Leave it to Jonathan Papelbon to find the one idea sillier than the one posited about Mariano Rivera starting the All-Star Game last week. During a media session today, Papelbon told reporters that, if the American League is winning come the ninth inning, he should be the one to close the game out. "If I was managing the team, I would close. ... But I'm not managing the team," he said today.
Sam Borden and some of the other writers there asked Papelbon whether Mariano Rivera had earned the right to close.
"I think we both earned that right." he said
If Rivera were just on the All-Star team as a courtesy because of his long career, I'd agree with Papelbon. He has earned the right to close an All-Star game. He's on the team, after all and there's nothing wrong with wanting to close. But he picked the wrong year to make his argument.After acknowleding Rivera's status, he said he earned the right to close by winning the World Series last season.
Rivera isn't just on the team, he's having as good a season as any in his career. Furthermore, his competition is with Joe Nathan and Francisco Rodriguez for best closer in the AL. Papelbon is having a good year but he's not in the same ballpark as the other three guys. Throw in where the game is and Rivera's entire career and you've got yourself your closer.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I cant believe papelbon thinks he even belongs on the same field as mariano rivera, he needs to grow up and smell the roses. he can't touch what mariano has done and has meant to his team over the last decade, and probably never will. lol what a joke....
You are the joke my friend. At least Papelbon has NOT BLOWN the ALCS.
By the way lest you forget or are too stupid to count there are 7 Red Sox ALL Stars so it's obvious who the favorite team is.
I cant believe papelbon thinks he even belongs on the same field as mariano rivera, he needs to grow up and smell the roses. he can't touch what mariano has done and has meant to his team over the last decade, and probably never will. lol what a joke....
Papelbon should just shut up. You already mentioned K-Rod and Nathan, but Joakim Soria is also a step above Papelbon.
So, these comments agree that there are better AL closer options than Paps AND Rivera, yet Mariano should still be closing? Why? Because its Yankee stadium? In case you haven't noticed there is more riding on this game than a final farewell to the stadium. In the 9th inning you put the best closer at hand to finish out the game. If we're going to rank who's better right now, then Paps and Mo aren't in this conversation. Although, Paps has more saves and, yes, he did close out the WS. Home field advantage in the WS is riding on the game so let's not try to create a feel good story by not selecting the BEST option to close.
I don't know where you're getting this crap from.
From Boston.com:
NEW YORK -- Jonathan Papelbon spent much of the 50-minute long media interview session with the AL All-Stars answering questions about who he thought should close tomorrow night's game.
He said that he'd love to close the game -- he wouldn't be who he is if he didn't feel that way -- but that he understood it would not be an easy call, since the game is in Yankee Stadium and Mariano Rivera is not only a hometown favorite, but maybe the greatest closer in the game. Papelbon said he'd talked it over with manager Terry Francona a couple of days ago, but that Francona had not made a final decision.
But after the interview sessions were over, Papelbon pulled a reporter aside outside of the hotel ballroom in the Grand Hyatt and said that he had something more to say.
Papelbon took the reporter's tape recorder, held it to his mouth like a microphone, and said: "This is Jonathan Papelbon, closer of the Boston Red Sox. Mariano Rivera will be closing the 2008 All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium.
"I'm making a statement right now, saying I don't want it, I want him to have it. I said all that earlier, but that's the way I feel about it.''
Jonathan Papelbon should be the closer of the All Star game in Yankee Stadium instead of Mariano Rivera? Jonathan have you have smoking funny cigarettes?
With Punklebon's comments, no wonder MLB should be drug testing.
This is a totally phony issue.
Typical media garbage.
Typical FanHouse garbage.
Nobody is fooled by these types of phony issues.
Please find a real job.
This is not information. It's not entertainment. It's garbage.
Read the article people.......You Yankee lovers are blowing it all out of proportion.......READ IT.......Jonathan Papalbon would always love to close.......always.........Do you want him to lie and say he wouldn't want to? When he first started to be the closer he said his dream was to one day be as great as Mariano.......So please don't try and make this into something it is not........
