Larry Brown Sports

Jonathan Papelbon was one of the many faces of an era of success in Boston. If there is one thing Phillies fans don’t have to worry about with Papelbon as their closer, it’s how he will respond to pressure. Having been the closer for the Red Sox during their World Series run in 2007, Papelbon knows how to pitch with some of the most rabid fans and arguably the most rabid media market in baseball breathing down his neck. In fact, Pap might feel more comfortable in a Philly uniform than he did in a Boston uniform for two reasons: Phillies fans are more knowledgeable and they probably won’t chuck a prosthetic leg at him while he’s in the bullpen.

“The difference between Boston and Philadelphia, the Boston fans are a little bit more hysterical when it comes to the game of baseball,” Papelbon said during an interview with 94WIP’s Angelo Cataldi and The Morning Team.  “The Philly fans tend to know the game a little better, being in the National League, you know, the way the game is played.

“I’ve had a guy take of his prosthetic leg and throw it in the bullpen in Boston. It’s a religion. It’s a way of life. They come to the field and they expect certain things out of players. It’s an environment where you put up or shut up. I enjoyed that. It got my motor running every day.”

Your move, Philadelphia. I don’t know if this is a compliment or an insult for Boston fans. The part about being less knowledgeable about baseball is certainly an insult, but who doesn’t respect the prosthetic leg guy? Arguably the most committed heckler in professional sports history.

H/T Hardball Talk

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Red Sox fans are not known for being the kindest bunch in the nation. Words like disrespectful, loud, and obnoxious are used more often to describe Boston fans than ones like classy and welcoming. Having played in the A.L. East since 2008, Rays outfielder Luke Scott has become quite familiar with Red Sox fans and the way they act at Fenway Park. From the way he makes it sound, it’s worse than many thought.

“Just their arrogance,” Scott said during an interview with MLB.com. “The fans come in and they take over the city. They’re ruthless. They’re vulgar. They cause trouble. They talk about your family. Swear at you. Who likes that? When people do that, it just gives you more incentive to beat them. Then when things like (the last game of last season) happen, you celebrate even more. You go to St. Louis–classiest fans in the game. You do well, there’s no vulgarity. You know what? You don’t wish them bad.”

That sounds about right. Scott is a guy who has never been known to shy away from speaking his mind, so the fact that he feels so strongly about it should surprise no one. Boston is a massive media market. The stuff Red Sox fans have seen in the paper and on ESPN for the past several decades has placed a permanent chip on their shoulder. A lot of what Scott said is accurate, but that goes for Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and any other big-market team as well.

Take it from one who knows. Going to a Red Sox game is another excuse to get hammered for half the people in attendance. I once witnessed a bunch of 20-something-year-olds make their way to the first row behind the bullpen at the end of a game just to verbally assault Jonathan Papelbon — one of their own players. Some cursing was mixed in and let’s just say Pap wasn’t happy. Maybe I was one of those 20-something-year-olds. Maybe I wasn’t.

Fist pound to Hardball Talk

Who had the better boob grab, that Red Sox fan, or this Phillies fan? The Phillies fan went Big Red and made it last a little longer, so he may get the nod. The big difference is the Sawx fan did it without knowing he was on TV, which makes it pretty awesome. My how the Brian Urlacher influence is spreading.

Thanks to It’s Always Sunny in Detroit for the find