Clown Show: Former Phillies closer rips Bryce Harper, Phillies leadership, and more
Former Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon did an exclusive interview with Betway Insider and discussed a variety of topics regarding his baseball career, his time in Philadelphia, and some bold predictions and takes on the current state of the Phillies and Bryce Harper.
Here’s everything that Jonathan Papelbon had to say.
Key Takeaways from the Betway article
ON THE 2022 PHILLIES: “It’s like a shit show there. And, for me, I see the shit show continuing. I mean, they fired their manager, what, two months into the season? As long as that stuff happens, Philadelphia will never win again. Philadelphia will never get back to the playoffs.”
ON BRYCE HARPER: “Thumbs, fingers, wrists, all those are very, very hard to come back from when you’re a hitter….I don’t necessarily see [Bryce] being a huge leader of the team, because he was never really a leader when I played with him. He kind of went about his own business and more was a me-guy or an I-guy, and wasn’t really into what was happening in the clubhouse, and didn’t have that pull for the team.”
ON THE 2014-15 PHILLIES: “Nobody was playing anymore. Nobody gave a shit anymore, I think the clubbies even quit on us too. I mean, it was brutal.”
Check out the full interview from Betway Insider here.
Papelbon starts out talking about the Phillies. He first says our bullpen is “okay”, which in reality, has been great over the last month and a half, and better than the bullpen ever was when he was here. He then goes on to say that the Phillies have no leadership, which is something you need to make a playoff run.
Kyle Schwarber is a World Series Champion and has been a huge mentor on and off the field, even being called the “grill-guy” over the 4th of July Weekend by Rhys Hoskins. Nick Castellanos, although he hasn’t lived up to standards at the plate, has continuously been referred to as a great locker room guy. The Phillies held private meetings with their leaders immediately after the firing of Joe Girardi. So that “lack of leadership” quote is bullshit.
“It’s always been kind of chaotic in Philadelphia, with the fans, with the players, with the front office. It’s like a shit show there. And for me, I see the shit show continuing. I mean, they fired their manager, what, two months into the season? As long as that stuff happens, Philadelphia will never win again. Philadelphia will never get back to the playoffs.”
Is Philadelphia chaotic? Absolutely. But to script the chaos as a reason that the Phillies are in a playoff drought is just wrong. Yes, we fired our manager two months into the season, and we’re now five games above .500 and hold a playoff spot after doing that. So “as long as that stuff happens”, I guess we’ll find our way out of our playoff drought.
He talks about when they brought Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay in along with him and says it’s been a shit show ever since. Everyone started getting hurt and it’s been “nothing but downhill for the Phillies”.
Jonathan Papelbon months back also said that the 2012 Phillies were the best team he’s ever played for, but I guess that was just a lie at the time? Who knows.
The next part is where Jonathan Papelbon really makes himself look like a fool. He was asked about Bryce Harper and said he didn’t really know what was going on with his injury. But he then goes on to talk about his “lack of leadership”.
“I don’t necessarily see him being a huge leader of the team because he was never really a leader when I played with him. He kind of went about his own business and more was a me-guy or an I-guy, and wasn’t really into what was happening in the clubhouse, and didn’t have that pull for the team.”
I don’t view him as a true leader but when he’s out, it obviously takes a bat out of the lineup. Somebody’s going to have to step up for then. I don’t know who it may be. Schwarber is hitting some bombs this year, but it’s gonna take more than that.“
Jonathan Papelbon and Bryce Harper don’t really have a good history, so it’s no real surprise that Papelbon is making up fake stuff to trash the MVP of the league. Back in September of 2015, Harper and Papelbon got into it in the dugout, and Papelbon charged at Harper, putting his hands around his neck.
For a guy that has taken Bryson Stott under his wing, continuously said he’d do anything to win in Philadelphia, and shows passion night in and night out, Bryce Harper is everything that Philadelphia needs and more. Not everybody has to be a loud and vocal leader, and even though Harper isn’t always yelling out orders in the dugout, everybody on that team looks up to Bryce.
Jonathan Papelbon is a loser, and the Phillies will win again, despite what he says. The team sits at 49-43 on the season and gets some time off with the All-Star Game taking place tonight.
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Pap is an ass……he always has been and always will be…..gives no one credit for anything except himself……and believes no one except himself…..