Giardi: Papelbon is back at his best
Remember how there was some concern at Fenway that Jonathan Papelbon wasn’t quite as sharp as he was a year ago? How the Sox babying him may be keeping Pap’s shoulder from flying out of the socket, but wasn’t allowing him to hit his spots? Well, after this most recent stretch, can we all agree now that we need to get a life? The most dominant closer in the game the first half of 2006 is now the most dominant closer again — apologies to Bobby Jenks and J.J. Putz — and the transformation couldn’t be coming at a better time. It’s like hitting a scratch ticket for 500 bones just a couple of weeks before Christmas. A good time just got better, if that’s possible.
How many times over the last month do you suppose Papelbon has made major-league hitters look like they belonged in Single-A; like he was throwing from a Little League mound with stuff that would have every manager scrambling to check that kid’s birth certificate? Papelbon has been so ridiculously dominant that I’m convinced if Larry Walker were still playing, he’d turn his helmet backward and try to hit from the other side of the dish (see: Johnson, Randy. 1997 All-Star Game).
Going into the weekend at Baltimore, Papelbon hadn’t allowed a hit since Aug. 17, retiring 25 in a row. Fifteen of those batters were set down on strikeouts. But in actuality, the old Papelbon reemerged Aug. 1. Pity poor Aubrey Huff and Brian Roberts of the Orioles. They were made to look ridiculous at the lyric little bandbox, succumbing to the fist-pumping, snarling 26-year-old in a 5-4 Sox win. That day, it looked to me like Papelbon just completely cut it loose, first pitch to last. Pretty safe to say, he’s been doing that ever since.
Shortly thereafter, I asked the Sox closer if he’d like to pitch more. I couldn’t decide if Papelbon wanted to slap me, or wink and give me the knowing nod. After a long pause, he said, “No. Terry’s been using me perfectly.” Another long pause. I quickly put on my amateur psychiatrist outfit (the kit comes complete with the comfy couch and soothing music in the background. Or at least, that’s what I’ve been told...) and deduced that he wants to pitch more. Well, now he is, and no one’s been disappointed, except for opposing hitters.
