Interesting stories coming out of Red Sox camp right now. The Sox are going to name their closer next week and its down to the following people, Joel Piñero, Brendan Donnelly and Julian Tavarez. Did I mention Jonathan Papelbon? Probably not but since I always thrown him when we talk about the closer’s situation, I had to include him.

In all seriousness, I came across two distinctively different articles. One discussing the that the closer is going to be one of three minus Papelbon and I came across another that said don’t count out Papelbon just yet. It was interesting to listen to Steve Phillips, Orel Hershiser, Dickie V and Dan Shulman talk about Papelbon being the closer. Amazingly they were all in agreement that Paps should be the closer. Phillips even suggested that they could protect him but not using him as much. Now if Dickie V says he should be the closer, I might not listen, but he is actually very knowledgeable about the game. But he’s a Yankees fan so his opinion to me doesn’t count.

As we had heard during the beginning of spring training, the main reasons for Papelbon not closing was that the doctors said it would be best for him to throw with a regular routine. Well now that might not be the case anymore due to the strengthening program that Paps does.

“I’ve talked to a million doctors. For me, it wouldn’t matter what I do, start or close,” he said. “My shoulder is still going to stay healthy because I’m going to stay on my program and do what it takes, no matter what kind of pitching I do. I’m going to keep my arm healthy. So, (my role) is kind of irrelevant.”

Well, your role isn’t irrelevant. Because no matter where you are pitching this season, Mr. Papelbon, you are an important piece to the puzzle. So if the doctors are saying that he can pitch as the closer, what’s the holdup? He’s obviously the best closer candidate available. Unless they got a front line closer in a trade, there’s no one out there that can get the job done. Papelbon is even receptive to going back into the bullpen.

“My door is always open to better a ballclub. That’s what it boils down to. If it betters a ballclub, my door is open, let’s talk about it, figure it out,” Papelbon said when asked if he would listen to a plea to return to the role in which he dominated last season. “For me, I’m going to do what’s best for the team. If they go out and get somebody, or somebody finally steps up, and says, ‘Hey, I want this role’ . . . then we go about our business, and everyone’s happy.

So let’s see here. He wouldn’t mind closing if it was going to help the ballclub. So what the f*&* is Theo and company waiting for? His spot in the rotation is easily replaceable with the likes of one Jon Lester or even Kasan Gabbard. It would not at all surprise me that when the Red Sox announce who the closer is that you hear Papelbon’s name get called.