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February 6, 2007

Sox' Papelbon will stay in rotation -- for now

BOSTON -- Terry Francona doesn't expect Jonathan Papelbon to move back into the Boston bullpen, even though it would make the Red Sox manager's life easier.

"If I had my druthers, he would be our closer," Francona said today, a day before heading to Florida to get an early start on spring training. "It's not happening. We have to respect the medical people's advice."

Papelbon was thrust into the closer's role as a rookie in 2006 when Keith Foulke struggled to recover from back, elbow and knee injuries. Papelbon saved 35 games in 41 tries and was the runner-up for AL rookie of the year despite a shoulder injury that shut him down in September.

Because of the injury -- a tired shoulder, but short of the torn labrum he feared -- doctors recommended that Papelbon pitch in the rotation this year so he would have a more regular and predictable schedule.

But the Red Sox still do not have a closer as spring training approaches, a major hole after an offseason spending spree that included Daisuke Matsuzaka ($103 million), J.D. Drew ($70 million) and Julio Lugo ($36 million).

Francona said it's possible Papelbon will wind up in the bullpen, but only if the anointed closer fails, Papelbon struggles as a starter and the doctors OK the move.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 6:38 PM | Permalink

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