Phillies sign Papelbon

[iortiz]

The great one do. Do you think the Yankees would be as good as they are year in and year out had they not had Rivera? They wouldn't have.

 

Some will tell you that he is not Mo, and certainly he is not, BUT who the hell is better projected than him for the next 4 years, these days?. Regardless he has proved the he can handle the pressure in Boston and consistently shut down games in the AL EAST. What I like the most about the guy is that he has the balls for the job (needed in a closer) and I never heard him complaining or making an excuse/easy way out when he shitted the bed.

 

Hell, he is a 2.33 ERA closer after seven seasons averaging 60 IP +.

[Kimmi]

Yes you can. If the guys you let get away perform welland the guys you sign suck' date=' you have it both ways.[/quote']

 

Think about the guys that Theo let "get away" who signed big contracts with other teams? How many of them have have been worth the amount that they've been signed for? It's too early to tell with with the more recent guys, but one good year does not cut it. It's usually not the first 2 or 3 years of the contract that will burn you, it's the last couple.

[T_Bone]

Hey-no problem this year with the pen. Bard can close.

 

AND JENKS WILL BE THE NEW SETUP MAN...hahahaha

 

 

 

 

How many boards are you making a total idiot of yourself on?

[User Name]

The great one do. Do you think the Yankees would be as good as they are year in and year out had they not had Rivera? They wouldn't have.

 

Yet they never gave Rivera four-year security with an easily vesting option. Passion killing logic.

 

Joe Nathan was great. Much better track record than Papelbon, then he blew up his elbow and became a sunk cost for two years. Not atypical of relievers.

[User Name]

Some will tell you that he is not Mo' date=' and certainly he is not, [b']BUT[/b] who the hell is better projected than him for the next 4 years, these days?. Regardless he has proved the he can handle the pressure in Boston and consistently shut down games in the AL EAST. What I like the most about the guy is that he has the balls for the job (needed in a closer) and I never heard him complaining or making an excuse/easy way out when he shitted the bed.

 

Hell, he is a 2.33 ERA closer after seven seasons averaging 60 IP +.

 

What i don't understand is how you can so easily throw the evidence of relievers flaming out on contracts under the table, while complaining of stupid contracts, while asking the Red Sox to to give a reliever a long-term, stupid contract.

 

The continuous murder of logic here is killing me.

 

If the Red Sox are going to stop handing out overpriced, overly extended contracts, they had to start somewhere.

[FredLynn]

How many boards are you making a total idiot of yourself on?

 

Two less than you

[jung]

If the Red Sox are going to stop handing out overpriced, overly extended contracts, they had to start somewhere.

 

And they had to start this year.

[FredLynn]

What i don't understand is how you can so easily throw the evidence of relievers flaming out on contracts under the table, while complaining of stupid contracts, while asking the Red Sox to to give a reliever a long-term, stupid contract.

 

The continuous murder of logic here is killing me.

 

If the Red Sox are going to stop handing out overpriced, overly extended contracts, they had to start somewhere.

 

Bingo! Its time to start the rebuilding process, and you don't do that with long expensive contracts for relief pitchers. Papelbon would have been a good option for fewer years, but four years at $50M? Thats a mistake I am glad we didn't make. Time to give Bard a chance to prove what he can do.

[Elktonnick]

Bingo! Its time to start the rebuilding process' date=' and you don't do that with long expensive contracts for relief pitchers. Papelbon would have been a good option for fewer years, but four years at $50M? Thats a mistake I am glad we didn't make. Time to give Bard a chance to prove what he can do.[/quote']

 

Whether Bard is the closer or not there are plenty of closers out on the market so this is as good a year as any to start the transition. Hey I don't think Bard has the temperment to close but what the heck there is enough fail safe out there. Pick up one on the market let them have a go.

[FredLynn]

Whether Bard is the closer or not there are plenty of closers out on the market so this is as good a year as any to start the transition. Hey I don't think Bard has the temperment to close but what the heck there is enough fail safe out there. Pick up one on the market let them have a go.

