In 2004 the Red Sox stopped putting blinders on this race horse. Papelbon reported to the Florida State League's Sarasota Red Sox, where he posted a 12-7 season in 24 games and 130 innings pitched. His ERA was a cool 2.64 with 153 strikeouts, and only 38 earned runs and 43 walks.
Papelbon terrorized Eastern League batters with Double-A Portland for the first half of this year with the Sea Dogs where he put up a 5-2 record with a 2.48 ERA, 83 strikeouts, 14 saves, 23 walks, and only 9 home runs.
That earned Papelbon a promotion to the Triple-A Paw Sox, where he's been getting a crash course in the bullpen, with an eye toward helping the Bosox down the home stretch. He's obviously wanted, because he was given less than three weeks and 27 innings of work in Pawtucket with 2.93 ERA and 29 strikeouts before getting the call to the big leagues.
Thus far in Boston he's only pitched for five innings with an ERA to-date of 3.38, and one save under his belt. His welcome to the big leagues has been four hits, two of which were home runs, both earned.
Make no mistake, the 6-4, 230, right-hander out of Mississippi has top of the rota stuff. Just the way Roger Clemens did, when he came out of the Boston farm system more than two decades ago. His fastball can touch 98, but 92-95 is more likely where the radar gun will settle.
Along the way, he made a believer out of Bosox playoff hero Curt Schilling, who got a look at Papelbon while rehabbing with Pawtucket.
"You're looking at a kid who is not very far from being a top of the rotation starter," Schilling said. "God willing he'll stay healthy a long, long time. He's a dominant kid with the right mentality, to put himself at the top of the rotation for a long time."
What Schilling saw then, the rest of the baseball world is coming to know, too. Papelbon has the ability to saw off a gnat's leg with his 95 mph heater. He can make anyone look foolish with his 90 mph slider.
"I've learned a few things, that I'll take with me down the road," he said. "You just go about your business and take one day at a time." Papelbon says, quoting from verse one of the Nuke LaLoosh gospel of media cliches.
"I think I started out this year as a thrower. I could get away with raw stuff. But now I'm learning how to pitch. It's not just throwing the ball up there. I've got a lot of learning to do, and a lot of games to play."
From his track record, Jonathan is a quick study. We see the Red Sox giving him as much as he can handle. If the big leaguers don't rattle him in the bullpen going into September, he may stay up, and have a good shot at a starter's job in 2006. If he goes Elvis, and gets all shook up (Thank u very much), he might be dialed back for a bit more confidence building in Triple-A before taking a crack at the Boston front line.
- Dan Hickling contributed to this ranking.
