Prior to the Red Sox’ game against the Atlanta Braves Friday night, Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon took time to address comments he made to Sirius Radio Thursday in which he said he was open to playing for the New York Yankees when his current contract ran out. During the seven-minute session, Papelbon made it clear his first priority is to stay a member of the Red Sox as long as possible.

“I just think that when people hear what I said or people read what I said sometimes they can only see certain things. I want to make that clear, I don’t want to go (expletive) play for the Yankees,” Papelbon said. “Believe me, I’ve got a ring here and I’m playing for a manager and general manager who are going to protect me. I’ve been on a team in baseball who has been in first-place more than any other (expletive) team in baseball. It’s just a simple fact for me that what I was stating that guys nowadays don’t necessarily get the opportunity to be with a team for a long period of time. Do I want to be with the Red Sox for as long as I can? Of course. There is no question about because I know I’m playing a manager and general manager who are going to protect me and to me that’s all that matters.”

Papelbon would relay the constant theme that why he understands it is a business he also has no intentions on playing anywhere else but Boston if at all possible.

“I said I would go to any team that I felt was best for my siutation, whether its the Yankees, whoever. The thing you dont understand is that its three (expletive) years away. I’m in a situation where I’m playing for the best general manager and manager in the game of baseball and I’ve won a World Series ring here. Do I want to go play anywhere else? Hell no. I get this question asked all the time, what’s going to happen down the road, what’s going to happen next year, whatever. I don’t want to play anywhere unless I (expletive) happy and I’m happy playing here and this is where I want to play, but I also understand there’s a business side of things. Sometimes that doesn’t work out. Sometimes you can’t play in a city for 10 or 15 years. I may not be as lucky as Wake to be able to be in that situation. It kind of pissed me off today because it made it seem like I want to go play for them, which is nowhere even close. It’s nowhere even in the ballpark where I want to be.

“I have to look out for me and my family. There is no ifs, ands, or buts about that. Those people come first in my life above anybody else. Me being in this city, and me playing for the manager that I’m playing for and the general manager that I’m playing for, my family is happy and I’m happy, so why would I want to play anywhere else.

“I can have eight one year (expletive) deals. As long as I’m happy and I’m in a city where I’m playing for a manager I’m happy playing for, then why would I want to go… You guys don’t understand, I’m protected here, my family’s happy here and I’m playing for a city and fans who are passionate about the game, so for me to go somewhere else would completely detrimental for me. I don’t want to play anywhere else. I think today some things came out on the side where it looked like I want to, but believe me I don’t. I just stated there’s a simple fact in this game and it’s called business. I can’t sit here and set myself up and say I’m going to be here forever, because that may not happy. Do I want to be here forever? Of course, there’s no question about it.

“I said I would go play for any team, but for me to play for any other team I need to be protected and my family has to be happy and I have to be happy, and right now that’s here. It’s here in this clubhouse and it’s here at Fenway Park, so why the (expletive) would I want to play anywhere else?

(Regarding being approached with a long-term deal) “It doesn’t matter. Like I said, I’ll sign eight one-year deals in a row. It’s not about the money and it’s not about going to play for money, because if it was I wouldn’t be closing right now, I’d be starting. I know I said what I said, and I’m not going to deny that, but I think at times fans may see that as I don’t want to play here, or my manager or general manager may think I’m not happy here and that’s nowhere even close.

“They don’t owe me nothing. You’ve got to understand one thing, this team does not need me. I need the Boston Red Sox more than the Boston Red Sox need me, because this is a place where I’m happy and I need a place where I’m happy, so for me to go to a place where I’m not happy would be totally detrimental to me and my family, like I said. Whether they want to come to me or not, it makes no difference. Whether they want to lock me up to a long-term deal, it makes no difference to me.”