Red Sox are mis-using Papelbon

[kemper5]

I know, I'll hear it, but he now will have gone 5+ days without an appearence at all. If tomorrow the Red Sox are blown out or have a huge lead, it will be 6 days or longer without an appearance.. Im so fustrated about this..Tonight absolute PERFECT opportunity for him, but bottom of the 9th and they let Timlin (who by the way pitched Thurs, Fri and Today) go in (who gave up the lead the inning before) and give up the game winning homer to Sexson.. FUSTRATING!

[Thursday]

You should know: never use closers in non-save situations. I'm happy they used Timlin instead.

[CheeseBeger]

This is strange, because they have been using him in these exact same situations all year long. They have been putting him in 9th/10th when there is a tie....

And papel is hardly your average closer. He has succeeded pitching in non save sits.

[tianyi86]

Kemper, isnt this like your 4th thread about papelbon being on a short cold streak or not appearing because the sox didn't give im a save opportunity?

How come you don't trash papelbon when he got 3 saves in 3 days?

You need to understand that different players play different roles in baseball. Closers are suppose to pitch when they are up by 3 runs or less and to close games. Mid relievers are suppose to pitch the mid/late innings of game or a tie game that looks like its going to go into extra innings, i.e. mike timlin's role today. Please stop trashing papelbon when he didn't pitch for a few days. If you hate him so much, why dont you drop him or trade him away. Better yet, trade out all your closers for starters so you know your pitchers will pitch for you once every 4 or 5 games.

[Matthias]

You need to understand that different players play different roles in baseball. Closers are suppose to pitch when they are up by 3 runs or less and to close games. Mid relievers are suppose to pitch the mid/late innings of game or a tie game that looks like its going to go into extra innings, i.e. mike timlin's role today.

Ummm.... I was kind of hoping that this was sarcastic, but I don't think it was.

When the game is on the line, you want your best players in. It's about doing the job, not pointing to a job title. Kemper was absolutely right.

p.s. As far as, "roles" go, Timlin went in and got the save on Thursday because Paps had pitched three days in a row.

[soxfan364]

I was kind of surprised to hear Timlin got the loss, and that they didn't bring in Pap after the Sox tied it up....

[nsulham]

I was kind of surprised to hear Timlin got the loss, and that they didn't bring in Pap after the Sox tied it up....

Exactly my thought. It was 8-8 into the bottom of the ninth. You want to give your team the best shot to stay close and that best shot was using Papelbon. He could have given them 2 innings and (theoretically) kept them close and given them a chance to win the game. They'd already used Hansen, Delcarmen and Timlin so I feel safe in saying if they didn't score in the two innings Papelbon was in, they wouldn't have won the game.

Torre's not afraid to use Rivera when the game is tied late. I wish Francona would take the same approach with Papelbon.

[1337_Dude]

Maybe he slipped on a ball and can't throw fast anymore.

Yea...that would work nicely.

[Matthias]

Maybe he slipped on a ball and can't throw fast anymore.

Yea...that would work nicely.

Wishing ill on a player is poor form.

[kemper5]

Im just really mad about the Sox losing today and how they managed to lose it.. I do not give 2 farts on Papelbons numbers today because I blew out my opponent this week in my HTH league.. It's very fustrating to see Paps not be put in a situation like todays.. I mean come on, the Sox worked Timlin hard over the last few days all the while Paps had extended rest.. to coaches decision...Thats all I was trying to say