Papelbon Fifth Anniversary as a Closer is Here

Can you believe that today is the fifth anniversary of Jonathan Papelbon becoming the closer of the Red Sox?

Coming into the 2006 season the Red Sox had put their faith in Keith Foulke who was a key player in the 2004 post season leading the Sox to their first World Series victory in 86 years. Foulke was coming off a 2005 injury plagued season and a poor spring training. Foulke is called into the game on Opening Day 2006 in Texas. He gave a run and two hits in what was a long inning of work. While the Sox did win the game they knew that they were in trouble and thus the Jonathan Papelbon era would begin.

On April 5, 2006 before the game Terry Francona if there was a chance for a save situation that the rookie Papelbon would get his chance as the closer of the Sox. Papelbon had just came off a 2005 season where he had a 2.65 ERA and issued at least one strike out an inning as a mid-season call up. Francona knew that Papelbon had what it had to take to be the closer as they used him primarily as a setup man, though in the minors he was used a starter.

“About 30 minutes before game time, Tito just called me into the office and said he thought long and hard about, starting the season off, who was going to close, and we decided on you,”Papelbon recalled. “We want to give you the chance to start shutting the door in the ninth. Just go out there and do the best you can.”

That was the conversation that started it all for the Sox. It’s Josh Beckett’s Red Sox debut on the third game of the season, the Rangers only scored one run in the game which come early in the first inning. Beckett is set for the win thanks to a couple of runs in the seventh. Mike Timlin comes in for a rocky eighth inning but survives not giving up any runs. The bottom of the ninth in Texas the bullpen doors open and there he is Mr. Papelbon himself. Papelbon comes running to the mound with adrenaline going wild.

"I remember it pretty vividly," Papelbon said. "I've gotten some good (adrenaline rushes)-Yankee Stadium, World Series, Fenway Park. But that first one is definitely, it was the same feel but yet different means. Same feel, same adrenaline, but different meaning."

"I remember thinking to myself, after it was said and done' Wow, for the first save opportunity in the big leagues, this was an intense as they come, pretty big one right out of the gate, day one' I remember thinking, 'Wow, pretty intense.' I enjoyed it."

Papelbon came out strong throwing high 90’s and got the save. Though he did get the save he was not named the permanent closer until later in the season while they thought about still trying to transition him into being the starter. Papelbon saved 35 games with 75 strike outs in 68 1/3 innings played in 2006.

In his fifth year of in this role of closer of the Red Sox, he has 188 saves hoping to get to 200 in this season. He has the most saves in Red Sox history and the most saves in the American League in a five year span.

This is Papelbon’s final year of his contract and how fitting is it that the start of another season as closer Josh Beckett is on the mound. If Beckett is able to keep the game close then Paplebon will be able to get a save the same way his first save was made.