Say it ain’t so, Mo! Did Mariano Rivera’s agent pursue the Red Sox?

I saw that Rob Bradford of Boston radio station WEEI is reporting that “Mariano Rivera’s representatives were the ones to initiate contact with the Red Sox in an attempt to get the team interested in the closer.” Yikes! (Hat tip to Sliding Into Home)

The article also claims that contrary to other reports, the Red Sox really weren’t going to non-tender Jonathan Papelbon:

While there was some thought that because of the offer to Rivera the Red Sox were prepared to non-tender closer Jonathan Papelbon, separate sources suggest the Sox were never inclined to let Papelbon become a free agent this offseason. In the short-term, the team valued the reliever’s presence in the back-end of its bullpen, while long-term it coveted any draft picks that might come the Sox’ way if Papelbon were to sign elsewhere in free agency next year. The Sox’ closer is arbitration-eligible for a third time, and is heading into the final season of being controlled by the Sox.

I dunno what to think about this article. Could this be damage control from the Red Sox camp, given that Boston still has one more year of Papelbon, and that they could be headed into another arbitration hearing with him? Remember, Papelbon is the closer who thought he, not Mo, should get to close the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. Are Boston sources trying to spin this to make Rivera look bad?

So what do you think, readers?