If you've read here more than once, it's obvious I have great man love for Jonathan Papelbon. Anybody who can look like an ax murderer while on the mound and act like the 4th Stooge off it has a special place in my demented heart.Without a doubt he's one of the best closers in the game; problem is, he REALIZES this and has thrown a monkey wrench into my fantasy that being a member of the Red Sox is baseball Nirvana.
Turns out, Pap wants to get paid. And while I'm in full agreement of this and would do it in a heartbeat, sadly, I'm not John Henry. I'm just some crazed fan in need of shock therapy.
Nobody would deny that our closer, who has been known to go pantsless, wear a beer box on his head, and use something you'd find in the womens section at the local Belks for a top is one of the best closers in the game. And I'm fairly certain we'd all agree he should be paid as such.
Problem is, due to the rules of the game, he doesn't HAVE to be. Not yet, anyway. Because he doesn't have enough Major League time put in, the Red Sox can basically tell him what he's getting paid, and he's got no say in the matter. Next season he's arbitration eliglible, but he'll still be a long way from setting his price.
Don't get me wrong; I'm a firm believer in these guys making as much as they can as fast as they can. There aren't people lining up to watch me sell furniture, or buy one of my t-shirts. Fact is, these athletes are one breaking ball or one freaky slide into 2nd away from being yesterday's news. Pap is just caught in between right now.
I hope management does the right thing, but knowing how they've addressed stuff in the past, I'm not gonna hold my breath. All I know for sure is this: Pap WILL be on the mound this season, throwing gas and acting a fool.
And right now? That's good enough for me.
I had a great night tonight; played miniature golf, Madagascar style, with Rakes on the PS2, and we spent an hour laughing like idiots at the fact we couldn't get the ball up this one hill. I'm pretty sure it took us 47 strokes to get it in, but we had a ball doing it.
Not a bad way to end the day.
9 comments:
\\we couldn't get the ball up this one hill. I'm pretty sure it took us 47 strokes to get it in, but we had a ball doing it.//
no pun intended Im sure :)
Ive been busy the past two days...Im assuming Paps has publically made statements? I hate it when they do stuff like that
No pun intended, Tex. ;)
Yeah, in the papers talking about wanting to get paid, etc..
Just part of the game.
YKW was not quite six years old when she came up with a very profound (to me) statement. She said that "Kids are like vitamins. They can make adults feel better." We were dealing with a young fella who was miserable and she was the one who got him to feel better.
I didn't know you sold T-shirts.
T-shirts, hats, key chains...
I'm looking for anywhere I can make a buck, Edge. ;)
YKW is wise beyond her years.
Ted,
If you ever sell a t-shirt with a picture of the boys smacking you over the head with their plastic light sabers...I'll take two!!!!!
Glad you had a great day!!! You deserve it.
As for Paps...well I would not worry about it..he's just starting to add feathers to his bed.
As long as he produces, the front office will supply him with a ton of moola that he can stuff in his mattress.
It is a shame that players aren't paid based on performance or what they're actually worth. If it were up to me, Paps would be getting $8 mil a year, and JD Drew $1 mil.
Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. I don't mind Paps going to the press about it, it's still rather new I don't think it's become to the point of obnoxious yet, I just hope it doesn't anger him to the point where he demands a trade and start becoming un-Paps-like. Sadly, it's money that takes the fun out of everything.
I just posted a discussion about this in the forum yesterday. I won'r argue that Jon hasn't pitched his tail off & maybe ought to make a little more cash to show for it. On the other hand, I am not so much liking the tooting of his own horn. He is a great closer, but hearing him compare himself to Mariano is a little much for me. Mo may play for Satan's Minions but he has earned the respect he is given by doing it for years. With only two years under his belt, it just doesn't sit right with me that Jon is declaring himself at the top of his position. I guess I like my players just a bit more humble than proclaiming their own greatness. (And I don't mean the way Pedroia just does it to have his jaw wagging with smack talk. I am thinking Mr Papelbon is being quite serious in his statements.)
JMP, if I ever start a merchandise arm of RSD, you're one of the first customers.
Stephen, seems like there is a big debate about this on the internets. I personally think they should pony up with a better deal, not necessarily the biggest deal. Pap is at least 3 or 4 years away from free agency so this is really a mountain getting made out of a molehill.
Dawn, the only problem I've got with Pap in this is the Rivera comparison; you're 100% right. He's been great for 2 years; Rivera's been great for 15 or so. But I DO think he should be paid more than he's getting, based on, like Stephen said, performance.
My opinion: you sign, you play until your contract is up. Those are the rules. We don't get to hold out for higher commission rates. Play, and get paid when it's time.
I have no doubt he will be shown the money.
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