Red Sox Re-Sign Jonathan Papelbon, but Contract Issues Still Loom

The Boston Red Sox re-signed All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon to a one year, $6.25 million contract.

Papelbon has been the Sox' lights-out ninth-inning man since 2006 and has made the All-Star game in each season. His career 1.84 earned run average ranks him second among major league pitchers since 1900 who have thrown at least 200 innings. He is only 29 saves away from establishing the Red Sox franchise record for career saves.

Papelbon's salary last year? $800k.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein understands the importance of avoiding drawn out arbitration battles, which lead to dissent among players and an altogether uncomfortable player-team relationship.

while the New York Yankees were signing seemingly all of the available free agents and their immediate families, Epstein focused on securing home-grown talent. Reigning MVP Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis, the third runner up for MVP, both completed long-term deals that will delay their potential free agency considerably.

But Papelbon has been vocal about his salary and how it does not represent his performance on the field. And, considering that he has earned roughly $1.5 million while establishing himself as a premier closer, it is easy to see his argument.

During spring training before the 2008 season, Papelbon had this to say about his future with the Red Sox: "I can’t sell myself short. I know they’re not going to give me what I want, so the question becomes, ‘How close can we get?’ If I can’t get close, they can just renew me." [ref]

Papelbon and the Sox came to the one-year, $800,000 contract a few days later. Though happy to be with the Red Sox, he was reportedly unhappy with the figures, but having too few years of service to be eligible for arbitration, he had to settle. The contract nearly doubled his salary from the previous year.

However, the Sox reluctance to sign Papelbon to a long-term contract should be considered worrisome by Sox fans.

With relief pitching being in such limited amounts, and Papelbon entering the prime of his career, there is no reason to believe that a team like the Los Angeles Angels, or Detroit Tigers, or even (gasp!) the New York Yankees will not be quick to offer Papelbon several years with upwards of $12 million per year (Mariano Rivera can't pitch forever).

As much as Sox fans believe that there are certain young players who are "untouchables," both in trades and free agency, and that the Sox have stuck to their guns with most of those players, Papelbon is no longer a prospect.

Perhaps Epstein is hoping to get one more year out of Papelbon for relatively cheap until he is forced to come up with a long-term contract, but whatever the rationale is, Sox fans may be seeing Cinco-Ocho suit up for another team in the near future.