Thursday, March 22, 2007

PAPELBON TO CLOSE!!!!!

I knew the Red Sox would do this sooner rather than later. Read my last post. From this morning. Or the one two months ago!! A smarter move has never been done. Why?
If you wanted the Red Sox to finish higher than third, you should have realized this was an easy decision. And I've been saying this since winter started losing its grip. The most important thing is this...the Red Sox just saved the 2007 season.

Read on.................and this makes the Boston Red Sox the best team in baseball!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Paps: I want to close the rest of my career."

"Jonathan Papelbon and Terry Francona confirmed this afternoon that the club is abandoning the experiment to convert him to a starter and that he will continue as the team's closer.
Papelbon, despite his public declarations of embracing the role of starter, said he hasn't been able to sleep this spring because he wanted to close and finally told Francona of his desire on the field prior to Tuesday night's exhibition game.
"I walked into Tito's office and said, 'If you want to give me the ball in the ninth, I want it,'" Papelbon said today.
Francona, who had spent a fair amount of time publicly disparaging the notion that Papelbon would start, acknowledged yesterday that the idea has been percolating for some time, so the team was ready to adjust on the fly. Julian Tavarez becomes the fifth starter, with Tim Wakefield sliding into the No. 4 hole.
Papelbon said he told team captain Jason Varitek of his desire to close before speaking with the manager, and also consulted his family. His parents were in Clearwater to watch him pitch three innings today.
Both Papelbon and Francona insisted that Papelbon had done so well strengthening his shoulder that the medical reasons for making him a starter have been allayed. Francona did say he would have to closely monitor Papelbon's workload to protect against overuse. He said last August, Papelbon threw more pitches than anyone in the big leagues."

There! Thank you. Now we have a chance................a chance to compete............there was NO other way to save 2007!!!!!

Oh, scroll down JUST a little and read my last post from this morning......he is our closer....FOREVER!!!!!

6 Comments:

At 3/22/2007 7:25 PM, Blogger laura said...

I'm just hoping his shoulder holds up. I know he said it was okay...but I am a worrier, I guess. I don't want anymore end-of-the-season collapses!

 
At 3/23/2007 1:52 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

 
At 3/23/2007 1:52 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

 
At 3/23/2007 6:24 AM, Blogger HorshamScouse said...

It's really over the top to say that the season is saved because of this decision. This is a team, with great starting pitching, a great offense, potentially good defense and a bullpen a lot of teams would be more than happy with.
They'll win as a team, not because of one player

 
At 3/23/2007 7:05 AM, Blogger Peter N said...

I cannot stress the importance of a closer, John. Indeed, they'll win with a team effort. But it all comes down to one guy in the ninth inning, and if it wasn't Paps, they would have been doomed. So in that sense, it IS one guy.

 
At 3/23/2007 7:06 AM, Blogger Peter N said...

Oh, and John, hello there. Nice to see you!

 

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