Offseason Request: Please Ditch Papelbon

The 2009 Red Sox season ended roughly a year ago with a colossal meltdown by our supposed stud closer Jonathan Papelbon. After that game, I was among the people crying for his departure from Boston. Many people shunned my viewpoint, saying that Papelbon was still an elite closer and that the Red Sox would never be a better team without him. My mindset was that we should have traded him while he was still regarded as an elite closer. That he would never be the same guy and that it could never be resurrected into the times of old.

Well, here we are, roughly a year later. And as the Red Sox go for a sweep of the Yankees and a highly improbable surge to the playoffs, they call Papelbon's number to preserve a 3-2 lead against New York. And just as was the norm for the past two seasons, he was a heart attack. A heart attack that he wasn't able to dodge. He blows the save and leads to the eventual loss that will, in all likelihood, become the final nail in the coffin for this season. So, I'll request it again. Can we please, for the love of God, make the transition to Daniel Bard?

Bard had a very strong season, hurling in 70 games for the Red Sox and maintaining a 1.87 ERA. He had his stretches of difficulty, but the final numbers were at least there. He's shown development ever since coming up, and he has always displayed a dominating ability when he's at his best. Compare his numbers to those of Jonathan Papelbon. I mean, I end up needing a double-take whenever I look at our superstar closer's stat lines. 8 blown saves is pathetic in itself, but an ERA over 4.00? Amazingly, Papelbon's final ERA was 4.02. In years past, the supporters were able to call up his final numbers and say that they were still solid. For the first time, we cannot even fall back on that. Plain and simple -- he sucked this year. And if this was just a rare anomaly, I wouldn't make anything of it. But he has steadily deteriorated and everyone has seen it. I've been calling for it along with millions of other fans. So when will management see it? On a team that needs to re-sign a hell of a lot of guys, it's time to cut ties with the biggest stiff remaining on our roster.

That's my take on it. If you don't agree, fire your best shots. Because I'm truly interested. What case can be made? His ERA is worse than half of our damn starters. That doesn't cut it, especially when the other guy at the back of your bullpen is more than 2 runs better in that category. Two straight seasons have been officially stabbed in the heart by a Papelbon performance. I'm not in favor of making it a possibility ever again.