Tabloid takes shot at Papelbon

What more could you expect from a rag full of hacks?

Francona's the wimp here. His guys are the ones he believes. Papelbon should close. Pedroia should bat second. This Yankee stadium BS is for the birds

Type your comment here...Damn straight expect to hear some boos. This ungrateful redneck punk isn't even worthy of holding Rivera's jockstrap. He is a mediocre closer with a VERY BRIEF record of success. Perhaps people don't like it when arrogant, narcissistic punks like this guy talk out of school. Perhaps the News chose to focus on the comments about who he would pitch if he were manager, because they speak for themself! Ultimately he thinks he should close over Rivera. That is absurd, unless one is being disingenuous or is naive about baseball. Like it or not, this game is a spectacle, a showcase, and the star is Yankee Stadium and its occupants for the past 85 years. Mo deserves the appearance for that SECOND reason, too

Journalism at its finest right there...

And the Daily News is not alone in this.

New York City is pitiful ---just like its so called newspapers. What do you expect Paps to say? In the end he stated that Mariano should close...a fitting end to Yankee Stadium. Maybe Boston will christen the new stadium with some more playoff wins...that is if New York can ever get that deep into the postseason.

Francona has handled it all with class. Papelbon has a lot to learn. Besides, if you really wanted to split hairs, you could have K-Rod closing it out. Rivera in the 9th would be fitting, plus he's had a great statistical season so far.

The head scratcher is why did Papelbon open his mouth on this in the first place.

Only way he closes the game is if Mo starts the game, which would have been interesting to see for the fans. Last ASG at Yankee stadium and he's (Papel) gonna close? 1 word; No.

The legacy of Riveria, the greatest closer ever and one of the top 5 pitchers ever...at Yankee stadium, his home stadium for all of his playing career, in front of his fans...and Papelbon comes in b/c his team won the WS? Please, stop the madness.

One thing came from this and I was glad to see/read that Papelbon retracted his comments. I know he wants to get paid like Mo, he wants to close the game like Mo, but he's not Mo. Down the line, who knows. Many thought Foulke was going to be the next guy, and Keith is playing ball in Oakland and never really turned it around, whether it was injuries, his attitude with the Boston Media (pick your poison). He had his moment, the stage grew dark, yet Rivera still has the spotlight on himself.

Mariano Rivera, often imitated, never duplicated.

Remember that.

Look at the source!! The NY Daily News is a rag, seconded only by the NY Post. If Papelbon were to say "I don't like the White Sox", the News or Post would write "I don't like the Sox" and say that he is blasting his teammates. Unfortunately, people read this in NY and get fired up. Let them boo Papelbon and the Sox tonight, as homefield advantage in the World Series doesn't make a difference to the Yankees this year as they will be off playing golf.

Wow...that's a large headline for someone who retracted his statement about wanting to close. Wouldn't Hamilton's performance in the HR Derby be bigger news? I guess it wouldn't stir up enough controversy for a rag like the Daily News to be the top story on the back page...

John Pap , You truly are an idiot. You retract your earlier statements (which were very foolish) and talk as if the closing of this game was ever "yours" to give away. Try at least NOT blowing a save as Mr. Rivera has impressively done before you talk about who should do what. Players like you make it extremely difficult to respect your team when you keep proving just how little you deserve it. At least try to "act" like a champion.

Why would the 5th best reliever in the AL get the ball in th 9th anyway? Mo is having a much better season and is perfect in saves this year, it's a no brainer that Mo gets the ball. Papelbon shouldn't even pitch since he's the low man on the totem pole...

My take is that while it's not surprising a tabloid (of NY no less) blew something totally out of proportion and made a story out of no story, why did Papelbon have to comment on it in the first place? I don't know how the topic came up or if any reporter baited him, but he needs some humble pie and realize that among all star relievers he is only better than the guy from Baltimore, in terms of ERA. He should spend more time on getting his splitter back, less on making cover stories unnecessarily, or "setting the bar" for future closers while he is not even arbitration eligible. He still has some maturing to do and I just hope he will learn a lesson and try to be confident without being perceived as arrogant.

What's even more ridiculous is the Yankee fans booing the Red Sox players, because of this BS story. Even so, why would you boo players on the AL side of the game? Don't they want to win? There seems to be no logic there, at least to me.

Cheer when they get a hit, or bring runs in, but boo when they come up...

Why do you A-Holes always look at people from boston and trash them for that reason, Papelbon said that he admired Rivera and respected him. Try listening to the whole story first dumass F-in New Yorkers

P.S.
Yankees Suck

Papelbon said they both earned the right to close, and that "everybody thinks it's a cut-and-dry answer, but it's not." Sorry dance man, not even close. Only Rivera earned the right to close in the last All-Star Game to be played at Yankee Stadium. To suggest otherwise shows that Papelbon doesn't recognize the significance of the event, nor the significance of Rivera's accomplishments. Not to mention the fact that Rivera is having a better year. All things considered, I think that Yankee fans and the NY media showed remarkable restraint.

As the All-Star Game went 15 innings.......We all know how this "came down"......Papelbon managed to "blow this game", after Justin Morneau scored the tying run the Previous inning........Mariano shut the door, pitching 1 1/3 innings of hitless ball......
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS.......Scott Kazmir gets the Win with the Final American League Rally versus a guy with an even WORSE track record than Papelbon.......the Phillies' Closer......and former Houston "Closer", Brad Lidge!!