Papelbon Keeps Delivering the Goods

DENVER, Oct. 28 -- There was no way of knowing when the last 94-mph fastball blew by the final hitter, when Jonathan Papelbon chucked his glove to the sky and grabbed the cap from his head, unbridled joy and relief and accomplishment coming from the bottom of his gut. But to listen to the Boston Red Sox -- and to read Papelbon's exhausted face -- the closer who saved the World Series clincher was struggling to pitch.

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"That guy, he was hurting last night," Red Sox first baseman David Ortiz said amid the glee at Coors Field. "But he was bringing it today. I love him."

Speak for all of New England, Big Papi, because what Papelbon did to vanquish the Colorado Rockies -- saving three games in three opportunities, including Sunday night's hairier-than-expected 4-3 victory in Game 4 -- is one reason the champagne flowed for the second time in four seasons for the Red Sox. The state of Papelbon's arm didn't seem up for debate in his five-out save that closed out the sweep, because he didn't allow a hit, and because the Red Sox have come to expect perfection from a goofball of a 26-year-old who has proven invaluable to this franchise.

"The utmost confidence in him," starter and winner Jon Lester said. "He's probably the best closer in baseball."

The postseason stats would seem to indicate just that. Papelbon entered Game 4 with one out in the eighth, immediately after left-hander Hideki Okajima allowed Garrett Atkins's two-run homer, giving the Rockies something they seemed to lack for much of the Series: hope.

"I knew I had to be ready for this," Papelbon said on the field afterward. "It was going to come down to me getting outs when we needed outs."

But eight long months ago -- "So, so long ago," General Manager Theo Epstein said -- there was no way to tell that Papelbon could simply assume he would be called upon to record the most difficult outs of the World Series. Can anyone recall who the Red Sox thought might be their closer in February? That would be one Joel Pineiro, who was coming off a year in which he posted a 6.36 ERA with Seattle, a right-hander who had but one major league save to his credit.

The Red Sox, back then, thought Papelbon might be better suited as a starter. His stuff was certainly powerful and versatile enough, but even as he put up superior numbers -- saving 35 of 41 opportunities with a tiny 0.92 ERA -- he appeared to wear down from daily use. By Labor Day weekend in 2006, Boston shut him down.

Yet when the club convened in Fort Myers, Fla., for workouts, the decision gnawed at Papelbon. Pineiro and others struggled through the spring. Papelbon wasn't sleeping at night. Oh, for the opportunity to get the ball in the ninth, a one-run lead to protect, three outs to record.

Papelbon went to Manager Terry Francona. He wanted to close. The Red Sox agreed. Papelbon was happy, saying he wanted to match the accomplishments of the New York Yankees' Mariano Rivera, perhaps the greatest postseason reliever of all-time.

"He's not too far away from it right now," veteran reliever Mike Timlin said Sunday night.

Papelbon went on to make the decision look like genius for both sides, blowing only three saves in 40 chances, keeping his ERA at a still-dominant 1.85. And in the postseason, he was perfect, despite increased responsibilities. Only once in seven playoff appearances was he asked to record only three outs, yet he didn't give up a run.

"That's unbelievable," Timlin said.

In Game 2, he entered with two outs in the eighth, and closed it out. In Game 3, two men were on and two outs in the eighth, and he got the last four outs again.

Then Sunday, perhaps the most nerve-racking moments. He retired the final two men in the eighth, and then took the mound in the ninth, the lead just one run. With one out, Jamey Carroll, a tiny reserve infielder, turned on a ball, driving it to left. Jacoby Ellsbury, however, got back to the wall, snaring it. Out No. 2.

And then, the final fastball past pinch hitter Seth Smith, the 17th strike of the 22 pitches he threw. The glove went to the sky, the hat came from his head, catcher Jason Varitek leapt into his arms.

"Amazing," he said. There was, clearly, no pain.