Closer Papelbon may have to pay the price

The Bradford Files , Rob Bradford

Jonathan Papelbon just wants to pitch, have some fun, and win some baseball games. The money? The 26-year-old understands it will come in due time.

And it is because of this attitude that Papelbon endears himself to both his teammates and most of those who come in contact with the fun-loving, former Mississippi State star.

But there is also a reality that is hard to ignore - because of his and his team's recent decision, the really big bucks might be taking a bit longer to arrive.

Papelbon down-shifted in the express lane on the way to getting his first big payday the minute he re-entered the role of Red Sox closer. Both the pitcher and his agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, aren't blind to the fact that starting pitchers - especially those with top-of-the-rotation potential such as Papelbon - have the most earning potential in baseball, whereas top-shelf relievers who earn top-shelf money aren't nearly as prevalent.

Mariano Rivera is in the final year of a three-year contract and will get paid $10.5 million this season.

Billy Wagner will make the same as Rivera this season, as well the 2008 and '09 seasons.

All-time save leader Trevor Hoffman never eclipsed the $10 million mark and is currently getting paid $7 million.

Meanwhile, while all of these relievers were reaching their salary ceilings, teams were paying through the nose to lock up not nearly as accomplished starters.

This offseason, for example, you had Gil Meche signing for five years at $55 million, which were the identical numbers A.J. Burnett inked with the Blue Jays the season before. Or how about former closer Miguel Batista agreeing to terms with the Mariners for $25 million over three seasons after not making more than $4.75 million a season as a closer.

The reliever equivalent of those middle-of-the-road starters, such as Cleveland closer Joe Borowski or Kansas City's Octavio Dotel, get slotted in around $4-5 million.

The bottom line is that while finishing games supplies instant gratification, it isn't the best career move in the long run.

Look at how many relievers have been inducted in the Hall of Fame since Rollie Fingers entered Cooperstown in 1992. Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter. That's it.

In that time, starting pitchers Nolan Ryan, Don Sutton, Phil Niekro, Jim Bunning, and Steve Carlton have entered the Hall. Now, who would you say had more of an impact at the peak of their careers, Sutton or the still-waiting-to-be-inducted Lee Smith?

Longevity and closing just don't go hand in hand. Hoffman, Rivera, and even Wagner are aberrations. Ryan actually played it the smartest, biding his time for six seasons as a middle reliever until he ultimately got his chance to close in 2005. One season of getting it done and he had his contract.

What would have happened if he had started on the same path Papelbon currently finds himself? History suggests it would have been a much tougher road to that big contract.

Papelbon, who is making $425,500 this season, still has another 11/2 years before he even hits arbitration. And when that day comes, it will be three years of potentially going to arbitration hearings. That's right, the Red Sox have him under their control until after the 2011 season.

Now, in all likelihood, Boston and Papelbon will come to terms on some substantial dollars in the coming years. But will it be in the neighborhood of starter Josh Beckett's three-year, $30 million extension? Probably not.

But, evidently, it's a price Papelbon is willing to pay.

The unkindest cuts of all

Two locals didn't make the final cut when spring training ended, but one still made it to Opening Day.

Both Haverhill's Carlos Pena and Londonderry's Brian Wilson were sent to the minor leagues after their respective teams, the Devil Rays and Giants, set their major league rosters coming out of spring training. But Pena was almost immediately signed to a big league deal when Tampa Bay put first baseman/outfielder Greg Norton on the 15-day disabled list.

Pena hit .214 in 42 spring at-bats for the Rays, who will use the first baseman off the bench to back-up starter Ty Wigginton. Wigginton could also see time at second base, where he played most of the time last season, with starting second baseman B.J. Upton potentially also being used in the outfield.

Norton, who had surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee Monday, is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

The 25-year-old Wilson will begin his season at Triple A Fresno after pitching 30 innings for San Francisco last year. Thought to be a potential replacement for closer Armando Benitez, Wilson finished his 13 spring appearances with a 7.71 ERA, highest among Giants pitchers. Benitez, on the other hand, posted an 0.96 ERA in nine games.

"I didn't see anything coming," Wilson told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I came to spring training, I pitched, did whatever. I thought I did fine. Apparently, I'm not good enough ...

"It's not the greatest news in the world, but what can I do about it? Getting mad isn't going to do anything, and getting sad is not in my nature. I guess I'll go with contentment and go on my way."

Giants manager Bruce Bochy also weighed in, telling The Chronicle, "It's more important for him to get some innings," he said of Wilson's role in the minors. "We still see him as closer potential. We think a lot of Brian. This is the right thing for Brian and the club. He's going to be on (the Giants) at some point."

The effects of spring training performances could be seen throughout baseball, with a litany of Opening Day roster surprises.

Detroit sent both first baseman Chris Shelton and pitcher Zach Miner to the minors. It has seemed like light years since Shelton began the 2006 season with 10 home runs in April, but managed just six more the rest of the way (none after the All-Star break).

Miner was called up in early June and managed a 2.59 ERA over his first five starts (including a four-inning stint against the Red Sox in his debut). He also made the World Series roster for the Tigers. Yet even with Kenny Rogers out for the first few months of the season with a blood clot, Detroit chose to go with Chad Durbin in the starting rotation.

Two of the teams with the strongest farm systems, the Dodgers and Angels, also had tough decisions to make. The Angels not only chose to send down top prospects Kendry Morales and Jeff Mathis, but also optioned former Red Sox farmhand Phil Seibel - the pitcher used to acquire Brendan Donnelly - to Triple A.

The Dodgers farmed out James Loney and Andy LaRoche, two players prominently mentioned in potential Manny Ramirez trades this offseason. Outfielder Matt Kemp, another prospect on the Sox' wish list, did make the big club.

Another familiar name beginning the year in the minors is Seattle outfielder Jeremy Reed. The 26-year-old, who the Red Sox viewed as a possibility to replace Johnny Damon in center field before settling on Coco Crisp, succumbed to a thumb injury last season, and hit just .238 this spring.

Former Yankee starter Aaron Small was also reassigned to the minors by the Mariners.

Rob Bradford is a sportswriter for The Eagle-Tribune.

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Pitching pay disparity

Here are the top 2007 salaries for starters and relievers:

STARTERS

Rank%Name%Team%Salary

1.tie Bartolo Colon%Angels%$16,000,000

1.tie Andy Pettitte%Yankees%$16,000,000

3. Jason Schmidt%Dodgers%$15,703,946

4. Mike Hampton%Braves%$14,500,000

5. Pedro Martinez%Mets%$14,002,234

RELIEVERS

Rank%Name%Team%Salary

1. Mariano Rivera%Yankees%$10,500,000

2. Billy Wagner%Mets%$10,500,000

3. Jason Isringhausen%Cardinals%$8,750,000

4.tie Trevor Hoffman%Padres%$7,000,000

4.tie Tom Gordon%Phillies%$7,000,000

4.tie B.J. Ryan%Blue Jays%$7,000,000

Source: Associated Press

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