Jonathan Papelbon says he is not worried. Are you?

Jonathan Papelbon said he is not affected by all the moves the Red Sox made this off season to bolster the bullpen. He had heard all the rumors and talk how this might be his last season with the Sox. Paps said a series title, not free agency, is on his mind. I’m not 100% sold. Not because I think he is lying, I think he is saying all the right things to avoid further distractions. Just imagine how this season would go if he told the media that this might be his last year and he was looking forward to testing the free agent market. Every outing would be like a three ring circus. Papelbon is not built that way. All he cares about is having the ball handed to him in the ninth inning and letting him do his thing – close games.

Papelbon loves the spot light. He has that closer mentality, the confidence and swagger. Papelbon is 100% pure adrenaline, high octane gas, ready to explode at any minute. That’s why the grand entrance into every game, the fist pumping over each out, and the celebration with each save. That’s why we love him though.  We believe in him. Can anyone even name a Red Sox closer before Papelbon that we live and die with every pitch on?  Did Keith Foulke ever make you feel like the game was won when he came into the game?  The answer is no. Papelbon draws us in. We feed off his energy and I’m willing to bet that he feeds off us, the fans, too.

So don’t tell me this doesn’t effect you Paps. It has. Otherwise you wouldn’t be you. I’m sure the sight of his new teammates has him ready and rearing to go. That this new look bullpen is stacked, Felix Doubront, Matt Albers, Dan Wheeler, Bobby Jenks and Daniel Bard, also must take some of the pressure off.  Bobby Jenks and Daniel Bard aren’t wishing for Papelbon to fail but they also are ready to step in if he does. Jonathan Papelbon is not like Mariano Rivera.  They may get the same results in each game but their make up is totally different. They both have the intensity and mind set of “lights out” closers. Mariano Rivera is more business like.  Hell, he is so calm and cool that sometimes you think he can be on the mound in a business suit and he will still get the job done.  Papelbon, is like a kid in a candy store. He relishes each moment out there. He soaks up the attention. He wants to be the man.

Papelbon also said that he felt that he lost his delivery midway thru last season, but found it again the last few weeks of the season.  That he isn’t worried about last year, that his arm is strong and he is ready. One thing Papelbon has going for him is a manager that will give him every opportunity to succeed. Look what Terry Francona did for David Ortiz last year. Francona is the kind of manger that lets players work their problems out, on the field, not sitting on the bench feeling lost.  He shows that he has confidence in them. They say 80% of this game in mental.  Maybe for Papelbon it is more like 85% of his game.

He seems to have changed his tune slightly this year. He’s now saying that maybe this is his last year with the Sox or maybe it isn’t. Has he ever mentioned that he wanted a long term contract?  I don’t know of a time when he did, but I’m not a 100% sure, so I don’t want to assume.  He did say that he wouldn’t rule out playing for the Yankees but with Rivera locked up for three years, that ship may have sailed on him. I also think that watching the best closer last year, Rafael Soriano, sign to be Mariano’s set up man, must have been a little unnerving for him too. Soriano may have been over paid for the next three years but I don’t think Papelbon wants to be someone else’s set up man anytime soon. If the market wasn’t there for Soriano, what do you think the future holds for Papelbon? We will find out soon enough, won’t we?

Do I think Papelbon is ready to take on the challenges of this year?  Yes I do. Do I think that somewhere in the back of his mind that this drains on him too? Again, I answer yes.

Good luck this year Jonathan, a “Nation” lays it lonely eyes upon you. I know I do.