may have got him into trouble at times in his career.
I hope Boston can get more guys like him on this team to bring them back to the promised land and soon. Baseball altogether needs more passionate players like him. Papelbon is one crazy bastard and I miss him every day.
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