« Corey still in town
Main
Red Sox-Yankees key stats »

For Papelbon, it's all about respect

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON _ The Yankees’ Mariano Rivera is one of greatest closers in Major League Baseball history. The 14-year pro has accumulated 446 saves and when No. 42 enters the game a victory for New York is all put in the bag.

He’s considered the Godfather among his fellow closers and even though there’s a storied rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox, Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon has the utmost respect for Rivera.

“Even though we’re rival teams we’re still in the same boat,” said Papelbon. “We’re playing the major-league game and we’re trying to do good things for the major-league game. I would love to follow in his footsteps for what he’s done for the game of baseball. It’s a fraternity and we have to stick together as closers. Not that we need to have each others back, but we need to know what’s going on with each other.”

During the offseason Rivera signed a staggering three-year deal with the Yankees for $45 million, making him the highest paid closer in the game. Papelbon inked a one-year deal worth $775,000 during spring training, the most money ever given to a non-arbitration eligible reliever.

The two will face each other at some point this weekend with the teams playing the first regular-season series of 2008.

Papelbon, the one-time starter turned closer, loves the role he’s in and he gives Rivera a lot of credit for keeping this specialty role in the game at the forefront.

“We can’t let the momentum go when it comes to signing a contract, sign with a team or whatever it may be,” said Papelbon.

Rivera is considered the best of his generation and that doesn’t go unnoticed with the rest of the closers in the league.

“I think he shows a awareness for everybody who is in this role,” admitted Papelbon. “He’s the Godfather of today’s closer. Goose (Gossage) was the past generation who sealed the deal as a closer, but with (Mariano) he’s set the tone. Guys like me, Joe Nathan and Frankie Rodriguez, I feel like it’s our time. It’s our duty to follow in the footsteps and keep what closers have become going because it’s up to us to do this in the game of baseball. And, not let a guy like Mariano, who has done so much for this role, to just kind of make him feel like he’s doing it for nothing.”

Papelbon didn’t get a chance to see Rivera during spring training, but he’s hoping the two will both be elected to the All-Star game this July at Yankee Stadium so they can sit down and talk.

“He’s doing a great job and he’s doing it for a reason,” said Papelbon. “I have nothing but good things to say about that guy, obviously.”

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 2:50 PM | Permalink