 

Bard deserves a shot at closing IMO. He certainly has the stuff to do it with two excellent pitches, a FB and a slider. Others are fine too as long as the money and contract length are right

[Elktonnick]

Bard deserves a shot at closing IMO. He certainly has the stuff to do it with two excellent pitches' date=' a FB and a slider. Others are fine too as long as the money and contract length are right[/quote']

 

Oh he'll get his shot at it.

[a700hitter]

A good' date=' consistent closer can be found for a lot less money.[/quote']Bard should be good, maybe even very good, but he will not be papelbon, and we will not have a great 8th inning guy. Locking down the 8th and 9th inning was a tremendous luxury that we will all miss.

[SoxSport]

Bard deserves a shot at closing IMO. He certainly has the stuff to do it with two excellent pitches' date=' a FB and a slider. Others are fine too as long as the money and contract length are right[/quote']

 

Absolutely. It could have been in the cards all along.

 

You have to watch what the Red Sox do, not what they say.

 

The next step is what they do with Papi, as opposed to what they say.

 

Jenks probably figures in there as well, probably setup. They have a chunk of money invested in him.

[a700hitter]

 

Yes. Papelbon left. Yes. That sucks. No, he's not worth $50mm over 4 years.

 

Yes leaving a big hole in the bullpen that will be very hard to fill. I don't care what he was worth because I don't pay him, but we'd have gotten more value from him over the next 4 years than we will get from Lackey or for the $104 million for the Japanese treasure. Seriously, no one batted an eyelash here as they shelled out $104 million for a little chubbie guy that never pitched in the major leagues and who couldn't throw very hard, but Papelbon is definitely not worth 4yrs %50 million.

[a700hitter]

Some will tell you that he is not Mo' date=' and certainly he is not, [b']BUT[/b] who the hell is better projected than him for the next 4 years, these days?. Regardless he has proved the he can handle the pressure in Boston and consistently shut down games in the AL EAST. What I like the most about the guy is that he has the balls for the job (needed in a closer) and I never heard him complaining or making an excuse/easy way out when he shitted the bed.

 

Hell, he is a 2.33 ERA closer after seven seasons averaging 60 IP +.

You said it best. Papelbon drives on the same highway as Rivera.

[a700hitter]

Think about the guys that Theo let "get away" who signed big contracts with other teams? How many of them have have been worth the amount that they've been signed for? It's too early to tell with with the more recent guys' date=' but one good year does not cut it. It's usually not the first 2 or 3 years of the contract that will burn you, it's the last couple.[/quote']Damon was pretty good for the length of his contract with the Yankees. He was and still is an offensive catalyst. He helped the arch rival win their only Championship in 10 years.

[a700hitter]

I love it that people would like to get Heath Bell and give him 3 years, but they agree with Papelbon leaving. Bell is 34 and Papelbon is 30. The math doesn't add up.

[WhiskeyBreath]

I love it that people would like to get Heath Bell and give him 3 years' date=' but they agree with Papelbon leaving. Bell is 34 and Papelbon is 30. The math doesn't add up.[/quote']

 

Add in the fact that Papelbon was dominating in the AL East in this particular market while Bell was out in the NL West pitching for the Padres.

[mvp 78]

I don't know why you're all worried. Craig Hanson is our future closer. We got this s*** on lockdown...

[iortiz]

What i don't understand is how you can so easily throw the evidence of relievers flaming out on contracts under the table, while complaining of stupid contracts, while asking the Red Sox to to give a reliever a long-term, stupid contract.

 

The continuous murder of logic here is killing me.

 

If the Red Sox are going to stop handing out overpriced, overly extended contracts, they had to start somewhere.

 

What continues murdering the logic is that you don't understand and probably will never understand the fact, that Papelbon is not one of those relievers that you just suggested or one of those Theo's FA busts. Again, he is a proved and successful closer in the AL East in one of the most complicated evioremnts to play the game; and again, as a closer with all that it represents.

