Jonathan Papelbon to Phillies: “Shit or Get Off the Pot”
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jonathan Papelbon argues with Umpire Joe West after being ejected from the game against the Miami Marlins in the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 14th, 2014.
For the umpteenth time in recent memory, Jonathan Papelbon had some strong words for Phillies management. “Shit or get off the pot,” the closer remarked at an MLB All-Star Game press conference.
Papelbon is the anemic Phillies’ only All-Star Game representative, and will likely be the closer for the National League squad in Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic. Papelbon is a six-time All Star, and he currently sports a 1.60 ERA to go along with 14 saves and 35 strikeouts (in 33 and two thirds innings) as the Phillies’ ninth-inning man — at least he’s the ninth-inning man when the Phillies are winning, which has not been often this season.
CSNPhilly’s Jim Salisbury immortalized Papelbon’s potty mouth on Twitter, from Cincinnati, the location of this year’s National League vs. American League contest:
Papelbon at All Star press conference says it's time for Phillies "to (blank) or get off the pot." Re: trade
— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyNBCS) July 13, 2015
Papelbon has made it well known to fans, reporters and the Phillies brass that he wants out. On July 6th, the day he found out he’d been picked to the All-Star squad by San Francisto Giants skipper Bruce Bochy — who is managing the National League team — he told Salisbury, “The front office knows where my heart is and where my mind is,” adding, “And that’s to be with a contending ball club. The ball is in their court, so to speak.”
Papelbon also expressed to several outlets that he would like to be out of Philly shortly after the All-Star break, and definitely before the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31st, meaning the Phillies have some three weeks to get him to a contending team before he gets really upset.
The hitch? In 2011, fresh off the heels of one of Philadelphia’s most successful seasons on record, Papelbon signed a 4-year, $50 million contract, making him the wealthiest relief pitcher ever to play baseball, the CSNPhilly article said. The closer makes $13 million a year with another $13 million vesting option if he hits a statistical milestone, but that could be irrelevant, Salisbury wrote, if Papelbon is dealt to a better team, where he’d almost certainly get the 20 more saves he needs to pocket the extra dough.
Because of that, Salisbury added, other teams have seemed scared to take him off the Phillies’ hands — even if the Phillies were to pick up some or even all of the contract.
Until he’s no longer warming up in the Phillies’ bullpen, it’s fair to assume Papelbon will have more harsh words for the team.
Papelbon no longer has any love, it seems, for the City of Brotherly Love.
Follow @MaxGRetting on Twitter.
