“I definitely didn’t come here for this.”
The Philadelphia Phillies likely played themselves out of contention for a wild card spot in the National League over the past nine days, losing eight consecutive games to fall to 49-56. With the trade deadline looming, general manager Ruben Amaro will have to decide whether to hold on to an aging core of talented players that helped deliver two trips to the World Series in the last five years. Closer Jonathan Papelbon joined the team after the 2011 season, when the Phillies still harbored hope of a deep playoff run — but with the chances of making the playoffs hovering around 1%, Papelbon is adamant that Amaro should blow up the team and rebuild.
Before the Phillies lost 12-4 Sunday in Detroit, Papelbon made it clear he isn’t happy in Philadelphia.
Via MLB.com:
“I definitely didn’t come here for this…. It’s going to take, in my opinion, a lot. And in my opinion, I think it’s going to have to be something very similar to what the Red Sox went through a couple years ago. From top to bottom.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean Papelbon is angling for a trade, but it certainly sounds like it. Papelbon said he’d “like” to stay with the Phillies, but followed that statement by asking why any player would like to stay with the Phillies.
“Asked after the game if he wants to be traded, Papelbon said, “No, I would like to stay here. But if I’m going to have to put up with this year after year, then no, I don’t want to be here. Why would you? Why would anybody?”
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