 

IMO, the closer spot has evolved a lot in baseball and mostly in the last decade. This is not the case for DHs. Closers are no longer commodities (DHs are becoming) but specialities; don't believe me? How many closers are out there like Papelbon? I wouldn't count not even a handful. Teams that want to run as contenders these days and in the coming future, must have an elite closer, since the league is turning more and more competitive and they could mark the difference between winning or lossing rings. I wouldn't be surprise if setup guys become specialities as well in the near future. But That's me.

 

Yes, stop overpriced and extended contracts but not in your ace in the BP.

[iortiz]

Bard is not even close to be ready for the shut down job. Maybe It would take him two or maybe three years and become something close to Papelbon, but today he is not ready, let's face it.

[YAZMAN]

I don't know why you're all worried. Craig Hanson is our future closer. We got this s*** on lockdown...

 

Anybody pick up Hansen after the Pirates released him?

[YAZMAN]

I got you Yaz. You mean this one?

 

[table]Topic|Team|Content

Prospect|Yankees|The player in question is made of 150% pure awesomeness. Fear us.

Prospect|Sox|He could be good, but this is why he won't be.

Signing|Yankees|This is the missing piece. We'll win 160 games, and the umps will screw us out of 2.

Signing|Sox|Risky move, overpaid here, they'll regret this.

Injury|Yankees|They don't get hurt. Hypothetically, if they did, the recovery will be speedy with no impact to ability.

Injury|Sox|Everyone is a ticking time bomb. Once hurt, they'll never heal right.[/table]

Credit goes to ORS. I didn't make this chart. Absolutely brilliant.

 

This one was the the yin to #4's yang. Sox sign someone or let one of theirs go - they'll regret it.

[BornToRun]

Never again will I be able to post "Shipping Up To Boston" to gamethreads. We will miss you Pap, thanks for being the best dancer on the team and the best closer in Red Sox history.

[iortiz]

You said it best. Papelbon drives on the same highway as Rivera.

 

I truely believe that and more now since he will be surrounded by aces.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Never again will I be able to post "Shipping Up To Boston" to gamethreads. We will miss you Pap' date=' thanks for being the best dancer on the team and the best closer in Red Sox history.[/quote']

 

Change your avatar or I will end you.

[BornToRun]

Try me.

[redsoxrules]

Bard is not even close to be ready for the shut down job. Maybe It would take him two or maybe three years and become something close to Papelbon' date=' but today he is not ready, let's face it.[/quote']

 

 

 

Bard's numbers are pretty amazing so far since he's turned pro.

 

2.88 ERA, 1.05 WHIP 9.7 K/9

 

Bard would give you very darn close to what Papelbon has been giving us .

the only thing that sucks , if Bard is the closer , there's no set up man anymore

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Bard is not even close to be ready for the shut down job. Maybe It would take him two or maybe three years and become something close to Papelbon' date=' but today he is not ready, let's face it.[/quote']

 

I wouldn't say that... I'm betting people said the same when Papelbon moved from starter to closer. Papelbon was kind of just thrown into the closers role out of nowhere and look how he turned out. I wouldn't be surprised if Bard turned out just as good.

 

I say for now it should be Bard's job to lose. Jenks should come back healthy and could be a decent set up guy, Bard should start the year closing. Get some other middle reliever/relievers. If Bard fails, there is other options.

[iortiz]

I wouldn't say that... I'm betting people said the same when Papelbon moved from starter to closer. Papelbon was kind of just thrown into the closers role out of nowhere and look how he turned out. I wouldn't be surprised if Bard turned out just as good.

 

I say for now it should be Bard's job to lose. Jenks should come back healthy and could be a decent set up guy, Bard should start the year closing. Get some other middle reliever/relievers. If Bard fails, there is other options.

 

I'm not saying that Bard is likely our next elite closer. I want to believe that he will be. But I don't think that he is ready yet.

 

That's just my perception. I really wish I'm wrong.

 

We'll see.