Papelbon: I don't want to play for Yankees

"Why would I want to leave?"

Money?
Never ask a rhetorical question that can be answered in one word.

This one was the media's fault. All Papelbon said was that if the Red Sox don't want to pay him and he becomes a free agent, he'll sign with another team. The Yankees are another MLB team, so it could conceivably be the Yankees. The stupid media, the Boston Globe included, spins it as a story that Papelbon's trying to go to the Yankees. It's stuff like this that makes the Globe deserve to go bankrupt, for being too lazy to report the actual comments in their correct context.

SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER BEHIND-THE-SCENE ILLEGAL CONTACT WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY FOR THE GREAT, OUTSTANDING, NEW YORK YANKEES. WHAT A FARCE!

Beep ..beep ..beep ...beep ...beep ...beep ..

That is the sound of the redneck pickup backing up ..

Give me a break. Different day, different words. He should be thankful for what he has.

Good Spin, Papelbon..... After all the "HEAT" your big mouth took today, that's some good spin.

Now, shut up and pitch while we groom Bard !!

Papelbon has always been and will always be all about the cash. Hopefully Bard pans out. This guy will be gone at the end of 2011 or sooner via trade

Just keep your mouth shut, Paps. You're spouting off more than Schilling...but at least he is intelligent.

I still don't know what anyone is upset about. The original quote read very clearly as "If the Red Sox don't want to resign me, I'll go with whatever team will", which is true for every player on the roster weather you like it or not.

Stoopid librul Globe and the rest of the media. I kan't weight for the Globe to go bankrupt so I kan spend more tyme looking at the Herold and waching Faux News.
Callahan wood never report somthing like this with out all the fakts.

Certain Posters: Who cares what Pap says? As long as he doesn't say anything detrimental to the team, all I care about is the W's he helps the Sox secure. It may be only a game to us fans, but it's also their job. Not everyone's going to take the home-team discount either.

Not to mention, he's the freakin' best closer the Sox have ever had! Think of the other closers we've suffered through. Schilling, Wake, Ugie-unhealthy-mentally-Urbina, Byung-Hyun Kim, Heathcliff Slocumb, etc. Sprinkled in their was one GREAT season from Foulke, an inconsistent D-Lowe, and Gordon.

I don't want Jonathan Paplebon to leave at all. He is the best pithcer for the Red Sox teram. I don't him goe suck Yankees at all. My agreement is keep him on the Red Sox until his careerer.

The Sox signed Lester, Pedroia, and Youkilis to long-term deals so that those players could avoid arbitration and have security.

I imagine that the Sox have made Papelbon a similar offer.

If Papelbon wants to roll the dice and go year-to-year, that's his business. If he wants to talk trash, he's only hurting his own reputation.

I hope he doesn't throw out his arm.

This is stupid!!! Paps didn't say anything wrong. He loves it here!!! If things did change in the next year or two then maybe he would want to go somewhere else.......who wouldn't.

And so it has begun..

He will be run out of town..major mistake on Pap.

And will play for the Pinstripes just out of spite.

Manny and Pedro next up. Ortiz, never, Varitek never.

didi

Get over yourselves fans. Whatsa mattah, Pap too honest for ya?

Be a pro, think like a pro, act like a pro. If you did, more of you wouldn't have to look up the definition of "professional athlete". Guess what.: they play for MONEY. Teams and general managers pay the best players the HIGHEST SALARIES. Pro athletes measure themselves by how much they get PAID. The higher the PAY, the higher the expectations. Most pros are good teammates who want to win. IN fact, they want to win more for each other than they do the fans, but that line doesn't sell tickets..So they don't say it. But that's what most of them think.

As a fan, I don't care. JUst win. no happy talk, none of that bs they feed back to the media. JUst win.

Ya wanna winnah? Pay the man and get out of his way..

Paps better hope his arm and shoulder hold up long enough for him to be able to sign a fat contract with any team. He is showing signs this year that maybe he doesn't have what he had in the past and as he gets older this will cause more problems and his value will fall. Maybe it would be better if he remained quiet.

Poll:
Which is worse-

Brady with NY cap on?

or

Pap saying he could play in Bronx?

Paplebon should have said that his contract does not expire until 2011 and he will think about it then! He sometimes speaks when he shouldn't. He should also know that mentioning ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE BRONX, YANKEES, or anything to do with NEW YORK will make Bostonians throw their arms up in the air! I know that ball players aren't the smartest people in the world but Senor Cinco Ocho should be a little more media savy than that!

I like the Sox and I like what Pap has done for them over the years. That said, I'm frankly more concerned about our men and women in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan than I am about a highly paid jock.

