Papelbon on a path to Fenway

Thursday, July 7, 2005

ON BASEBALL: Kevin Thomas

Other colleges recruited him, but if Jon Papelbon had not accepted a scholarship to Mississippi State, he likely would not be a step away from Fenway Park.

Where might Papelbon be now?

"Probably playing beer league softball," he said.

Papelbon was not a pitcher when he arrived in Starksville, Miss., from Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Fla. Papelbon was a 6-foot-4 first baseman. He played little his freshman year.

And if Papelbon had gone to another school, he might have eventually worked his way into the starting lineup, graduated and moved on with his life.

But at Mississippi State, the Bulldogs found themselves short of pitchers. Before Papelbon's sophomore season, the Mississippi State coaches looked him over. Big fella with a strong arm. Why not?

Papelbon joined the bullpen and a pitching career was launched. After his junior year, the Oakland A's picked him in the 40th round of the 2002 draft. He opted to return to the Bulldogs. It was a smart decision. The Red Sox drafted him in the fourth round of the 2003 draft and gave him a $265,000 signing bonus.

The first thing Boston did was move Papelbon out of the bullpen. Papelbon took baby steps in 2003 going 1-2 with a 6.34 ERA in Lowell, then took off last year in advanced Class A, compiling a 12-7 record with a 2.64 ERA.

With the Portland Sea Dogs, Papelbon continued to shine (5-2, 2.48 ERA, 83 strikeouts in 87 innings). He was chosen to play in the Eastern League All-Star Game next Wednesday in Portland. He might have been the Northern Division starter.

But the Red Sox have bigger plans for Papelbon. After his start last Saturday - six innings of no-hit ball - Papelbon was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket. He is scheduled to make his first start there tonight.

Papelbon follows other prime prospects - closer Cla Meredith and infielder Dustin Pedroia - who have jumped from Portland to Triple-A this season. Meredith has struggled in Pawtucket, and Pedroia was recently slowed when he was hit in the wrist by a pitch.

Should Papelbon succeed, his stay in Triple-A could be brief. Boston's bullpen is in need of repair. Papelbon may be summoned and returned to his relieving ways.

Papelbon has already made an impression with the big-league club. In spring training, he drew instant attention as the minor-league pitcher who brushed back Sammy Sosa.

Papelbon was called to pitch a major-league exhibition game against the Baltimore Orioles. Red Sox outfielder Jay Payton was hit by a pitch. The next inning, Papelbon responded by throwing inside to Sosa, who took a step toward the mound before stopping.

The Red Sox, including Manager Terry Francona, praised Papelbon for protecting his teammates.

Papelbon simply shrugged it off.

"That's baseball. It's how the game is played," he said. "I have to go out there and fight like my team is fighting . . . I'm protecting my team, trying to get us in a spot to win. I wasn't going to back down from anybody, even if he is a future Hall of Famer."

Papelbon rarely backs down. His teammates call him a bulldog, which is not a reference to his Mississippi State roots, but his ability to come up with a little extra when he needs just the right pitch. He uses a mid-90's fastball, slider, curveball and a deadly split-finger pitch. He learned the pitch from minor league pitching coach Al Nipper and refined it during spring training, with help from Curt Schilling.

Papelbon could not get his pitches to work two weeks ago, giving up five earned runs in 4 innings. The timing was bad. In the Hadlock Field crowd that night was Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein. Papelbon said he was more concerned with letting his teammates down than disappointing Epstein.

"I know he was looking at me and I didn't pitch good. It was one start. I can live with that. I didn't go home and beat myself up," he said.

The Red Sox had Papelbon skip his next start. Nipper, now the Red Sox roving pitching instructor, spent extra time with Papelbon.

The results were witnessed last Saturday. Papelbon struck out 10 over six innings, giving up no hits against Norwich. Even though it was a seven-inning game, Sea Dogs Manager Todd Claus yanked him, citing Papelbon's 97 pitches and a need to look at "the big picture."

The big picture for Papelbon involves a lot. He comes from a close family - parents John and Sheila are motoring about New England to watch Jon and his twin brothers, Jeremy and Josh, who are pitching for the Mill City Americans in Lowell in the New England Collegiate Baseball League - and is engaged to be married in November to Ashley Jefferies.

There are four months until the wedding date. It could be an exciting time. Papelbon should develop in Pawtucket. The question is how fast? The Red Sox are likely thinking about Papelbon for their 2006 plans.

But what about 2005?

"I'll leave that up to the front-office guys," Papelbon said. "They know what's going on. They have a path for me. Whenever my time comes, I'll be ready."

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:

kthomas@pressherald.com

To top of page