He's been outspoken and at times obnoxious, but Jonathan Papelbon has been an elite closer since joining the Phillies.
As a Phillie since 2012, Papelbon has a 2.38 ERA in 203 games with 109 saves in 124 chances. He's struck out 218 batters and walked just 44 in 204 1/3 innings. In fact, Papelbon is the only pitcher in baseball over that span other than Felix Hernandez to strike out more than 9.0 batters per nine innings and walk fewer than 2.0.
And yet no team has yet approached the Phillies with a package enticing enough to trigger a trade.
In a 1-on-1 interview with CSNPhilly.com Phillies insider Jim Salisbury on Thursday, Papelbon admitted he will be disappointed if the Phillies are again unable to trade him this summer.
"Yeah, I will be," Papelbon said. "If we continue to lose."
"I will be disappointed if this continues to happen. If we continue to do the same things as we've done the last couple years with me, where we try to do something and get something done with me and then nothing still happens."
Papelbon was honest, measured and logical in the interview. He is not a man begging to be sent out of town, he's just a pitcher who thrives on adrenaline and is not finding it with a team that is destined for 90-plus losses in 2015.
MLB
He's not getting any younger. Papelbon is 34, but he's pitching like he's 24. This season, Papelbon has allowed one baserunner in 6 1/3 innings. He has the lowest opponents' on-base percentage in baseball.
The Phillies' inability to move Papelbon has nothing to do with stubbornness or overvaluation from the front office. It's the opposite. The league has been undervaluing Papelbon and there are three reasons why:
1. His personality
The perception exists that Papelbon is a clubhouse cancer. He is not, according to his teammates and those who are closest to him in the bullpen. He's just a guy who doesn't like to lose, and this has been a losing situation during his entire tenure.
The perceived baggage associated with Papelbon has caused teams to shy away from dealing for him and pursue other available relievers. When the Angels needed a closer, they traded for Huston Street. When the Tigers needed bullpen help (and they still do), they acquired Joakim Soria.
2. His contract
This has been a hindrance since the day pen met paper.
Papelbon's contract was the most expensive ever given to a closer. It was a four-year, $52 million deal that will almost certainly reach five years, $65 million because of the vesting option.
In past seasons, that contract has looked daunting. But now, with just this season's guaranteed money and next year's vesting option left, it's not as unmanageable for another team to take on.
If Papelbon is traded at the deadline and forces the acquiring team to exercise his 2016 option — he has a partial no-trade clause, so he has that leverage if the new team is on that list — about $19 million will still remain on his contract. It's not a given that the Phillies would eat some of that money, but the assumption here is they would pick up about $6 million to enhance the return package. The goal, after all, is not to save money but to add talent to the system.
So $13 million and a prospect or two for an elite closer? Fair price.
3. His "diminished stuff"
What a bunch of malarkey. There were questions early last season about Papelbon's fastball because he had a poor outing in Texas and the heater was down a few miles per hour.
Sometimes lost velocity can hurt a pitcher. It didn't come close to hurting Papelbon. After that blown save in Texas in the second game of the season, Papelbon ripped off 15 saves in a row, allowing one run over 25 innings and holding his opponents to a .155 batting average.
But yeah, let's worry about that 92 mph fastball.
Papelbon is an experienced reliever. He adjusted his repertoire, throwing more sliders and focusing more on the corners of the strike zone than he previously had to. And it worked. And it's still working.
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OK, so we've established that Papelbon is much more tradable this season than in seasons past.
Now who are the suitors?
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays checked in on Papelbon this spring and still have a need for him. Toronto is going with 20-year-old rookie Miguel Castro in the ninth inning. He has a 1.93 ERA so far, but how long does that last? What happens if he hits a lull? Castro has allowed runs in three of nine appearances and multiple baserunners in four of his last six.
The Blue Jays can win the AL East or battle for a wild-card spot, and adding Papelbon would strengthen the back-end of the bullpen, allowing Toronto to pair the right-handed Castro with left-handed Brett Cecil in the setup role.
Washington Nationals
Would the Phillies trade him within the division? Why not? They're not contending this year anyway.
The Nats' bullpen is significantly less talented this season than it has been in years past, and that could come back to bite them in the summer or in October. Tyler Clippard is in Oakland and Rafael Soriano is still a free agent. The Nationals are using Drew Storen as closer, but adding Papelbon would shift Storen back into the eighth-inning role and deepen that relief corps.
If you think about it, Washington is the exact situation Papelbon thought he was getting into when he signed here — terrific starting staff capable of holding opponents to one or two runs per game, heavy favorite to win the division.
The Nats will need to protect leads and protect the investments they've made in Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez. When you consider that Zimmermann, Gonzalez and Ian Desmond are free agents after 2015, this has to be the all-in year for the Nationals.
Detroit Tigers
Ahh, the Tigers again.
Detroit needed Papelbon in 2012, and in 2013, and in 2014. Each year, the Tigers were probably the most talented team in baseball, and each year the bullpen was the weak link.
With closer Joe Nathan out for the season with a torn elbow ligament, a lot of pressure is being placed on Soria to control the ninth. This is clearly a fit for Papelbon, but the Tigers have previously avoided making a deal for him.
But with the contract cheaper now and the heightened need, that could change this time around.
Other suitors will emerge throughout the season. Closers fail in their post in many cities every year. Already in 2015, we've seen:
• Cecil lose his job in Toronto.
• LaTroy Hawkins lose his gig in Colorado.
• Nathan go down in Detroit.
• Koji Uehara miss time in Boston.
• Kenley Jansen hit the DL in Los Angeles.
• Sean Doolittle get hurt in Oakland.
• Greg Holland get hurt in KC.
• Mark Melancon struggle in Pittsburgh.
• Cody Allen struggle in Cleveland.
• Steve Cishek post a 13.50 ERA in Miami.
• Neftali Feliz get rocked in Texas.
• And the Mets lose Jenrry Mejia to a PED ban.
And we're 16 games into the season.
Papelbon might not have to deal with that disappointment too much longer.