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MANSFIELD - He came, he pitched - and he left.

Jonathan Papelbon's appearance at Shaw's Spirit of Giving Food Drive kickoff Friday morning went much like his time on the mound during a Boston Red Sox game: engaging and brief.

But seeing Papelbon at the Mansfield store was somewhat less than thrilling for some fans, who grew upset and disappointed that the Sox star left without signing autographs or greeting those who clamored into the supermarket to see him.

"I've got to go feed the hungry," Papelbon said, offering reporters a two-minute chance to ask about baseball before he left the crowd of nearly 100.

Of course, he was there help Shaw's Supermarkets jump-start its 8th annual drive, which allows customers to purchase $5, $10 or $15 pre-assembled bags of groceries that will go to several New England food banks over the holiday season. Papelbon helped pack grocery bags and offered his support for Shaw's food drive.

"For me, it's a chance to give back. I'm a grown man, so I love to eat food," Papelbon said. "So when I hear about people going hungry, you think about how much you can help. The more you give, the more you receive."

The closer was generous enough to offer his thoughts on trading with the Twins and getting Johan Santana - Minnesota's lefthanded pitcher - on the Sox roster next year.

Papelbon said likes the idea of trading with the Twins and having Santana on his team next season, which could mean saying goodbye to four teammates.

"This is the way I look at it. You've got to try to put together a championship club every off season, and that's what we're going to try to do," Papelbon said. "When you have an opportunity to get a guy like Santana, I say yes, let's do it. But you don't want to give up the farm to do it. OK, Merry Christmas."