It’s official: Jonathan Papelbon can order the large fries any time he damn well pleases.
The Red Sox have announced that closer Jonathan Papelbon and lefthanded reliever Javier Lopez have agreed to a one-year contracts, avoiding arbitration.The club did not divulge the financial terms of either deal, but the Globe’s Amalie Benjamin has confirmed that Papelbon, a three-time All-Star, will be paid $6.25 million in 2009, while Lopez will receive $1.35 million.
Papelbon’s deal is a record for a first-year arbitration-eligible relief pitcher. The agreements also extend Theo Epstein’s streak of never having gone to arbitration with any player during his six-plus years as Boston’s general manager.
Papelbon, 28, had a 2.34 ERA and 41 saves last year, when he was paid $775,000. He set career highs with 67 appearances and 69.1 innings, and his save total was a career-best and the third-most in the American League.
And did we mention that pitchers and catchers report in just 22 days? Because they do.
My heart cries for baseball, people. It cries.
"SURVIVING GRADY is Red Sox Nation's 'Mystery Science Theater 3000.' Brilliant, irreverent, and merciless." -- Stewart O'Nan, author, 
