I hate phonies. Call me Holden Caulfield if you will. (If you don't get that reference, Google it and read the book. I swear it won't make you a serial killer). But that is exactly what the Red Sox are, a bunch of phonies.

Just today we find out that last year's rookie phenom Jonathan Papelbon will be heading back to the bullpen to be their closer. This after months of the Red Sox brass telling everyone that Papelbon will be in the starting rotation, but for health reasons. Terry Francona just in February told Joe D'Ambrosio on NBC 30 that this decision was done for "medical reasons". They felt that his arm would last longer on a set schedule of four days rest between starts instead of pitching an inning maybe 2 or 3 days in a row.

Everybody knew that this was not going to last. Most thought that the Sox would change their mind sometime mid-way through the season when they realized that Timlin, Piniero, and Hansen couldn't get the job done. Seriously what were the Sox thinking anyway? Papelbon struggled a little down the stretch last year but he finished with 35 saves and had an ERA under one! That sounds pretty dominant to me. Why would you take someone who excelled in his position, and move him to a starting role in which he didn't even want to be in? The way I see it, there aren't that many reliable, dominant closers in the game and if you think you have one, leave it alone. Also, if it really was for a "medical reason" you would think they would still want to protect Papelbon. I guess the reason isn't that important.

But the inevitable happened today. Papelbon is back as the closer (a move quickened by the injury to Mike Timlin) and Julian Tavarez is listed now as the team's fifth starter. The kid will probably have a great mental state now that he is where he wants to be.

But back to being phonies, no one took this team serious when they made this initial announcement. It's like last year at the trade deadline when they cried being poor and that they couldn't make any deals because of financial reasons. Theo Epstein said they couldn't keep up with the Yankees spending habits. Hey, I know the Yankees have organizational problems too, but they are who they are. There is no mistaking their motives. The Sox cry poor and then go on a ridiculous spending spree in the off season, shelling out hundreds of millions for Daisuke Matsuzaka and J.D. Drew (I can't wait to face this guy in a big spot at Yankee Stadium!). Once again, wouldn't you say they are being a little phony.

But maybe this will all work for Red Sox Nation (by the way, I hate that moniker, I think Raider Nation existed first...how about a little originality); Matsuzaka looks like he might be the real deal, they have an ace for the 9th inning, and the best 3-4 combo in the game in Manny and Big Papi is still in tact (after not trading Manny Ramirez for like the 4th year in a row). Just don't tell me that you're poor and that Papelbon was going to remain a starter, I am just not buying it and neither is Holden Caulfield.

Don