CLEARWATER, Fla. — The pressure of closing in Boston now shifts to Andrew Bailey.
A two-time All-Star and the 2009 AL Rookie of the Year, Bailey locked down games in relative anonymity in Oakland. But his predecessor — Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon — said he believes Bailey is ready for the challenge of pitching in a large market.
"He's going to have to play his own game and Andrew's got all the talent in the world," Papelbon said Saturday. "He should be able to thrive in that environment."
Papelbon credited the Red Sox fans at Fenway Park for revitalizing him on days that he otherwise couldn't muster enough energy to pitch.
"[Bailey's] going to go to a city that on those days where it's a day game, it's September or August, the stadium is packed and he's got no life in his body, but as soon as he walks onto the field, that life comes up," Papelbon said. "He's going to have that, which is a huge positive for him."
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