I like his passion, but Jonathon Pap has never struck me as a very smart person. In fact, he's kind of dumb. I saw his original interview when he said he was open to the Yankees and "no ONE" took anything out of context. His agent put him back out there for damage control. Let him actually show me a few clean innings without a walk or hit and then I'll fear losing him. The "save" is the biggest B.S stat in baseball.

Dick Radatz

Sports like any business is about money. If anyone of us were offered more money to go elsewhere, we'd sign in a heartbeat. Now it seems like a big deal. One half a bad season and all will be saying to trade him. Much to do about nothing.

Now if we could find a sucker to take Dice-K and his contract.

As a Yankee fan, I really don't follow what Papelbon says. He's a terrific pitcher and a real gamer. Obviously, he's going to go where it suits him best...money being the most important factor, naturally.

That said, he really shouldn't be talking salary or his future. He's signed until 2011, no? I can't imagine the Sox letting him go.

And can he speak a sentence without using an expletive?

As a Yankee fan, I really don't follow what Papelbon says. He's a terrific pitcher and a real gamer. Obviously, he's going to go where it suits him best...money being the most important factor, naturally.

That said, he really shouldn't be talking salary or his future. He's signed until 2011, no? I can't imagine the Sox letting him go.

And can he speak a sentence without using an expletive?

As a Yankee fan, I really don't follow what Papelbon says. He's a terrific pitcher and a real gamer. Obviously, he's going to go where it suits him best...money being the most important factor, naturally.

That said, he really shouldn't be talking salary or his future. He's signed until 2011, no? I can't imagine the Sox letting him go.

And can he speak a sentence without using an expletive?

The Yankees would only be interested in Papelbon if he gains 100 or so more pounds or develops shoulder issues. If he damages his foot running the bases, they might even make him a starter.

It's (ALWAYS) 'bout the money.Pap did'nt say Yankees,he said Money.He talks way to much!........but down the line it's security.Take the money and run,Jon.There's no loyalty in this world,just ask John Smoltz!

wah, wah, wah, i hate the yankees.

he wouldn't go anywhere cause all the damn run support up in Boston.

Wah, wah, wah, i am jon papelbelsf;kalgja whatever.

Are you people talking about "grooming" Bard stupid? Papelbon won a world series and is second in the AL in saves. He is arguably the best closer in baseball and one of the few with lots of post-season experience. He can say whatever he wants and he could play for any team he wants for A LOT of money because he earned it. Why get on him for that? Bard is a kid with 15 innings pitched. Seriously, what is wrong with you? Who cares if he is smart or stupid, what he says or doesn't say so long as he pitches well?

He is seriously a dim bulb. I think it was during last year's all-star game when the network gave him a microphone to do as he saw fit and interview other players. I'm not sure who came up with that bright idea but it was someone dumber than Papelbon. The man's way with words is about three levels lower than Dubya. What's even worse is that he doesn't know this so he keeps talking. Worse yet is that people enable him.

"I don't want Jonathan Paplebon to leave at all. He is the best pithcer for the Red Sox teram. I don't him goe suck Yankees at all. My agreement is keep him on the Red Sox until his careerer."

Posted by Nicole Coppens June 19, 09 07:19 PM

What? Spell/grammar check, people. Seriously.

Trying to "talk" his way out of town, just like Man-Ram ??? Daniel Bard on his radar ?? Sounds like a redneck who starts or ends every sentence with the word "MMAANNN" !!!!!! Paps, if $7 million a year doesn't buy any loyalty, JUST SHUT UP !!!

Typical Red Sox loser.

Yep, sounds like damage control. No big surprise.

Bruinscountry and MarcR are both right. He's a pro athlete and would be stupid not to consider all offers when the time comes. In Boston, though, you have to expect a storm of wailing if you mention this fact. I loooove people who call Johnny Damon a traitor. If he'd taken less to stay in Boston and had then been traded to Pittsburgh, would anyone call Theo a traitor?

Won't it be fun, the next two years, having Papelbon and Buchholz in the same pen / rotation and seeing who puts his foot in it first. Papelbon should limit his activities to pitching and dancing. Buchholz, to pitching and making sure his head fits his hat.

20-ELEVEN!!!!!!!! ?? Why is this news? Oh I have passion too - I swore twice, once.

If he were all about the cash, Pap would've become a starter when the Sox were trying to turn him into one. He was the one who snapped, went to management and said "I'm a closer, it's what I love, it's what I'm made for -- let me close."

Why is Papelbon endlessly talking about his contract?

