“(Jonathan) Papelbon is entertaining, no doubt about it, but does anyone think he™s not long for Boston? The Red Sox have worked very hard to put together a team of button-downed professionals. Papelbon doesn™t quite fit that mold. In addition, you know he™s going to have a contract clash with the team at some point, given his track record of statements on the matter around his arbitration hearings and his fondness for comparing himself to Mariano Rivera.” — Bruce Allen, Boston Sports Media Watch, April 9, 2009.

Hey, it might not necessarily be a contract squabble that causes Pap to wear out his welcome in Boston. Prior to the start of Tuesday’s home opener at Fenway, Red Sox players made their way to the field by walking through the grandstand ailes, something club called a “a symbolic gesture was made by the players to thank the fans personally for their passion, dedication, and unwavering support.”  Guess which closer wasn’t having it? From Subway Squawkers (link taken from Baseball Think Factory) :

In the debut of his weekly web-only interview segment on Comcast SportsNet, Cinco Ocho – or should I call him Cinco Dopo – was irate that the players had to walk through Fenway Park’s stands during Opening Day introductions.

Papelbon agreed with Comcast hosts Gary Tanguay and Michael Felger that it was unsafe. “I know the fans probably loved it,” he said, but “you do have to be safe, especially walking down the steps and stuff like that.” OMG, steps!

“Just a terrible idea by [Red Sox senior vice president] Sarah McKenna, that was the person who came up with this idea, very stupid of her, ” Papelbon said. “And if she pulls another act like that, she can go down to Pawtucket.”

He added that “not many” of his teammates liked the gesture.

I’m sure, if Papelbon is asked again about his comments, that he will say that he didn’t mean to insult the fans. But that’s sure what it sounds like – as if he didn’t want to be in close quarters with the people who pay his salary. Nice!

As one commenter on the web site Boston Sports Media Watch put it, “here™s a new Schilling in town, with a third the IQ. And I don™t consider Schill to be all that bright.”