Earlier in the week Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon made some bold and as he saw them, honest statements to an Allentown sports reporter earlier. He said there was a lack of leadership in the Phillies clubhouse.
“Since I’ve been here I haven’t seen any leadership,” Papelpon told the Allentown Morning Call. “Every good team that I’ve been a part of has had a good core group of veterans and an influx of a good group of young guys and I think that’s a recipe for success,” he said. “But at the same time, that doesn’t mean we’re going to have success. In my opinion, this team has way more to lose than to prove. I think a lot of guys on this team have proved a lot. But I think this year if we don’t go out and do what we’re capable [of] and supposed to do, then we have a lot more to lose.”
There are sacred cows” on the Phillies roster, so his criticism got a lot of attention and the pressure mounted against Papelbon, so he toned down his statements to include himself.
“It was just a clubhouse that didn’t have an identity,” Papelbon explained. “And a clubhouse that didn’t have leadership, I felt like. And that’s not to put the blame on any one person or any one coach. That’s just the way it was.”
“It was an all-around leadership void from A to Z,” Papelbon said. “From being a vocal leader to being an off-the-field leader to being an on-the-field leader to everything. You can’t just point your finger at what type of leadership was missing. It was the whole part of the equation. Our team identity is formed by that leadership.”
“Everybody on this team can be a key figure,” he said. “[People are] sitting here trying to pick out one guy, or a guy here, or a guy in the lineup, or a starter, or a closer. That’s just not the way it is. It’s different. Doc’s personality is different than mine. He’s going to lead differently than me. Ryan’s personality is different. Chase’s is different. Everybody takes a certain little part of the equation and makes that equation a success.”
“Yeah,” Papelbon said. “[Expletive] yeah. I love this clubhouse. I liked this clubhouse when I was in Boston and played against it. I admired what I saw on the field. That was a big reason why I came here.”
Some bad timing or what Mr Papelbon..
Off-season has gone well for the Squad, lot of players look and act re-charged and re-focused for another Playoff Run returning from injuries and than this comes out to take the wind of the Spring Training Opening.. I just don’t understand some of Today’s Athletes.. Just keep your mouth shut and play the game and support your Teammates.. Why is this so hard for many of toaday’s Players in all Sports… I guess it’s the state of our Society these days..
The truth hurts, he’s right, I agree, but maybe, just maybe, he ought to learn how to pitch in any other situation, other than a 9th inning save situation, before taking shots at the teams leadership! Seen quite a few blown games, his BP & he caused, last year (at least 15)! He’s overpaid, & he’s useless, if you need him to hold a game, need him for more than 1 inning saves, multiple games in a row, or any other situation, but a save situation. The team has enough issues, JUST STFU!!
I could of sworn you had some sort of message hidden within that post with all the random capitalization.
Look he probably shouldn’t have said it but, I like the fire in paps belly. Those dudes are grown men they will be ok. GO PHILLIES.
Sometimes when you have a bunch of veteran players every one just sinks into their own role..when this happens and guys are too comfortable.. you get guys sinking deeper into their individual roles..when they can’t perform to their own standards they stop leading and look at self more..That is when you need an unstoppable force..AKA a Boss,Manager,ect to call a come to Jesus meeting and pin balls to walls.
Have we seen this from the Phillies last year… NO (I love Charlie but he is a bit to let boys be boys at this point)
We saw with the Eagles what happens with a lame duck coach and too many veterans that were too comfortable (MV7 should never have started against the Browns after missing all Pre-Season injured)
Talk,talk,talk tired all the rhetoric want to see action on field this team is a bunch old banged up players, retreads and 2nd rate replacements. The RA screw this team starting along time ago when he let Lee walk and gave up all farm system to get him back,hanging on to the clown who cant field in rf, signing crybaby JR again , getting a leadoff hitter and not letting him leadoff because crybaby will moan blows my mind. Can’t wait till Charlie gone his biggest fan and get real manager in here one that doesnt change lineup everyday so player gets his timing off and winds up going in slump.Got pitching coach telling cy young pitchers how to pitch and he never pitched in majors,got batting instructor never batted 300 in life, really all philly teams kill me they dont put right coachs in from start either its the money mostly or they are too stupid to realize you need the best teacher to show the pupil right way to be sucessful ex: not that these guys are around but its just what I said example, hitting coach ken griffey jr, mike schimdt, tony qwynn pitching coach curt schilling,etc in otherwords get the right man for the job.Wonder what our pitchers are thinking when pc tells them how to pitch and he never pitched majors in his life, bc tells players how to hit he never hit 300ba in his career day in day out
Donp, the best hitters, pitchers are not necessarily the best instructors, but I agree about dubee, I would not listen to him on mechanics of pitching, he will screw up big Roy if he gets in his head S I do not believe he has a sound knowledge of how the kinetic chain responsible for high velocity
But papelbon is correct, jimmy was puffin the chest when things were on the rise, but where was he last year, jimmy is a great baseball player, probably best in phillies history, but not a leader, same with utley and Howard
Now doc is a quiet leader, he’s not one to get in your face, but leads by example, notice the pitching staff, not really a problem there because of docs quiet, steady example.