I would rather see Brady in a giants hat (not a jets hat) than i would like to see any red sox in a Yankees hat. I think sox fans are sometimes for the day, until 2004, we hadnt won anything in 86 years, so we turn on the players who got us there. People want Papi, traded or sat down, a kid makes a statement (blown out of context by a failing newspaper) and you want him out. I guess there should'nt be a surprise since the globe is own by the NY TImes

Remember the two Sox stars who said they would NEVER play for the yankees? Do the names Clemens and Damon ring a bell? And the last guy to stay with the Sox for less money? The same Mike Lowell the front office was eager to trade if they had gotten Texeira. It's a BUSINESS, people. I'm as emotional a fan as anyone, but you've got to face facts.

I think the Red Sox showed what the Red Sox think of players who behave other than in a business like manner with Bronson Arroyo. Arroyo took a home town discount because he let his personal feelings control his business feelings.

Pap has no need to look beyond Bronson when Pap makes his decisions.

As a Nation exile in Ohio, I depend on Sirius for my Sox fix. I've heard said clip twice, and will given Sirius penchant for repeating the same promos over and over and over ad nauseum will hear it again, and it's clear the interviewer presented a hypothetical wrapped in a hypothetical and Papelbon responded as best he could other then to call out the interviewer for stirring up trouble. The whole thing is posited on the big IF. If Papelbon hasn't reached a contract with the Sox would he... Sure everything's on the table then. Nothing nefarious there. Let it pass.

Sounds like he's going to the Yankee's to me.

Sounds like a #18 we had here once.

Anyone who thinks these circumstances are much different is kidding himself

"There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they are going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need." - May 2005

"It was a very tough decision, but New York came after me aggressively and that's what sealed the deal. They showed they really wanted me." - December 20, 2005

//His agent put him back out there for damage control.//

He wouldn't need his agent to do that; all it probably took was a few dozen Sox fans screaming obscenities at him.

let the redneck go. he's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is.

Paps, we love ya but never, NEVAH utter that you'd go with .... them. Don't even suggest it or RSN will let you know about it. Be happy where youre at

Pap has been phenominal...got to love the fire in the guy. So there is a little controversy in the press...hope the Sox sign him for the rest of his career. Oh, by the way Pap, we do want to talk to you about the ball your dog ate. :-)

He's getting worse every season. In two more years, he'll be decrepit enough for Cashman to show some real interest.

Papelbon is still a young kid. He is naive and still learning that how he says something is as important as what he says. Wrong way: If you don't love me then I will leave even though I love the Red Sox. Better way: I love the Red Sox. I want to play here for the rest of my life. However, if the Red Sox don't want me I will have to sign elsewhere.

Papelbon, your talent is obvious but your mouth is even more so. Never have I heard Wake talk like you. He's the epitome of a Red Sox. You are more in the Pedro and johnny Damon mode, which is not a compliment. So take you million dollar arm and your 2 bit mouth and see ya, we have a lot of talent on our team who know how to pitch and shut up.

Papelbon, your talent is obvious but your mouth is even more so. Never have I heard Wake talk like you. He's the epitome of a Red Sox. You are more in the Pedro and johnny Damon mode, which is not a compliment. So take you million dollar arm and your 2 bit mouth and see ya, we have a lot of talent on our team who know how to pitch and shut up.

I could be wrong but I believe I heard a stat that there were only 26 players in MLB that have a BA. Not the most educated bunch. Leave Paps alone and let him pitch for us in peace. He's our guy.

Don't make too big a thing of it. We all know our favorite hillbilly talks before he thinks. Let it go. No big deal.

He should get paid what he is worth. Those other Red Sox suckers who signed long term deals got only 50% of their value. The Red Sox are the biggest cheapskates in the world. It is poper that that try to sign long term contracts with their best players to savce money. At the same time the team assumes the risk that the player will be injured and not be able to play again. What irks me is that Red Sox management doesn't belive in homoring those long term contracts and risks they assumed. They tried to screw Schilling. He accepted 75% of the salary he could have gotten elsewhere had he become a free agent. .

Can't cover your tracks that good Pap, shouild have thought before you opened your YAP

Oh for god sakes, just shut up about this already. He said something stupid three years too early. You really need to straighten out your priorities if you're losing sleep over Jonathan Papelbon saying he would go to the freaking Yankees. It's BASEBALL. You people (me included) don't play the game, you just watch it. You are in no way a part of anyone's decision when choosing a team. It's the MONEY. Stop thinking he's staying somewhere "for the fans". Anyone who thinks that these days is a complete fool.

Dont want any more Red Soxs on Yankees. But a lot of writers can't spell and need to go back to school for English.

Another Red Sox star that will be run out of town by a the neurotic Nation.

Hilarious.

Who cares? I don't expect any loyalty from any player today. Let him go. You think he'll be better than Mo has been for them? Doubt it.