Jonathan Papelbon isn’t one to mince words. Once again, he spoke loudly following the disastrous loss on Sunday in Detroit. Papelbon told MLB.com he doesn’t want to be here if the team isn’t a winner.
Asked after the game if he wants to be traded, Papelbon said, “No, I would like to stay here. But if I’m going to have to put up with this year after year, then no, I don’t want to be here. Why would you? Why would anybody?”
Good question. However, Jimmy Rollins has already stated his case and intends to stay in Philadelphia. The same doesn’t seem to hold true for Papelbon, who sounds like a man who wants nothing to do with a rebuild.
Pretty much everyone in Philadelphia seems on board with trading this guy, anyway. He hasn’t connected with the fan base and he’s clearly being paid too much for the role he’s currently in. He’d be better suited elsewhere. But where could he go? Detroit and Boston seem to have solidified their 9th inning roles. Add that to the fact that Papelbon’s velocity has decreased fairly dramatically. That doesn’t bode well for anyone involved.
