It’s no secret Jonathan Papelbon no longer wants to be a Philadelphia Phillie. But he certainly wasn’t mincing words about it at his All-Star press conference.
The 34-year-old pitcher spoke to the media Monday, the day before his sixth All-Star Game appearance, and was quite vocal about his desire to leave the City of Brotherly Love. Papelbon joined the Phillies in 2012, after the team’s fifth straight National League East pennant, and has endured three seasons of losing.
“That’s not what I signed up for,” Papelbon said, per ESPN.com. “I signed up with a team that won 102 games, and I expected certain things. It didn’t happen, and I’ve tried to ride that ship and keep my mouth shut as much as I can. But it’s time for the Phillies to you-know-what or get off the pot.
“I feel like three years is plenty enough time to ride it out, so to speak. If the fans don’t understand that, I can’t really side with them.”
Though it’s not the type of language fans like to hear, Papelbon kind of has a point. In his three-plus seasons in Philadelphia, the club has done little to show that it has any intention of contending. And with Baseball America ranking its farm system 21st in the MLB prior to the 2015 season, it doesn’t look as though there’s much hope for the future unless the team makes big moves.
So until then, Papelbon says his 1.60 ERA and 14 saves in 14 save opportunities are solely for the stat sheets.
“This may sound selfish, and it may not,” Papelbon said. “But if I’m in still with Philly, I’m gonna go out there and play for myself and my own name and my own career and my own stats and all that. I’m not gonna just throw it in. I don’t know. Does that sound selfish?”
Thumbnail photo via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images
