Chuck HPaps to NY?.... I Love it!
June 22nd 2009 14:18
It would go a little something like this as Johnny Paps first opened the gates of the bullpen in Yankee Stadium and walked toward the mound to save his first game as a Yankee. A little 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins with a little customization by Paps…
“I can feel it…. coming in the air tonight…boom-boom-boom…New York!..…boom-boom-----boom-boom… Well I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life…boom-boom-boom…New York! (followed by that great drum sequence that completes that great Phil Collins song)
Maybe I’m a little bit different than a lot of people, because I would absolutely love it if that happened--if he doesn’t stay here in Boston. Don’t get me wrong, I love Papelbon as a closer and I'd love him to remain in Boston. He has everything you want--the guts, the energy, the confidence and the flat out ability that it takes to be able to close games at the major league level. He is the best right now at what he does. He should continue to be the best for a while. However, that doesn’t mean he re-signs with the Red Sox.
I am of the opinion that the Red Sox are going to go really hard after Jason Bay in this offseason. I think Bay has proven to be a guy that thrives under the big city lights of Boston and he's also an everyday player. He has thrived under the pressure and actually lifted his game in the big moments of the past year or so he’s been here. It’s going to take a lot of money to re-sign him though. I guarantee you that the Yankees will go after him hard--especially with Johnny Jesus in the last year of his contract in New York. Little Steinbrenner would love to take Bay away from Beantown and I don’t blame him. The question is, will the Red Sox allow it to happen? I say that they won’t. I say that they probably will end up in a bidding war and will probably overpay for Bay’s services, but to me, it’s all worth it.
Which brings us to Papelbon.. Now he’s not up for free agency yet after 2009 but I believe he will be after the 2010 season. The decision to keep him might not have anything to do with having to spend a boat load of money to keep Jason Bay in Boston--or it might. I don’t do the financials over on Yawkey Way so I wouldn’t know. I don’t believe they are hard up for cash but take a look… With the emergence of flame thrower, Daniel Bard, and with the money that Papelbon is going to command in the open market (he already has said he wants to set the bar for closers) who’s to say that the Sox don’t entertain trades for him after this season or just flat out don’t re-sign him? The have drafted so well over the past bunch of years and now they have a kid like Bard knocking on the door, who won’t command nearly what Papelbon will command for years to come. This has been the biggest difference between New York and Boston over the past 5-8 years--the draft. Boston is deeper than deep right now in the farm. New York is barren. New York must replace free agents that leave, with other free agents for big money. Boston can slide in kids from the farm to fill certain spots on the roster that become vacated--and then spend money on free agents that they want at other spots.
If ‘Shippin Up To Boston’ boy leaves town, where would you want him to go, Boston fans? Would you want him to go to the place all pitchers go to die-- Texas? Would you want him to become a NY Met? A Blue Jay? An LA Angel? A Phillie? C’mon.. I want him in the city that never sleeps--the good ole Evil Empire. I want Johnny Paps center stage in the Bronx. I consider myself a baseball purist but I also love the entertainment/soap opera aspect of the game. Clemens coming back to Boston as a Yankee. Johnny Jesus Damon coming back to Boston as a Yankee. Nick Green leaving New York and discovering the Pesky Pole (ha.. ok, not quite on par with Damon or Clemens, but fun..) It’s great stuff and would make for some great theatrics. Bring it on.
(Thanks to Eric Kilby for that great pic of Paps after beating Rockies in WS '07)
Chuck Hanf
Two Cents From Beantown
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