Red Sox should bring back Jonathan Papelbon
Rumors are swirling that the Red Sox may be in the mix for the released Jonathan Papelbon. They need to find a way to get him to Boston.
I’m not saying I want to see that ugly Irish jig again, but I am saying that I want to see Jonathan Papelbon in a Red Sox uniform one more time.
After the Washington Nationals decided to make a move for a new closer in Mark Melancon, Papelbon was a bit lost in the shuffle and asked for his release. His wish was granted last Saturday, and he is now free to sign anywhere he chooses. Boston has to seriously consider signing him, and all indications are that they are. Dave Dombrowski confirmed that earlier this week and said the situation is “worth looking into”.
I know that some fans are turned off by his hot-shot, frat boy attitude at times, but I want to see a reunion between the Sox and the Boston’s all-time saves leader. WEEI’s Rob Bradford confirmed through a source that Papelbon was interested in returning to Fenway. He clearly wants to play for a contender, and while the Red Sox are definitely in the hunt, there could be an even better opportunity for Papelbon.
Another report from WEEI came from John Tomase who claims that Pap is drawing “strong interest” from around the league, and he will decide very soon about where he is signing.
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This is a guy who understands Boston and the fans, has a passion for pitching in front of a ravenous crowd and isn’t intimidated by “the moment”. If anything, he thrives on it. In my opinion, his bulldog attitude would be welcome in the Red Sox clubhouse and bullpen. They don’t have a ton of characters like that on this team. Anyone turned off by some of his antics or that little incident with Bryce Harper last season (I’m looking at you Brandon Nickel) needs to realize this will be a whole new situation for Papelbon. He would be coming on to a squad that is already built and pushing for the playoffs. I’m not sure that he would try to rock that boat. He clearly didn’t fit in with the Nationals.
The Sox don’t have a clue what they’re going to get from Koji Uehara going forward, and Junichi Tazawa has had a history of breaking down toward the end of the season. Even Craig Kimbrel and recently acquired Brad Ziegler have had their share of hiccups. Boston could certainly use some insurance in the pen.
I’m not delusional – I know that he’s not the same guy that left Boston for more money five years ago. In fact, take a look at this from ESPNBoston:
“According to FanGraphs.com, Papelbon’s average fastball velocity has declined steadily over the past few years, from 95.0 mph in 2011 to 93.8 in 2012, 92 in 2013, 91.3 in 2014 and 90.9 this season. Likewise, his strikeouts per nine innings have fallen from 12.17 in 2011 to 8.32 in 2013 to 7.97 this season.”
Yes, that’s not a good trend. However, while his ERA is up to 4.37, he did in fact save 19 of 22 games for the Nats when he was in the closer role. He has experience and an understanding of what it takes to get it done at a high level. And if it doesn’t work out in Boston, where is the harm? Washington is responsible for the rest of his salary, and the Red Sox are back to the guys they had in the first place.
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More experienced and ready bodies in a bullpen that has been overworked and inconsistent all season long seems like a no-brainer to me. So, Dave Dombrowski … get it done! Bring back that party animal that we all (sort of) loved at one time. I would love to see Pap and Big Papi celebrating once more!