Fourteen years ago, the acquisition of a closer at the trade deadline was hardly a seamless one for the Red Sox. Simply put, quite a few conversations had to take place with then-game-ender Jonathan Papelbon when fellow closer Eric Gagne was added to the mix.
Two years later, the awkwardness reappeared when a trade for Billy Wagner came into play.
This time around, that won't be a problem.
Speaking with WEEI.com prior to first game of Wednesday afternoon's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, Matt Barnes made it perfectly clear where he stood on the idea of the Red Sox trading for the likes of Craig Kimbrel (or another established closer).
"Absolutely," said Barnes when asked if it is a more-the-merrier type of situation when it comes to acquiring another late-inning arm. "At this point in my career where I’m at, we’re trying to win as many ballgames as we can and win as many championships as we can. So any time you can add pieces that are going to help the team, whether that’s starting rotation, bullpen, position players, I’m all in. If it’s going to make the team better then that’s fine. And even if that means I’m not closing anymore, honestly. It kind of is what it is.
"There are a ton of rumors. Maybe Craig comes back, right? If Craig comes back then he makes us better. One hundred percent, he makes us better. Then that means I’m throwing in the eighth."
There aren't too many closers in the game that are having better years than Barnes at the moment -- with the 31-year-old heading into Wednesday owning 22 saves along with a 2.36 ERA. Still, he understands the dynamic a player like the Cubs closer would bring.
Barnes admits that it's a reality that is much easier to adjust to thanks to the two-year, $18.75 million extension he signed just a few weeks ago.
"Absolutely," he said regarding if the new contract has altered his mindset. "If you want to be real about it, it’s probably the biggest reason. If I didn’t have that and I was going to go into free agency, saves are obviously more valuable than holds in negotiations. I’m fortunate to have signed that and know I’m going to be here for a couple of years. If they want to bring in Craig or somebody else that is a really well-established closer, than that makes us better. It makes our bullpen that much deeper.
"Coming into this year, all I ever said this was what I want to do. I always said I would do whatever I can to help the team win. But I felt like I earned the right to have a chance to be a closer and kind of said that."
And what would have been the case if Barnes had to head into these final days before Friday's traded deadline still living in a contract year?
"It would probably be a lot more stressful, honestly," he noted. "It gives you a sense of security. I love playing here. Knowing I’m going to be with the training staff. There is stuff we can work on through the offseason. There are guys I can stay in touch with. If something happens, they know exactly what is going on. It makes life a lot easier.
"It allows you to play more free. And typically when you allow baseball players to play more free, they perform better."
It's also a completely different mentality and reality that Barnes had to live through during last season's trade deadline, when he was the one being mentioned as the player possibly leaving town.
"Last year there were a ton of rumors," Barnes remembered. "I didn’t talk to anybody about it, but I knew there was definitely a chance.
"The day leading up and even the morning of I was like, ‘Well, there’s a chance I’m going to be in a few hours.’ I just kind of roll with the punches. There’s nothing you can really do about. I was just like, ‘If I get traded I got this year and then I got another year and then I can kind of figure out where I want to go.’"
Now? It's not complicated. And that's how Barnes likes it.