If there is a public enemy No. 1 in the world of Major League Baseball, former Washington Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon may be just that guy. However, one former teammate wouldn’t mind seeing him in his bullpen for the stretch run.
According to an ESPN report, Chicago Cubs ace Jon Lester, has endorsed the embattled closer for a role on his current team should the club be interested.
Of course, Lester was also forced to first admit that this former teammate with the Boston Red Sox is legitimately crazy.
“He is crazy,” Lester said with a smile on Sunday. “But he’s no crazier than the rest of us. He just gets a bad rap for what happened in the dugout. Knowing Papelbon, I’ve always had good things to say about him as a teammate, how he respects the game and how he goes about his business.”
As for Lester’s management and their interest in Papelbon? Watching back-to-back games get blown in late innings certainly should have them willing to at least kick the tires on adding Papelbon to the effort.
Over this past weekend, the Cubs not only blew late-inning leads in two games, they did so against their arch-rival and prime contender for the top spot in the National League Central — the St. Louis Cardinals.
Those two losses came on the heels of ripping off 11 wins in a row and upping their lead to a nearly insurmountable 12 games over their rivals.
Messing with the clubhouse chemistry and banking on a player who melted down under pressure in Washington, D.C., may be a gamble, but if Papelbon can be on point he is one of the better late-inning pitchers in the game.
However, don’t count Lester as one of those players who are worried about his “clubhouse effect.”
“I don’t have anything but good things to say about him as a clubhouse presence, a clubhouse personality, a closer, a pitcher, a teammate — all the above,” Lester said. “I respect the way he goes about things. One thing you always know is he’ll always take the ball, and he’ll always have your back. As a teammate, that’s all you can ask for.”
[ESPN]