Phillies do need an every day player to lead this team
Best shortstop in phillies history, mike Schmidt just stroked about those damn phillies fans when he read my last post
I just don’t like to timing or negative feel from Papelbon at the Start of Spring Training.. We all saw the lack of Leadership and Passion from the 2012 Phillies
So what’s the news here.. Why bring up a negative at the Start of Camp
With some new faces, optimism and hopefully the health of some of their Best Players
He was correct in what he had said. Last year was a very strange year due to injuries and underperformance. Like you said, couldn’t have been worse timing. Papplebon should have learned from his time in Boston that he should not say things like this. Philly would love him if he just acted like meathead that he is. He better hope he can back up his words this year.
There wasn’t a lack of passion! There was a lack of players… Playing out of position etc. injuries and the bp killed them, it wasn’t lack of passion, it was a throw away year. I think they will be loose and ready to play, this was a non-story!
Phil’s don’t have that vocal leader, they have a bunch of guys that had led by example. Three of the hardest working guys on the team (Doc, Howard, Utley) had the 3 larger injuries. Recipe for disaster.
Yup!
In baseball it’s more about skill than it is about passion. Some of the best baseball players are guys that are even keeled and laid back. They play too many games to be hopping around pounding their chest like Dawkins. Lol
Back in the day negative Philly fans like the one who claimed they have no passion said the EXACT same thing about the greatest Phillie to ever live….MJS!
They can’t be positive… Lack of passion, sounds like his bedroom!
Hunter Pence let the team down last year — he just could step up and ascend into a Super Star or come close to carrying the team — the catcher Ruiz stepped up but it took a long time for Charlie to give him the leadership role in the lineup and then Charlie quickly dropped him back down when Utley and Howard returned.
Hunter Pence is not that type a player
He’s a good player and teammate,
More of a solid support player but is not going
To carry a team on his back, it’s just not his game or place..
It wasn’t only Pence that struggled last year. J-Roll and Victo did not play well in first half. Rollins had some nice spells but was never consistent and Shane was just bad all season.
Not sure why Papelbon would do this now either. Best just to say last year is over and we are looking forward to a better 2013 with a full roster. But he proves once again that he is a bonehead.
Papelbon wasn’t very well lined up in Boston either..
Whatever could go wrong did go wrong last Year with the Phils, we all know that, so why bother commenting on it now..keep things positive and be hungry, healthy and ready to go now.. Just a bad, unnecessary comment from him
I know it’s pre-season, but the big leader, Paps gives up 6 runs, 2 bombs, in 2/3 of an inning. Way to go, waste of $$$$!!!! Keep up the good work, & leadership!!!!
Kratz, Lee, Ruf and Papelbon not looking good so far in the spring
some concerns there
but
Hamels, Howard and Brown looking good
Rollins, Halliday, Utley, Revere, M. Young look average
Are Ruf and Brown both expected to start opener or is Mayberry – Nix starting?
Ruf and brown will probably start, man ruf has no arm, he better make up for it with the bat, I believe the season will hinge on the pitching, especially big Roy, and the play of Howard and utley
Bingo jake. I think we’re going to see a fast team this year.
How is Ruf Defensively ?.. Is he Average or a Liability out in LF..
ruf has no hose, questionable fielding, liability in left, lets hope revere can cover some ground, how about dom brown with three bombs this spring
things look promising, the big piece also with three
this is the best phillies team since 2008
I think half the reason they got Revere was to cover some extra ground in the OF. Phil’s really wanted to sure up the D thorough the middle.
Ruf better turn it up, has been pretty podestrian so far.
Phil’s fans have to be pretty excited about what we have seen this spring.