grant- That’s because wins are the most meaningless stat to evaluate pitchers. Only casual fans who know nothing about stats would ever look at a pitcher’s W as a measure of his value.

Papelbon does come off as a redneck… I almost picture him in overalls wrasslin’ with his pigs in a pen, getting drunk on moonshine and playing mailbox baseball, and getting amorous with his favorite (male) horse… but I digress.

Anyway, in all seriousness, Papelbon has the right to say what he’s saying. Every team should think they’re the team to beat, and when you’re the World Champ, you’ve earned the right to say you’re the team to beat — and you are.

“I don’t know who can really compete with us” is obviously hyperbole, but Paps isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. His arrogance is not surprising, but it’s also not totally uncalled for.

All I can say about this is let him talk. Let him, as WW so properly put it, pound his chest, and when the Sox lose, we’ll all be here to say I told you so. Look, the Sox have a great ball club, but they are an injury or two, as all ball clubs are, from being mediocre. I love that the Sox are the front runners, and that the Yankees are an after thought in every ones mind. I love that. When was the last time we were a scrappy underdog? Papelbon is a great closer, but only has been for TWO years. Side note here, but i love how after two years Papelbon is considered by many to be one of the elite closers in baseball, but after two years of leading the league in wins, CMW is still an average pitcher over achieving. I alos love how it isn’t in the tradition of our glorious ball club to strut like this ambassador of the Sox is doing. After reading this quote, i went back and watched Arod tattoo a ball in to the Fenway bullpen. Bring it.