Laundry Without Blood Nor Sox, Oct. 12: That! Just! Happened!

by Randy Booth on Oct 12, 2009 5:01 AM EDT in Daily Links

It's been a few hours. Is everyone feeling a little bit better?

I hope so. Go have a good breakfast, drink your OJ and snuggle up next to the computer. Let's get linkalicious, baby!

Will Jonathan Papelbon be wearing a Red Sox uniform in 2010? - Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

Trading an elite relief pitcher who just saved 38 games with a 1.85 ERA during the regular season would seem to be the type of reaction easily dismissed as a knee-jerk notion made in the heat of of a disappointing loss.

But the truth is that the idea has been quietly discussed by the members of Red Sox Nation for some time now. Papelbon still has two years of arbitration remaining before free agency and he was just awarded $6.25 million in 2009, a record for a pitcher. The thinking in New England circles is that GM Theo Epstein could command a decent trade package for Papelbon in the offseason and Billy Wagner could fill the 2010 closer's job at a cheaper rate.

Quick trigger finger is right. I don't think there's any chance that Papelbon is traded this offseason. If he's traded, it's probably in his last year of arbitration. I still don't think this talk should come up just because he blew game three. The guy had a really good season and he blew this game. No real reason to cut him loose now.

Theo's thoughts - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog

How long does something like this linger?
"It kind of always lingers. You find your mind going back to postseasons past and the last game. I still think about ’03. I still think about 2005 and last year. And now I’ll think about this. You don’t find yourself too often thinking about a Tuesday game against Seattle in April. Just as the times you win series, those stay in your memory bank, so do these. It’s part of life. It’s part of reality."

Theo shoots from the hip. His thoughts are the same as ours -- the Angels just played better. This was a good Red Sox team, but the Angels were better.

Full Count " Loss Will Fuel Papelbon

Papelbon said that he would leave behind the sting of defeat as soon as he left the clubhouse. He set to the task of packing his belongings for the winter after the game. Even so, the Sox closer admitted that he might make a point of replaying this game to drive himself in his preparations for the 2010 season.

"I don’t take anything home with me or take anything into the offseason with me," Papelbon said initially. "Although when you do go into the offseason after the season is over and it ends like it did today, definitely, definitely you remember those situations when you’re in the weight room in the offseason and when you’re getting ready to prepare. Who knows? I may be replaying this on the TV in my weight room in the offseason and give me a little motivation for next season."

I think this is just going to piss Papelbon off and he's going to come out like a banshee next season. A really pissed off, drunk, Louisiana-accented banshee.

Discussion: What's Next For The Red Sox?: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

The team has a few impending free agents, most notably outfielders Jason Bay and Rocco Baldelli. Billy Wagner will also hit the open market since the Sox have agreed not to exercise his $8MM option. Josh Beckett's $12.1MM option for 2010 has already vested, and you would think Victor Martinez's $7.7MM option is a no-brainer pickup. The team still has decide what to do with the options they hold for Jason Varitek, Alex Gonzalez, and Takashi Saito, though Varitek also has a player option that could keep him in, well, red socks next year regardless of what the club decides to do.

My straight-to-the-point predictions: Bay, Baldelli, V-Mart, Varitek and Gonzo will be back. Wagner and Saito will be gone. I might as well throw that out there. We'll have more analysis down the road on each player here on OTM.

Full Count " Bay Contemplates ‘Uneasy’ Future

"I’ve pretty much loved every minute of [playing in Boston]," [Jason Bay] continued. "I’ve been here for roughly a year and a half. The quickest year and a half I’ve ever had in the big leagues. That’s a good thing. … It’s been everything – the fans, the whole experience has been very, very positive. There isn’t really a lot of negatives that I can draw from being here, which makes it, once again, tough not knowing my situation and if I’ll have a chance to be back or not."

Speaking of bringing Bay back, this is how he feels. He loves Boston and seriously, don't we love him? OK, so not everyone loves him, but I'll say it: I have platonic love for Jason Bay. And I don't care if you all know it.

Red Sox Prospects | SoxProspects.com

Y'all ready to talk prospects this offseason?! I hope so!

