When the Red Sox’ roster was dismantled after the disastrous September in 2011, Jonathan Papelbon found himself on the way out of town. Now in Philadelphia, the closer believes the Red Sox had the right idea about rebuilding, and the Phillies would be wise to follow their lead.
While hopes were high in Philly at the beginning of the season, the Phils now finds themselves way out of first place (10 1/2 games back as of Sunday) and currently riding an eight-game losing streak. The rough patch has prompted some frustration from the five-time All-Star as he voiced that the organization is going to have to make major moves to turn things around.
“It’s going to take, in my opinion, a lot,” Papelbon told Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. “And in my opinion, I think it’s going to have to be something very similar to what the Red Sox went through a couple years ago. From top to bottom.”
After entering September in first place, but failing to make the playoffs in 2011, the Red Sox cleared house. Papelbon viewed the moves as business decisions that have played out quite well for Boston.
“That’s part of the business,” Papelbon said. “If you want to go in a different direction and I’m not a piece of that puzzle, so be it. This is a job. There are no feelings in this game. I left. Carl [Crawford] left. [Josh] Beckett left. Adrian [Gonzalez] left. Now look at them.”
After Sunday’s win over the Orioles, the Red Sox boast the best record in the American League.
With the trade deadline looming, the Phillies could take a page out of Boston’s playbook and listen to Papelbon — even if that means the 32-year-old becomes another victim to rebuilding as the Phillies have said they are open to trading their closer.
