UPDATE: (3/6) 4:20pm (EST)  - According to The Boston Globe, the Red Sox and Papelbon have come to terms on a $775,000 contract for 2008 .  As we wrote in original piece below, he had been looking for a $900,000 salary (similar to what Ryan Howard had received last year). This is still a nice “little” raise, though! 

Feb 5, 10:48 pm (EST) - Yet another young pitcher is voicing his frustration over salary. Today, it is Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon (courtesy of Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald).

Papelbon, 27, has two years of service time under his belt and, as a result, cannot take the Red Sox to arbitration. Thus, he has no leverage in negotiating his 2008 salary but is still not shy about showing his concerns. Says the closer, “I don’t think the Red Sox really necessarily are seeing eye to eye with me on that subject right now. Hopefully we can get somewhere. We’re chugging away at this thing and we want to get it done, believe me, and we can move on.” Um, hey Jon… they don’t need to see eye to eye with you on this one. You’re their property. You can’t just walk away.

Papelbon made $425,500 last season. He is rumored to be asking for $900,000 in 2008 (as per the Providence Journal). That is a 112% raise! Imagine asking your boss for that kind of loot? Silverman writes the Red Sox are considering a raise of just  $100,000, or 24%. It’ll be interesting to see how this one unfolds.

Filed under: Boston Red Sox