Tweet Comment 25 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Oy

I woke up with the type of zit on my face that I was entitled to stop getting 20 years ago. I lost my bank card, and the world is just sucking. This all just seems of a piece. I’d congratulate the Angles fans on their finally getting over the hump but I somehow doubt that would be handled with any sort of graciousness as I’m sure you’re all familiar. Ugg. Can April start now? And if we were gonna lose couldn’t it have been to the benefit of some more deserving fan base? Like Cleveland? Whatevah.
Peace – I’m off to get caffeinated.

You can take the boy outta Boston, but you can't take the Boston outta the boy.

by B Cap on Oct 12, 2009 5:47 AM EDT reply actions

Well, I'll step up and accept your congratulations....

and I’ll say nothing else but Thank you.

by angelsfan777 on Oct 12, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Well I'll Be...

You’re welcome. Being that you’ve posted here you might be aware of the tensions between us and the Halos site run by Rev Halo fan…the level of vitriol is worse than Pinstripe alley for reasons that seem beyond rivalry or shit-talking. Anyway, nice to have you here and good luck with the rest of your season. Be funny if there was an all-LA WS…

You can take the boy outta Boston, but you can't take the Boston outta the boy.

by B Cap on Oct 12, 2009 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions

I'll tell you why...

Because most Halo fans are a-holes. And almost all on HH blog. Straight up i’m a Yankee fan but we east-coasters can get on each other and give and take it pretty good without bursting into tears and screaming for mommy. Not so with Angel fans — they need a nipple to suck on and they are just the worst. They’ve earned n-u-t-h-i-n-g in the history of the game and yet talk smack like they’re one of the powerhouses of baseball.

Ok — to be honest i can’t say i minded them beating you this weekend (after all i’m a Yankee fan) — but i can’t wait to just light them up with a couple of A-bombs just to shut them TF up. FYI — I live in SoCal and I will tell you that Sosh is a great manager and THE TEAM is actually made up of a great bunch of guys who play the game right. BUT THE FANS — geeez, its enough to make me root for you guys next time. (okay i take that back)

by rosebud on Oct 13, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Papelbon is our closer....period

  Until Bard is ready to step up into the closer role (and he is obviously NOT ready), Papelbon is still the man. But you have to ask yourself how will he bounce back? He has NEVER had this happen to him before. You can compare what happened to him to what happened to Rivera in ‘01 and ’04, but they are different personalities. Pap is much more emotional and is much younger than Rivera was.
  This may sound off the wall, but I hope this isn’t the beginning of his decline. I’m sure anyone who is old enough remembers what happened to Calvin Schiraldi after the ‘86 post season. He was never the same and his career quickly tanked. It’s going to be interesting to see Papelbon pitch in Anaheim next year.
  I still can’t believe it…..Two outs….nobody on base and a two run lead.

by 75bandwagon on Oct 12, 2009 6:14 AM EDT reply actions

and nobody better even think that Wagner will be our closer next year.

by 75bandwagon on Oct 12, 2009 6:15 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree with everything you said

And now I feel weird.

Goddamn that DeMarlo Hale.

by Bloggy on Oct 12, 2009 7:28 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Hey

I just wanted to apologize for my completely out of line tirade against you last night. I usually disagree with what you say (which is not a big deal), and it was a horrible day of baseball, and I let my emotions get to me. You in no way deserved that, so even if you don’t accept this apology, I wanted to get that one out there.

And while I usually disagree with you I agree about Wagner, Papelbon and Bard.

by Buzzy on Oct 12, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

no worries, bro

We were all feeling it yesterday.

by 75bandwagon on Oct 12, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrricky Booby

That! Just! Happened!

You’re welcome for sticking that in your head. :P

he’s going to come out like a banshee next season. A really pissed off, drunk, Louisiana-accented banshee.

And hopefully with a touch of humility. I’d like to see this experience have a positive impact on Paps and have him come back next year as the machine he once was.

Goddamn that DeMarlo Hale.

by Bloggy on Oct 12, 2009 7:38 AM EDT reply actions

Just wanted to say...

Classy post over on Halo’s Heaven Randy.

