Did Papelbon cross the line?

Don't get me wrong: I love Jonathan Papelbon's play and antics as much as the next guy, but his recent complaints about not getting enough money in relation to his performance in the MLB the last two years is kind of annoying. Yes, he's the first Boston Red Sox player to save at least 30 games in back-to-back seasons, and, yes, Red Sox fans are more confident in the ninth inning than they have been since the 2004 version of Keith Foulke. And thanks to the 2006 version of Keith Foulke, Papelbon got a head start into what would be his All-Star career. Dubbed as an eventual stud starting pitcher, Papelbon's feats in the bullpen have raised him to a new level in terms of baseball player. He may be a clown off the field, but his domineering gaze between pitches is just one of the ingredients that everyone loves in a great closer.

However, being eligible for arbitration next year isn't enough for Papelbon as he believes he deserves the respect garnered by a large pay raise. Fans in the Northeast say Papelbon is better than Mariano Rivera in a tongue-in-cheek manner, but the Louisiana native claims he's right behind the New York Yankee legend when it comes to being a career closer. Sorry, Papelbon; two years of solid play doesn't privilege you to complain about your contract situation when you haven't even played the minimum for arbitration and reached the ranks of Rivera. There's a reason why it takes three years to reach that point: players have to prove themselves over the long haul, no matter the performance in the two seasons, even if one does include a World Series Championship.

Papelbon wasn't happy with the frugal $425,000 he made last year and believed a standard should be set because of his performance. Papelbon did, in fact, get his pay increased to $775,000 for the 2008 season, but that doesn't deter the fact that Papelbon may have given us all a sneak-peek into what can be expected when he becomes arbitration eligible or potential free agent. We all know that players want a big payday, but it's annoying and a little heartbreaking to see one of your team's heroes complain about his lucrative payment for playing a game as a career.

Now that Papelbon makes more than Cole Hamels ($500,000) and Prince Fielder ($670,000), he claims he can focus on the season ahead. And whether or not you agree that he should be making more than those two players mentioned is a matter of opinion, and, believe me, Hamels and Fielder are also unhappy with their new contracts. Should young players complain about their salaries before putting in their service time? In the grand scheme of things, I'd have to say no. Who wouldn't be happy making that kind of money in just one year? Yes, they want to secure a future for their families, but I doubt the injury bug will largely affect these young, healthy players.

Even though this little bump in the road came from what seems to be the most light-hearted player on the Red Sox, the overall team chemistry shouldn't be affected negatively during the course of the season. Throughout this season, Papelbon should be able to justify that pay raise and a future lucrative contract after playing well enough and long enough in the majors. Hopefully, when Jacoby Ellsbury's time comes, he'll be wise enough to keep negotiations behind closed doors so that fans won't have to hear more about contracts rather than the game itself.