Projo Sox Blog

By STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

CINCINNATI -- On his weekly appearance on the Mohegun Sun Sports Tonight, Jonathan Papelbon had some harsh words and not-so-veiled threats for the Tampa Bay Rays for when the teams meet again June 30-July 2 in the wake of the teams' brawl at Fenway Park on June 5.

"In my opinion it is a bunch of bull what they did. All I got to say is what comes around goes around. Payback is a bitch. In my opinion, and the way I feel right now, this thing isn’t all settled and done. We still got to play them a few more times and I know when we go into Tropicana things will be a little different than when went in there last time," said Papelbon during the show.

The words were not music to manager Terry Francona's ears.

"I'll speak to him," sighed Francona when the topic was brought up. "We don't need to go there. I'll talk to him."

Francona was upset because Papelbon's words not only could serve to fan whatever flames are leftover, but also from the standpoint of the umpires, who especially now will be on the watch for anything that constitutes further paybacks. One likely fear from the Sox' point of view is that one high and tight pitch from Papelbon, even if it's not meant as payback, could result in the closer's ejection.

Papelbon said this afternoon he understands that concern, but he still seemed steamed by the the James Shields fastball that drilled Coco Crisp, touching off the brawl that occured a day after Crisp had issues with shortstop Jason Bartlett and the Rays had issues with Crisp for his takeout slide of Akinori Iwamura on an unsuccessful stolen-base attempt.

"All of it is (standing up for Crisp)," said Papelbon. "We go through war during the season. If we don't have each other's backs, we'd be worthless as a team."

Papelbon kept on going.

"The play where Bartlett dropped down his knee when Coco slid in headfirst (and suffered a jammed thumb) and then Coco hit their guy, that should be it, a done deal. But they wanted to carry it over (hitting Crisp with a pitch), play their little game and take their cheap shots (punches in the pile). That's why I said it wasn't done. That's what I'll tell Tito. The way I feel isn't going to change," he said.

Papelbon said he wasn't worried about the umpires, hoping they would know the difference between a payback pitch and a purpose pitch to move a hitter off the plate to set up the next pitch, maybe down and away.

At that point, Francona happened by. He leaned over to Papelbon and said, "When you get done holding court, could you come in and see me?"

Papelbon started to say something and Francona playfully but purposefully grabbed a handful of Papelbon's T-shirt and dragged him out of the clubhouse to his office for a brief chat.

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