Monday featured media availability for participants in the MLB All-Star Game, including the Phillies’ lone All-Star, closer Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon clearly had one thing on his mind during his media availability: being traded.
“This is not what I signed up for — no,” Papelbon told reporters in Cincinnati, including CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury. “I signed up for a team that won 102 games and was expecting certain things. It didn’t happen and I’ve tried to ride that ship as much as I can. I’ve tried to keep my mouth shut as much as I can.”
That last part of Papelbon’s quote isn’t necessarily true, however. The six-time All-Star has been vocal for the past year or so of his desires to pitch elsewhere. The Phillies have listened to offers, but with Papelbon scheduled to make $13 million this season and having a $13 million option for 2016, the club has been unable to find a trade partner.
“I feel like three years is plenty enough time to ride it out, and if fans can’t understand that I can’t really side with them on that,” Papelbon said (per Salisbury). “I’m getting older. I don’t know how many years I have left.”
This is far from the first time Papelbon has voiced his preference to be traded by the Phillies, and it is likely far from the last (before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline).
Most every Phillies fan is with Papelbon on this one, however, as it makes no sense to pay that much for a closer who rarely enters a game with a lead. I for one would probably be the second happiest person to see Papelbon traded, second only to Papelbon himself.
Papelbon is right, he didn’t sign up to play for a team on pace to lose 110 games, but he certainly knew when he signed that this Phillies squad was aging and that many of them had seen their numbers begin to decline.
Hopefully Papelbon gets his wish and is traded to a contender. But for everyone in Philadelphia’s sake, hopefully the Phillies hold off on making that trade until they receive an offer worth more than just getting rid of a whining pitcher.
By: Kyle Babcock
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat
Most every Phillies fan is with Papelbon on this one, however, as it makes no sense to pay that much for a closer who rarely enters a game with a lead. I for one would probably be the second happiest person to see Papelbon traded, second only to Papelbon himself.
Papelbon is right, he didn’t sign up to play for a team on pace to lose 110 games, but he certainly knew when he signed that this Phillies squad was aging and that many of them had seen their numbers begin to decline.
Hopefully Papelbon gets his wish and is traded to a contender. But for everyone in Philadelphia’s sake, hopefully the Phillies hold off on making that trade until they receive an offer worth more than just getting rid of a whining pitcher.
By: Kyle Babcock
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat
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