He Stands Alone by Jared Carrabis
SoxSpace pays homage to the greatest closer in Red Sox history


On the night of October 27, 2004, Red Sox closer Keith Foulke stood on the mound in St. Louis, where he recorded the final out that sent Boston into a winter of ecstasy and bliss.

In 11 appearances for the Sox that October, Foulke was a force. He struck out 19 batters in 14 innings of work, racking up three of the biggest saves in Red Sox history to go along with a 0.64 ERA. While Manny Ramirez was named World Series MVP, many believed that Foulke should have gotten the honor...even Foulke himself.

"Do I think I should have been MVP?" said Foulke. "Absolutely. I mean, 'cause I did everything humanly possible that I could've done."

His October heroics took a strong toll on his health. His knees began to ache worse and so were the heads of Red Sox Nation as Foulke's ERA sky-rocketed over six during the 2005 season.With Foulke's health an uncertainty in the Red Sox organization, Theo Esptein added a pitcher by the name of Jonathan Papelbon to the Red Sox' 40-man roster on the day of the trading deadline, July 31, 2005.

In 2003, Epstein had selected the right-handed closer from the Mississippi State Bulldogs, where Papelbon boasted 13 saves and a 9-6 record to go along with his 2.90 ERA during his three-year tenure at the back of Mississippi's bullpen. Papelbon was drafted in the fourth round (114th overall) and while the Red Sox were battling deep into October in both 2003 and 2004, Papelbon spent his time with the Lowell Spinners and the Sarasota Red Sox respectively.

Though Papelbon spent his time as a closer in college, the Red Sox were grooming his lively arm into that of a starting pitcher. Papelbon was 13-10 in his first two seasons in the Red Sox organization before being promoted to the Portland Sea Dogs to start 2005. The right-hander posted better numbers as the competition got better, going 5-2 in 14 starts while on the same roster as Hanley Ramirez. Later in the year, Papelbon was bumped up to Triple-A Pawtucket, where the then starter racked up 21 strikeouts in 22.1 innings.

On the fast track to the Majors, Papelbon made his Red Sox debut on a day that was clouded with controversy. Manny Ramirez was making his annual plea to get out of Boston, so without Boston's most dominant bat in the lineup on the day of the trade deadline, Papelbon made his Major League debut as a starter for the Boston Red Sox. Papelbon pitched into the sixth inning, giving up three runs (two earned) on just four hits, while striking out seven Minnesota Twins after 100 pitches.

After his no decision against Minnesota, Papelbon would make just two more starts before being converted into a relief pitcher in the Red Sox bullpen. That October, Terry Francona trusted the young Papelbon in do-or-die situations and number 58 did not falter. In his first taste of October, which he would later become addicted to, Papelbon tossed four innings in two appearances without allowing a run and striking out two against the eventual World Series Champion Chicago White Sox. Had the Red Sox not been swept, Papelbon would have had more chances to shine in the October light, but those moments would come in time.

In 2006, with Keith Foulke's role as the closer in jeopardy after the emergence of Jonathan Papelbon, all eyes were on the bullpen gate in the later innings. When Opening Day finally came on April 3, 2006, Curt Schilling departed after seven innings of work and a Nation turned its eyes to the pen and out came Jonathan Papelbon in the eighth. While Papelbon hurled a perfect eighth inning, Keith Foulke got knocked around for a run in the ninth. Regardless, no harm, no foul, the Red Sox won by a 7-3 score.

So just when it seemed as if Terry Francona was going to groom Papelbon into Foulke's set-up man, the closer from Mississippi State was the man that was called upon on April 5, 2006 when the Red Sox held a 2-1 lead in the ninth. Papelbon retired the side in order, complete with a strikeout of Brad Wilkerson to end it. With that final strikeout, Jonathan Papelbon had earned his first Major League save.

Papelbon went on to convert his first 20 Major League saves before blowing his first against the Texas Rangers on June 9, 2006, but he later earned his first Major League win after the Red Sox battled back to bail their closer out, 4-3. Papelbon went on to close out 35 games for the Red Sox in 2006, which stands as a Major League record for most saves by a rookie closer. Had it not been for Papelbon pitching his arm out of its socket (literally) he would not have had a season cut short by injury when he made his last appearance on the first of September.

The Sox went on to miss the playoffs in his magical season of 2006 when Boston's closer posted an ERA of 0.92 and struck out an eye popping 75 batters in 68.1 innings, holding opposing hitters to a .167 average.

In 2007, when there was debate as to whether Papelbon was going to be a starter or a closer for the Red Sox that year, it was Papelbon, not Foulke, who stood on the mound on October 28, 2007 for the final game of the 2007 World Series in Colorado. Unlike Foulke, who got a chopper back to the mound in 2004, in true Jonathan Papelbon fashion, the Red Sox closer blew a fastball by Seth Smith to put a World Series ring on his finger. Once you win a World Series, everything else seems second rate, but he did walk away with the DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award in 2007 as well, after saving 37 games in 40 opportunities.

In 2008, Papelbon further established himself as one of the best closers in the game, if not the best. Now, 2008 may have been the season that K-Rod set the mark for most saves in a single season, but he was not as perfect as the record made him to be. When October came around, K-Rod once again coughed up a crucial game to the Red Sox in the ALDS, and Jonathan Papelbon extended his streak of scoreless postseason innings to start a career to 35, a Major League record. Call me crazy, but I'm giving the advantage to Pap.

"He's been so good since he's come into this role," Francona said. "He's growing up, he's getting stronger. He knows his body better, [and] when he gets into the game, he's ready to pitch."

Papelbon's career high, 41 saves, propelled him to becoming the first closer in Red Sox history to have three consecutive 30+ save seasons. On July 1, 2009, after the Red Sox had stormed back from being down four runs in the ninth and scoring the go-ahead run in the eleventh, Jonathan Papelbon notched a perfect inning to place him atop the all-time saves list in Red Sox history with 133. Moving past Bob Stanley, Papelbon has inserted himself among the all-time great relievers in the illustrious history of the Boston Red Sox. With 20 saves before the All Star break, Papelbon is well on his way to his fourth consecutive 30+ save season.

"Obviously, it feels good," Papelbon said. "When I set out to do this -- to be the closer for the Boston Red Sox -- there was definitely a lot of goals in sight, and this (the Red Sox all-time saves record) was one of them. So to get there and to kind of finally get it and to kind of get it out of my head and stop thinking about it is definitely good for me."

50 years from now, we may remember his insane personality, his hilarious beer box mask, his Irish dance moves or maybe even his blazing fastball, but it's crazy to think that Jonathan Papelbon has accomplished all of this by the age of 28, when in baseball, 30 is considered being in your "prime." It should be interesting to see what the future holds for our talented closer. Whether it be with the Red Sox or not, Papelbon surely will be dominating the game of baseball for years to come.

"He's been really good," said Jason Varitek of the Red Sox closer. "If he maintains his health, he's going to have a long career. And he's been able to really stabilize our bullpen, where, when we've had years of struggle, you don't have that means to an end -- a guy at the end of the bullpen."

Here's to the past, present and future success of Cinco Ocho,
-Jared Carrabis

Published on July 02, 2009

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