Maybe L-girl is right about this year's Red Sox:

... If the Red Sox manage to seriously contend this season, if we make a run at the division or the wild card and make the playoffs, it will be an amazing comeback. But so many things would have to happen for that to occur – the Sox playing much better than they appear to be able to do, and more than one other team hitting a prolonged slide. It's looking highly unlikely. ...

Teddy Kokoros sums up last night's Sox game:

... Some random back up catcher from the Mets takes your all-star closer deep to win the game. You can't dwell on it too much and there is nothing to analyze. All you can hope is that you don't miss the playoffs by one game and then look back on the season and think what if that Santos guy did not happen to run into a Papelbon fastball? ...

Red balances good and bad:

... One pitch changed everything, although a timely hit -- Ortiz, Bay, Drew and Lowell were a combined 0-for-15 -- might have given us a little more padding. Either way, it was a taut, exciting game on a gorgeous night at Fenway. Who am I to ask for anything more?

The Herald posts some excerpts from a Jonathan Papelbon interview with Esquire, including one in which he called MbM a "cancer."

Red is especially enamored of the Bot's claims he wouldn't be afraid to lay down some smack even on David Ortiz if need be.

Jenn Martinelli cringes whenever that Papelbon butt-slap ad comes on:

... I can't even follow the point of the commercial because I'm so distressed by the dumber than dirt look on Papelbon's face. He just looks so stupid. Like he's trying to figure out something really hard, not act in a Dunkin Donuts commercial.

Earlier:
Stunt butt!

EVERYBODY's doing the Papelbon these days:

A slightly older lad:

Yeah, sure, hubby and all, but the Missus is referring to the bag she was spotted wearing after last night's game.

Beth pays attention to the bullpen:

The worrying begins.

Curt Schilling: No it wasn't a rash decision brought about by uncertainty:

... Paps wanted to close because that's where he felt he helped the team best, but he had no issues or problems being a starter either. He was going to do whatever role they asked of him.

I think the most important aspect, and what will be the most talked about part of this move is his health. One of the important points to note here is just how much smarter, and stronger he is, than he was last year. ...