Jonathan Papelbon just can't wait. For him, it's not about showing the Boston Red Sox what they lost when they didn't attempt to re-sign the star closer. Papelbon, who faces his old team this weekend -- now with the Philadelphia Phillies, it's about bragging rights.
"I've been looking forward to this series since the day that I signed here," he said. "Facing old teammates, bragging rights. It's like, you know, you play with your brother in the backyard for so many years, you want to have those bragging rights." (via Boston Herald)
Papelbon has appeared in 16 games with the Phillies this season, compiling an 0-1 record with 11 saves and a 2.35 ERA. Papelbon played in Boston for seven seasons, saving 219 games in 396 appearances and recording the final in the 2007 World Series along the way.
"I'm proud of, obviously, the championships that we won there, and I'm proud of being a part of an organization that I felt like taught me how to play in the big leagues," Papelbon said. "I'm proud of playing for a manager in Tito (Francona) who taught me how to be a man, who taught me how to accept failure, taught me how to accept winning, A-to-Z. I could sit here and talk all day about it, but for me, it's a lot of good memories and a lot of good people surrounding them."
Pabelbon and the Phillies host the Red Sox in a three-game weekend series starting Friday.
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