CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jonathan Papelbon insists that all that negativity that has filled his head during the past few months is a thing of the past.
“I’m definitely trying to be a lot more of a positive influence and be more upbeat,” Papelbon said during a press conference on Monday at Bright House Field.
“It starts from (new manager Ryne Sandberg). It starts from our manager in encouraging us to stay positive and be upbeat even though the last two seasons didn’t go as expected for myself and the rest of the guys in that clubhouse.”
Papelbon’s comments are a long way from the ones that have been associated with him during the course of the last few seasons. He has seemed to complain at one time or another about the way that the Phillies clubhouse has functioned.
On Monday, he did his best to try explain the comments while hardly apologizing for them.
“I know I said a lot of things that have come in the middle of 10-, 12-game losing streaks that come out with emotion,” Papelbon said. “I’ve always been an emotional type of player. That’s just the way I am.
“This year, that emotion has turned into so much more of a positive than a negative. I’m not saying we’re going to go out and everything is hunky dory. We still have a lot of work to put in.”
Asked if he needed to filter some of the things that he says, Papelbon said he will not change.
“What do you guys want?” Papelbon said. “You want me to come up here, ‘We tried real hard, we did real good, go out and give 100 percent and God willing everything will turn out … If it gets in the way of winning, that’s the only time it’s a problem.”
Meanwhile, the bigger on-field issue is that of diminishing velocity for Papelbon during the past few years.
“I don’t think velo has a lot to do with anything, to be honest with you,” Papelbon said. “It is nice to throw 95 plus every night. But that’s not what it takes to get through this league and through a 162-game baseball season. I think it’s deeper than that. I think it’s mental makeup and ability and grinding. It takes a lot of different thing.”
NOTES, QUOTES
— RHP Phillippe Aumont was one of the bigger disappointments of the 2013 seasons as he struggled with control issues and seemed to have mechanical problems. However, he has appeared impressive to this point in spring training with a more upright style. “Things are going well as of right now,” Aumont said. “I feel like I’m different than last year in terms of being in a better place mentally and more positive. Physically, I’m in a way better place.”
— SS Jimmy Rollins reported into camp on Sunday. Manager Ryne Sandberg challenged Rollins to change his way of playing. “I saw him open to my suggestions,” Sandberg said. “I saw some improvement in his play. I see a lot of hop on him in the first day here. I see him doing a nice job, I see him in shape and it’ll be more of the same.”
— 1B Ryan Howard says that he feels that he can get back to being a premier power hitter. In fact, he believes that he can repeat his greatest year of 58 homers from 2006. “Are you asking me if I’m capable of hitting 40-plus home runs? Absolutely,” Howard said. “I feel I’m capable of hitting 58 home runs. I feel that I’m capable of doing that every year. It’s just a matter of going out there and let the game come to me.”
— RHP Jonathan Pettibone was sidelined early in camp with right arm soreness and given a cortisone shot. He isn’t expected to throw off the mound until the weekend at the earliest.
— LHP Cole Hamels, who is battling biceps tendinitis, said that he will throw off a mound on Feb. 25. That puts him roughly two weeks behind schedule.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“He had regrets about what he said. I think in some regards, from the input that I got back, is that he really wasn’t sure what he said. Makes sense, doesn’t it?” — manager Ryne Sandberg, on Jonathan Papelbon’s comments at the trade deadline last year about “I didn’t come here for this.”
MEDICAL WATCH:
–1B Ryan Howard (knee surgery in 2013) missed the second half of the 2013 season after suffering a knee injury. He appears to be healthy as the year begins.
–LHP Cole Hamels (bicep tendinitis) is behind scheduled on his throwing program and might miss the start of the regular season. Hamels is scheduled to throw from a mound next Tuesday.
— RHP Mike Adams (shoulder surgery) threw from flat ground for the first time on Tuesday and believes he will throw from the mound on Feb. 27.
— RHP Jonathan Pettibone (shoulder soreness) received a cortisone shot to cool down arm soreness. He is expected to not be available to throw until Saturday at the earliest.