Yes, and every time he does something that isn't perfect, we get to hear you rant about it. When he doesn't give you any drama and does his job with flawless efficiency...we hear not a single peep out of you.
No worries, Tepop...er...Maine.
Remind me to compare you to Pats2006 next time your unfettered love for Papelbon shines through. You mention the last two games, I pull up info from the last ten that - by the way - include the two you referenced. And you act as though I took a random sample from April. You hate being challenged to a point where you need to stoop to a new low? Nice barb.
If I am reading people's opinions about closers correctly, who cares what happens in the 9th as long as the guy gets the save. Right? I mean, I've been called "Tepop" for pointing out that Papelbon's high wire act is getting really old and when he does this against a team not ranked in the bottom 5 of the MLB teams in total offense he's going to get spanked.
But I'm told, a few times, "he is getting saves." Right?
So if that is the case we can toss out ERA, WHIP, walks allowed, K to inning ratio, all that.
Saves. Saves are what matters.
Gregg has five blown saves. That isn't good. Papelbon has three blown saves. Of Papelbon's three blown saves, two were three run leads.
Closers come and go. Is Papelbon better than Gregg? He's flashier. Papelbon's ERA is better. Gregg's walk/9IP is better. Gregg has more strikeouts than Papelbon and his WHIP is a little better. Both are very close in the blown save neighborhood. Gregg has three losses to Papelbon's one loss. Gregg also has four wins to Papelbon's one win.
You can't discuss good and bad closers without comparison. While I am thrilled at what Papelbon brought to the table in prior years, I am less than enthused with what I am seeing this year. And, I would also like to mention, Papelbon had to be shut down two years in a row due to shoulder fatigue. Who is at fault is up for debate in that. Flash back to last year's ALCS. Papelbon was not available for that game.
Seriously. Look it up if you don't believe me. The world beating elite closer Jon Papelbon would not have been available to close GAME SEVEN of the AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES if needed. No big deal, just a spot in the World Series hanging in the balance.
Where Papelbon shines over a guy like Gregg? He certainly has more mystique.
I'm certainly not saying Gregg is someone I would feel comfortable with. Look inside the numbers. Gregg and Papelbon are sharing a lot of traits this season that scare me. Papelbon is supposed to be elite. He makes well over more than $2,000,000 more than Gregg. He bar SHOULD be set higher. Yet the end results are way too close for my comfort.
And that opinion sure as hell doesn't warrant a two year old style type swipe that Jeff took at me (in regards to the Tepop reference).
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