Jonathan Papelbon -- on the cusp of free agency for the first time in his career -- spoke to WEEI.com Tuesday. Papelbon is eligible for free agency five days after the end of the World Series.
"It really truly isn't all about the money. It's just not," Papelbon said. "I'm going to a place where I know I'm going to succeed. I'm going to a place where I know I have a chance to win a championship. I'm going to a place where I know that my family is going to be safe, my family is going to like the environment, and everything else that goes along with off-field stuff. That's what I'm looking at."
Papelbon -- who told WEEI.com he hasn't talked contract with the Red Sox recently -- would enter free agency off of a 2011 season that saw the closer return to elite status at his position.
"Yeah, I'm very excited," Papelbon said when asked about being a free agent. "But I don't think it's all about getting to this point. I really don't. I don't think it's about, I said no to this deal and that deal, or I didn't get any deals that I like so screw these guys, and I'm trying to get to free agency as fast as I can to get out of here. Because that's totally not the way it was. It just really wasn't."
To read more about Papelbon's thoughts on his impending free agency, read Rob Bradford's column [1] on the closer. For more Red Sox news visit weei.com/redsox [2].
Links:
[1] http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/rob-bradford/2011/10/11/jonathan-papelbon-bracing-himself-brave-new-w
[2] http://weei.com/redsox
[3] http://www.weei.com/category/boston/red-sox