The Red Sox’ team personality has become more boring during the past year or two. The most colorful players from their 2004 and 2007 championship seasons are gone. Their lineup includes mostly players who stick to business and don’t reveal much of their spontaneous, fun side within public view.
That’s why Red Sox fans should be relieved the team reached a contract agreement with stud closer Jonathan Papelbon last week.
Papelbon signed a one-year, $9.35 million contract, making him the seventh-highest paid closer in baseball. He’ll be eligible for free agency after 2011, and, Boston fans should enjoy him now because he’s likely to leave before or after that 2011 season.
Papelbon is argubly, the last (publicly) goofy, fun, spontaneous player left on the Red Sox. Though he wasn’t in the group of “Idiots” that won in 2004, he would have fit in nicely, and, he has, in a way, seemed sort of a tie to that crazy, special time in Red Sox history. I can easily imagine Papelbon doing those mini shots of Jack Daniels with Kevin Millar and others back in 2004.
Think of the colorful, entertaining players the Sox have lost: Manny Ramirez, in the middle of the 2008 season. Manny was anything but boring; he was an “electric” ballplayer who could hit almost any pitcher at any time – plus, his off-field behavior kept things interesting. Pedro Martinez was, in my view, the most exciting, compelling athlete to ever come through Boston – someone who expressed his individuality – in the moment – on and off the field. The departed also include Millar, a fun-loving, key, uniting force in the 2004 clubhouse, and Johnny Damon, who played with such enthusiasm. Then, there were the outspoken Curt Schilling, Derek Lowe and others.
On the team of current players who tend to spew predictable, cliched replies, Papelbon at least sprinkles in some surprising, humorous behavior. Once, in 2006, Papelbon cut his hair into a “Mohawk” modeled after Charlie Sheen’s “Wild Thing” character from Major League after losing a bet with teammate Kevin Youkilis. Papelbon began filling the “crazy, funny guy” role, in earnest, when, after the Red Sox won the 2007 ALDS, he began spontaneously dancing on the Fenway Park diamond – doing an Irish dance step – and the fans went crazy. Papelbon repeated the dance after the ACLS and World Series wins, and it all culminated with the closer partying in the “rolling rally” parade celebration through the streets of Boston. Papelbon was on a duckboat with the Dropkick Murphys band and he played air guitar, sang to the music, gestured to the crowd, and danced non-stop on that parade wherever the boats made a stop before the cheering fans. Papelbon, appeared to savor every minute of it – and the fans loved him for it. I had never seen any athlete in Boston throw so much energy into a public celebration of victory.
Papelbon’s ritual run in from the Sox bullpen at Fenway Park always triggers good feelings from the collective fans on hand. As the song “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys blares on Fenway speakers, everyone watches Papelbon, in his regular ritual, give a fistbump to the cop outside the bullpen and begin his fast jog into the pitcher’s mound. He goes into his familiar serious stare toward his catcher to get the sign and fires one blazing mid-to-upper 90s heater after another.
Usually, Papelbon doesn’t disappoint on the mound. Even last year, when he struggled with his control and had to endure some long saves, he often blew a fastball by the last hitter to nail the game down.
Papelbon’s pitching often looked different in 2009, partly because, in the first half of the year, he tried a new pitching motion that allowed him to use his legs more and preserve his arm. While the motion reduced a bit of wear and tear, Papelbon was a bit more inconsistent. Occasionally, he looked bad and some, including me, speculated about his arm condition. Nevertheless, he was still damned good – and, by the last part of the season, he looked very sharp and more like his old self. However, things fell apart for Papelbon in Game 3 of the ALDS, when he uncharacteristically, badly blew a save against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, ending the Sox’ season.
Papelbon must shed a few of his bad habits from 2009, when he allowed far more walks than usual and often threw too many pitches to get many of his saves. Papelbon sometimes had good movement on his heater, and, other times, uncharacteristically, lacked “giddyup.” He threw, surprisingly, many very hittable fastballs down the middle that were whacked around with the game in the balance.
Papelbon, in a radio interview on “98.5 – The Sports Hub” – last week, said he’s been working out and feeling eager to start the 2010 season. Papelbon has kept a videotape of his disastrous playoff outing that he watches repeatedly – for extra motivation – while he’s exercising.
Papelbon’s deal was reached just before he’d have gone to salary arbitration. He’s been content to work under one-year deals and also seems willing to head toward free agency after 2011, when he’d possibly demand a salary beyond what the Sox might want to pay him then, when he’d have less mileage left on his arm. Papelbon takes pride in being one of the game’s best closers. His hero is Yanks’ legend, Mariano Rivera. Some speculate that Papelbon may wind up on the Yankees someday.
It’s possible that 2010 may be Papelbon’s last in Boston. If not, I strongly doubt he’d return after becoming a free agent at the end of 2011.
I hope, before Papelbon leaves Boston, that I see him do one more Irish dance as he celebrates another championship.
