I feel like I’ve written a version of this headline about five times over the past year, but it’s really only been four. My apologies.
Anyway, as we roll along towards the All-Star Break and the trade deadline, lone Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Jonathan Papelbon is reiterating his desire to be traded to a contender before the end of the month.
Via MLB.com…
“I would be surprised,” Papelbon said, asked about being with the Phillies next month. “Yeah, that would be a pretty valid answer.”
Would he be disappointed?
“Yeah, yeah,” he said. “I would say so.”
Papelbon has a limited no-trade clause, but he reiterated it will not be an issue.
“Any team that wants me I’m willing to go to,” he said. “I just think for me there are no doors closed right now.”
Papelbon also revealed he still hadn’t talked to new Phillies president-to-be Andy MacPhail, but both Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro knew of his hopes to be with a new team come the beginning of August.
“The front office knows where my heart is and where my mind is,” Papelbon said. “And that’s to be with a contending ball club. The ball is in the Phillies’ court, the front office’s court, or I should say Andy MacPhail’s court? I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with Andy. I wish I could have. And I would still like to speak with him. But for some reason that hasn’t been made possible for me.”
[…]
“Well, then Pat (Gillick) knows where I stand and Ruben (Amaro Jr.) knows exactly where I stand,” he said. “I think everybody knows where I’m at. I’ve always been straight forward that I want to go play for a contender and I’m not going to shy away from it. I feel like that’s my right and my prerogative to have that opportunity and, you know, it’s in their hands. The ball’s in their court. I guess that’s kind of it.”
I don’t blame Papelbon for wanting to move to a new team. He has a 1.65 ERA over 32 2/3 innings this season, striking out 34 and walking only seven.
He’s managed to save just 14 games, and the Phillies are so bad that he’s recorded just three saves since MEMORIAL DAY…despite pitching to a 1.84 ERA in 14 2/3 innings over that time.
The Phillies are an MLB-worst 28-57, eight games worse than the next-worst team in baseball (the Marlins). Since beating the Nationals on May 23rd to improve to 19-26, they’re 9-31. I really wonder how bad this team is going to be in August and September after they trade Papelbon and (logically) Cole Hamels…
[MLB.com]
