Jonathan Papelbon thinks he became ‘scapegoat’ for Phillies

Jonathan Papelbon is finally free of the miserable baseball situation in Philadelphia, years after he begged to be traded. Now he says his willingness to speak about the poor situation in Philly — coupled with being a big earner on a bad team — made him the scapegoat in the big city.

Papelbon, who on Thursday recorded his first save with his new team, the Washington Nationals, joined Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier on 106.7 The Fan in DC Friday and was asked about his bad reputation.

“I don’t know where it comes from,” Papelbon said, via DC Sports Bog. “I think honestly it came from people just trying to find what was wrong in Philadelphia, and I kind of became the scapegoat. I was the only one in the clubhouse I felt like that answered questions honestly and was honest with who I was as a player, and was honest about where our team was at. I think that maybe took it in the wrong direction because I was honest. I don’t know where it comes from, but the only thing that matters to me is what my peers think and what my teammates think. I just want to win and be a good teammate. That’s all that matters to me.”

Papelbon is in a better situation now and is playing for a first-place team. He’s still an excellent closer and should help solidify the Nats’ bullpen. But he shouldn’t pretend that he doesn’t know where his negative reputation comes from.

Let’s start with the time he called Manny Ramirez a cancer in 2010. Then let’s look at Pap saying the Phillies lacked leadership in his first year with the team. Then during the middle of his second year with the team, he pretty much asked to be traded. And who can forget in April when Papelbon, in his fourth season with the team, said he never felt like he was a Phillie?

And he wonders where the bad reputation comes from. The few things we will say about Papelbon is that he is honest, he is a good player, and he does want to win. At least that all counts for a lot.