Round and round it goes, where it stops—nobody knows. According to the Globe's Peter Abraham,
the "on-again, off-again" deal between the Phillies and their current closer, Ryan Madson, is off. The Phillies have explicitly denied that the reported 4-year, $44 million deal is real. So, Jonathan Papelbon is once again in their sights—either as a stalking horse or as a legitimate option. This could all result in a Fenway scenario of "Aceves in the 8th, Bard in the 9th". One note: Bard had better get a better entry song!