ESPN’s seven-part docuseries, “The Captain,” premiered Monday night, and Jonathan Papelbon has already had enough.
The controversial former Red Sox closer took to Twitter to suggest the creation of a new docuseries, one that would feature a different captain: former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek.
“Hey ESPN when y’all are ready to do a documentary on the real captain who whipped A Rod’s Ass let me know!” Papelbon wrote.
During the 2004 offseason, Boston appointed Varitek as captain, a designation that he would hold for 11 years. Varitek, a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, played his entire 15-year career with the Red Sox.
Varitek established himself as a symbol of the vitriolic Yankees-Red Sox rivalry in July 2004. After Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch, Varitek ignited a benches-clearing brawl by slamming his catcher’s mitt into Rodriguez’s face.
Papelbon and Varitek were teammates in Boston from 2005-2011.
The former reliever went on to play five more years, the next three-and-a-half years in Philadelphia, where he became the Phillies’ all-time saves leader with 123. He was then traded in July of 2015 to Washington, where he finished out his career with the Nationals releasing him in August 2016.
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