Papelbon not only looks stupid --- his comment just re-inforces that perception. Mariano is what? 1.00 er lower than the noodlehead and has only one blown save compared to how many Beantown Jon has coughed up. Get real.
Rivera has had, and is still having, one of the most remarkable careers in Major League Baseball history. I don't care if he ends his career by blowing Game 7 in the 2008 World Series. I remember a time when, if you saw Rivera walking to the mound, you knew the game was over, How many times have Yankee fans at home just sat and begged and implored Torres to bring him in in the 8th ining.....like..."DON'T WAIT! DUMBO!!!" Possibly the best closer of all time.
who gives a rats ass who starts or who closes or who even plays. this is just another nit wit idea by these nit wit bloggers.its an exhibition game. the game has no meaning on who wins or who loses
As a baseball fan Mariano should get it based on the way most players got in over the years,Tenure, Class, Stats.
But let it happen.
If it doesnt happen it doesnt happen.
Paps deserves it based on Stats, Class, Tenure.
True Mariano is 23 of 23 but Paps is better this year.
He dominates.
As a player & a fan It really sucks that reporters try to force a manager to tell us ahead of time who the friggin stopper is.
I think ballplayers should start there own @$%$$ web site where they evaluate announcers & reporters on how well they
do their own #$%%$ job. And every time a reporter gets a DWI, hits their spouse or fucks Madonna their picture should be posted on a web site.
As a Mets fan I want to see the Yankees announcer on this list for putting his friginn fingers in pastry & pie.
(As disclosed on WFAN)
Its friggin discusting!!!!!!!!!!!
Again I am a Met & a big Wagner fan but if Lidge gets the nod
I will not cry like a bitch.
The press did it again.made a BIG deal out of nothing. Manager will decide based on hitters, weather, fatigue etc. Got me to.
Just because this happens to be at Yankee Stadium does not mean it has to be ALL ABOUT the Yankee team or their genetically challenged fans. The true fans and better players will stand out amongst the "mob". No class, No intelligence, No Idea just how stupid they are coming off on National TV.
sad really....
Oh, so big of you to concede the role of closer to Mariano, Papelbon. "He can have it"- That's just so sweet.
Jonathan Papelbon needs to shut his big, fat, arrogant mouth.
If Mo got the nod to close for sentimental reasons only, despite mediocre numbers, then I could understand Papelbon being upset.
But guess what?
Mariano's having one of the best years of his incredible career, and Papelbon's numbers this season don't even come close.
A perfect 23 for 23 in save opportunities, compared to Papelbon's 28 for 32. Papelbum's 4 blown saves are second in the A.L. ADVANTAGE: Mo
Papelbon's ERA is also more than double that of Mariano. Mr. Big Mouth has pitched less innings and given up more hits, runs, and walks. And he doesn't hold a candle to the Yankees closer when it comes to class, dignity, and respect.
You don't deserve it, Jon. In fact, you're about third or fourth on the list of deserving closers.
The greatest closer of all time was on the mound in the 9th inning at Yankee Stadium, cleaning up Papelbon's mess. And all was right with the world.
Papelbon's mess? Are you kidding? Sure he gave up an UNearned run, yes unearned, but he struck out two batters. If I'm not mistaken, striking out two batters in an inning is a pretty good job. Especially when you've got those idiot Yankee fans all shouting "overrated" at him and he's on the same team as their precious Yanks. Seriously...
Oh and this came straight from Pap's mouth in an interview:
"I've said from the very beginning, since two days ago, and talked to Tito about it, I said, 'I want Mariano to close.' I understand what it's about to pay your dues in this game and what it's about to put in your time," said Papelbon. "If you were to ask me, of course I wanted to close. That's my competitive nature. I'm not going to back down from anything. That's not what the ... [newspaper] said. It was an easy headline for that [newspaper].
"That was an easy headline for that [paper] to say, 'Yeah, Papelbon said he wants to close.' Yeah, of course I do," said Papelbon. "That's my competitive nature. But I'm stepping away and saying I don't need to close