On this the last night of August 2011, Jonathan Papelbon finished out a 9-5 Red Sox victory over the Yankees at Fenway Park. He faced the final three batters of the game and retired them in order.

In the month of August, Papelbon had a total of eleven outings, each an inning in length. He faced 35 batters and allowed only two to reach base, each by way of a single (on separate occasions). Of the 33 batters he set down, 12 were by way of strikeout. He walked no batters, he plunked no batters. No runs allowed, no extra-base hits allowed. Just the two singles. His last two outings he even stopped throwing balls. Really, he hasn't thrown a ball his last two outings--16 pitches, all strikes, not even a foul-off on a two-strike offering (four of the six batters struck out, each time on three pitches). For the month Papelbon has thrown 131 pitches for 101 strikes (77%).

I propose a toast. To Jonathan Papelbon's August 2011. May his September and October be every bit as dominant.

Cheers.