Jonathan Papelbon

From SoSH

Jonathan Robert Papelbon (born November 23, 1980 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is currently the closer for the Boston Red Sox. Jonathan is married to Ashley Jeffries

Contents 1 Amateur Career 2 Minor League Career 3 Pro Career 3.1 2006 3.2 2007 4 Papelbon? He's so intense on the mound 5 Nickname 6 Trivia 7 Awards & Records 8 Quotes 9 External Links

Amateur Career

Jonathan Papelbon lettered in baseball and football at Jacksonville's Bishop Kenny High School, where he tossed two no-hitters as a senior to earn All-City honors for the third straight year. Papelbon was drafted in the fourth round of the 2003 Amateur Draft by the Boston Red Sox from Mississippi State.

He was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect coming out of the state of Mississippi after going 9-6 with 13 saves and a 2.90 ERA in 61 relief appearances over three seasons at Mississippi State. He led the MSU staff with 22 appearances as a sophomore in 2002. Papelbon was drafted by the Oakland Athletics after his sophomore season in the 40th round in 2002, but he chose to stay in college for one more year. As a junior, he posted a 6-2 record with seven saves and a 2.28 ERA in 25 games out of the bullpen. His 13 saves are seventh-most in school history.

Minor League Career

Team	Year	Age	League	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SH	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
Lowell Spinners	2003	22	A	1	2	6.34	13	6	0	0	0	32.2	43	23	23	2	9	36
Sarasota Red Sox	2004	23	A+	12	7	2.64	24	24	2	0	0	129.2	97	43	38	6	43	153
Portland Sea Dogs	2005	24	AA	5	2	2.48	14	14	0	0	0	87.0	59	28	24	9	23	83
Pawtucket Red Sox	2005	24	AAA	1	2	2.93	7	4	0	0	1	27.2	21	9	9	2	3	27

Pro Career

Once signed, the Red Sox assigned Jonathan to the Single-A affiliate Lowell Spinners and started his conversion to a starter, with mixed results (ending with a 6.34 ERA). In 2004, Papelbon started 24 games for the Sarasota Red Sox and finished the season with a 12-7 record and a 2.64 ERA. Papelbon then split the 2005 season between Portland, Pawtucket and Boston. He was used as a spot starter and bullpen help by the Sox during that season. Papelbon made his major league debut on July 31, 2005 against the Minnesota Twins, surrendering three runs (two earned) on four hits, five walks and seven strikeouts over 5.1 innings and ended up with a no decision. He finished the season with a 3-1 record and a 2.65 ERA in 34 innings, earning him a spot on the postseason roster. In two postseason appearances, he tossed four scoreless innings against the Chicago White Sox.

2006

Jon become one of the top relievers in baseball putting in undoubtedly one of the greatest rookie performances by a closer ever. Despite spending the final month of the season on the DL with shoulder soreness, Papelbon still finished 8th in the American League with 35 saves, 3rd most ever for a major league rookie.

He held opponents to a .167 batting average, 2nd lowest in the majors and lowest in Red Sox history. Saves For: 8-Josh Beckett; 7-Curt Schilling; 4-Jon Lester; 3-Matt Clement and Mike Timlin; 2- Keith Foulke, Rudy Seanez, and Tim Wakefield; 1-Manny Delcarmen, Julian Tavarez, Jermaine Van Buren, and David Wells.

At 0.92, recorded the 8th lowest earned run average for a season in major league history among pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched...was the 3rd best figure among rookies to Cincinnati's Tom Murphy (0.72 in 1986) and Pittsburgh's Nick Maddox (0.83 in 1907)...was also the lowest in Red Sox history, bettering Dutch Leonard's 0.96 in 1914

2007

Originally slated to be a member of the starting rotation, Papelbon moved back to the closer role shortly before the regular season started in 2006. Over the course of the season, he had 37 saves in 40 opportunities with an ERA of 1.85 and 84 strikeouts in 58.1 innings pitched. In the postseason, he pitched 10.2 innings and struck out 7, including a strikeout to Seth Smith to clinch the World Series. Jason Varitek gave Papelbon the ball used to record the strikeout, which he promptly fed to his dog.

Papelbon? He's so intense on the mound

In 2006, the rotation was filled with other starters and closer Keith Foulke's health was questionable. After Foulke had one shaky outing in the start of the season, Papelbon was given a chance to close the game and has not looked back since. Papelbon has been dominant as a closer and has proved one of the best closers in baseball this season. In the first half of the season, he recorded 26 saves in 29 opportunities, compiling a 2-1 record with a 0.59 ERA in 46 IP.

Papelbon's fastball has been touching 97 mph in the closer role and he has been working on his changeup and slider. Fans have coined the term "You've Been Pap-Smeared" for when Papelbon strikes someone out. Although many find the term inappropriate, that's because they have a horrible sense of humor.

Nickname

He does not have one. Many SoSH posters who are trying to force one upon him are making one moderator very uncomfortable.

Simply " Paps "

Trivia

• Papelbon threw two no hitters in his senior year of high school.
• Jonathan's mother played softball at Louisiana State University.
• Papelbon has twin younger brothers, Josh and Jeremy
• The Red Sox drafted his younger brother (Josh Papelbon) in the 2006 Amateur Draft.
• The Chicago Cubs drafted his younger brother Jeremy Papelbon in the 2006 Amateur Draft
• On April 29, 2006, set a major league record with his tenth save in the month of April. Prior to that, no rookie in major league baseball history had recorded that many saves in the month of April.
• He started the 2006 season with only one earned run given up (0.24 ERA over 36 innings) as the team's closer.
• He added a splitter during the 2005 spring training, with some tutoring from Curt Schilling.
• A likeness of his face can be found in the center of the dart board in Keith Foulke's living room.
• In 2006, Papelbon received the most votes (283) of any relief pitcher in All-Star balloting conducted by A.L. managers, coaches, and players.
• In a guest appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, Papelbon repeated a quote from David Ortiz uttered during a team meeting in Cleveland, referring to the Red Sox players as "Bad (obscenity)"

Awards & Records

• 2-time American League All-Star (2006-2007)
• 2005 Eastern League All Star
• April 2006 Most Saves in one month by a Red Sox Pitcher
• April 2006 AL Rookie of the Month
• April 2006 DHL Delivery Man of the Month
• 2006 Red Sox Pitcher of the Year (selected by the Boston BBWAA Chapter)
• 2006 Finished 2nd in the BBWAA A.L. Rookie of the Year voting with 63 points (20 2nds; 3 3rds) behind Detroit's Justin Verlander at 133 points (26 1sts, 1 2nd)
• 2006 Was named as the 2nd team relief pitcher on Baseball America's Major League All-Star Team.
• 2007 DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award

Quotes

• "Don’t make me bring the Scrabble board to the locker room. I will bring it."
• On Manny: "It's funny, because the first AB, first pitch, he drives a line drive to right field and the whole dugout just starts laughing, it's just, I don't know, it's just a freak show, I guess. He's a freak. What can I say? The man knows how to hit. It's just amazing to see that kind of talent."
• "I set my goals high. If you were going to tell me I would have had 10 saves and not given up a run, I would have believed it. That's just the way I go about it. It's not cocky, it's just confidence." [1]
• "I get a lot of satisfaction out of closing. Whenever Tito gives me the ball, I just go out there and throw my heart out." [2]

External Links

• TheBaseballCube.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Jonathan Papelbon at ESPN.com
• Jonathan Papelbon - Minor League Information Courtesy of Sox Prospects