One Plus One Equals.........

You be the judge. First, from Tito......on Jon Lester......

"Francona was impressed with Jon Lester's live batting practice effort and said Lester "is doing everything everyone else is doing."

And now, in THIS CORNER,, Jonathon Papelbon, Paps, with HIS thoughts on pitching as a member of the rotation, or...or....well, read on.....and both blurbs were from today's Globe, accessed in full with a click of the title.......

"While the Red Sox go about looking for a new closer, Jonathan Papelbon continues to say he'll go back to the bullpen if the club makes such a request. Papelbon, recovered from a shoulder injury, is almost certain to start the season in the rotation, but he remains a great alternative if the closer search comes up empty.
"I'll definitely miss closing," the big righty said yesterday. "It was a joy for me, but I've got to turn the page. I'll help out any way I can. I know I said last summer that I'd love to close for the next 12 years, and I'm not going to deny that I said that, but the manager came to me with a decision he made and we're going to go with it.
"If they ask me to go back, we'll have to sit down and go over the pros and cons and do what is best for the team."

What's best for the team, or what's best for YOU, Paps, shoulder and all? That's where it becomes vitally important to make the right decision, and Jonathon's long major league future hangs in the balance. Some of us would say that the Sox HAVE five great starters-to-be (with Jon Lester.) Others (me included) would rather have the search within the bullpen for a closer continue until there is a certainly of our future closer being out there, or a certainly that the Sox will HAVE to look elsewhere. To me, Paps, even with all his brilliance in the closer's role of 2006, should be a last resort, for if his shoulder indeed can not take the up, up and down and up yet again stuff that makes a closer THE closer, then why risk it? Especially if there's a certain someone, a man who can adapt to the role exacly the same way that Paps did last year, who is out there and ready to be the lights-out late inning guy. I do not expect miracles ala Paps THIS year, not yet, but it's early and hope abounds. Caution is the way to go.. that's the right path for right now.....
Everyone, my readers, enjoy your Sunday...be well and be happy. And thanks for being here. As always, I'd love to respond to your comments. And click on the title for the entire post...it's a good one.