See you next year…

by Jietoh on Oct 12, 2009 10:45 AM EDT reply actions

Wagner

Letting Papelbon go and making Wagner our closer would not make much sense to me. Paps had a great year and had one bad postseason game. You cant even say he chokes in the post season because that is the first time he has ever given up a run in 27 innings. Letting go of such a young talent like him to put faith in Wagner who has a couple years left is not a good idea

by cnubsbl16 on Oct 12, 2009 11:19 AM EDT reply actions

But realistically Paps only has a couple years left as far as we're concerned.

We’re not about to pay him what he wants come FA.

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 12, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Yankee fan here

and let me open with I hate the Red Sox. And as such, I really hope you trade Paps because he is basically a complete lockdown option and those don’t pop up very often.

In other words, trading Paps just for one very public blown save would be terrific for me as a Yanks fan and a dumb move by your organization.

Stay strong Sox fans, the baseball needs our rivalry.

by GMan83201 on Oct 12, 2009 12:46 PM EDT reply actions

Trading Paps

would be stupid, but not so much for the reasons you state. Closers, even elite ones, are not usualy trade targets, and usually do not net a big value. The Sox should keep him till his contract rusn, then let him walk if he gets the overpriced contract he will demand. The will get a good pick or two back from that.

The point is that he is not that expensive and is still effective, so he should be kept until he forces the FO’s hand. At that point the Sox will get some value back. A great bullpen is important, but the difference between a very good a great closer is probably not as important as you think.

by Buzzy on Oct 12, 2009 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions

UNLESS we do get that rare deal where a dumb team makes a desperate move.

Which is why I say we shop him a little bit. Be quiet about it, but just let it be known we’re open to offers, in case someone decides to bowl us over.

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 12, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

sure. I agree

by Buzzy on Oct 12, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

On Papelbon being booed off the mound:

“Why would you boo one of the best closers in the game?” the Angels’ Torii Hunter asked. “Booing Papelbon was not the right thing to do. I’ve got so much respect for him and I think he’s one of the best closers in the game. That’s terrible, actually.”

I completely agree. I was absolutely disgusted with whatever fairweather, frontrunning Red Sox fans were at the game and took away tickets from real fans.

by UCLAClass82 on Oct 12, 2009 1:11 PM EDT reply actions

“Look at what he’s done in the playoffs, look at what he’s done during the season,” Jon Lester said. “[It wasn’t] even a bad outing, a team just beat him. I don’t really appreciate that for what he’s done for this city and what he’s brought to this team. If you’re [booing] based off one bad performance here, it’s just not right.”

Added Manny Delcarmen: “A little more respect for a guy like that, what he’s done here. I don’t think that was the right thing to do at the time.”

Great, now the players have a problem…

by UCLAClass82 on Oct 12, 2009 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions

It's not the right thing to do...

But I can’t blame them for going with the knee jerk reaction given what they’d just experienced. It’s always magnified when you’re actually there, and to watch it go from 1 out (1 strike?) away from a 2-run win to a 1-run loss…You gotta vent. Papelbon was the obvious target.

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 12, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions

You don't want to get booed...

don’t sh*t the bed. Seriously, right or wrong, it comes with being a professional athlete. Paps gave up 5 two-out runs (3 earned). That’s pathetic for a closer, no two ways around it. When Matzuzaka was booed earlier in the year, he said the fans should boo him because he sucked and wasn’t helping the team at that point, and those were just regular season games.

Couple of things to remember: This wasn’t just any old game, it was a playoff elimination game the Sox were winning, quite convincingly all things considered, at home. Secondly, fans are by nature a “what have you done for me now” group as opposed to a “body of work” group. And, let’s not forget that Paps had already opened his mouth about trying to get the most money, etc. earlier in the year and hardly looked all that dominant throughout the entire season to come off so arrogant.

I’m glad we have Paps but understand the booing. Can’t say one way or the other what I would’ve done if I were there. Also, I’m sure there are plenty of guys who are disappointed in Paps performance, but they’re obviously not going to say anything out of the importance of team unity and clubhouse chemistry.

by AJBlue7 on Oct 12, 2009 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions