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Boras Discusses Varitek
Adam Kilgore of the Boston Globe talked to Scott Boras recently about free agent catcher Jason Varitek. As you'd expect, Boras' spin is heavy on leadership and inherent value, so as to draw attention away from the .313 OBP and .359 SLG. Boras hinted that a multiyear deal would be appropriate.
Calls a great game, can't hit...that sounds like the mass of freely available backup catchers floating around. To pay Varitek like a starter is to assign a multimillion dollar value to his intangibles. That doesn't sound like a Theo Epstein approach, especially with his recent quotes about striving for at least league average at every position.
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Varitek will do one of two things.
1. Stay a Red Sox.
2. Retire. I doubt any other team picks up Varitek.
Posted by: melonis rex | October 23, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Ugh, by multi-year does he mean 2 or 4. This is the type of contract that can really sand bag a team. With Youkilis, Pedroia, Lester, Ellsbury, and Papelbon all going to be guys that the Sox are going to have to start paying and/or locking down over the next few years, the last thing they need to do is be burdened with a silly contract with Varietk.
Posted by: Chris | October 23, 2008 at 11:57 AM
I certainly respect the intangibles of game calling and leadership, but I have enough faith in our pitchers and pitching coach that Varitek's absence wont result in a tremendous drop in quality on the mound. I'd rather make a trade for one of the Texas catchers provided its not outlandish.
I wonder if Varitek refuses a deal if he'll get the Johnny Damon treatment?
Posted by: el clash combo | October 23, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Far too much is being made of this situation. I'd call Varitek re-signing at two years with MAYBE a third year team option essentially a foregone conclusion. Nobody else is going to offer him a better price than the Red Sox and he's got that C on his chest there.
He'll be overpaid, for sure, but that's hardly relevant when you're talking about the Red Sox. They've allegedly got about $45 million coming off the books this season (Which includes Varitek's salary). Schilling's paycut last season set a precedent that I figure Varitek will follow.
Posted by: 0bsessions | October 23, 2008 at 12:34 PM
If Varitek wants more than 1/6 with a club option for 2010, then I think you say thanks for the memories and bid him a good day. The guy just sucks at hitting and Boston is too good to have such a huge negative in the lineup.
Posted by: scribbletone | October 23, 2008 at 01:02 PM
Tek did hit .284 v.s Lefties this year...so there is something left in his bat...he just isnt an everyday player anymore.
Posted by: Kramerica Industries | October 23, 2008 at 01:57 PM
again, before you discount varitek, look at the other options at the catcher position throughout the league.
he will definitely get other offers and a chance for a starting job.
it will probably take 2/20 mil with a third year mutual option.
and before sox fans dismiss the cost to retain him, what are their other options?
there are no FA's. they have no one in the minors that are close.
there are few catchers on the trade market (why would l.a. trade martin, and the catchers in texas - salty and ramirez are bad defensively)...trading for laird will cost too much (starting with buchholz?...for laird?)
so in my opinion varitek is not the worst of options, 2/20mil or not.
Posted by: Boston Belongs To Me | October 23, 2008 at 03:27 PM
To be fair, even if Varitek hits higher then he did this year, its not that hard to find a decent defensive catcher who can hit .230. There are plenty of them out there and they won't cost you 10 million.
Varitek at 2/20 is way too much, he had his big payday four years ago.
Posted by: Chris | October 23, 2008 at 05:59 PM
"I wonder if Varitek refuses a deal if he'll get the Johnny Damon treatment?"
What are you talking about? Sox fans don't hate Damon now because he left the team... we hate him now because he signed with the yankees after he acknowledged how important the rivalry was to fans. Same thing with yankee fans and david wells, they didn't start hating him until he as in a Red Sox uniform.
Posted by: start_wearing_purple | October 23, 2008 at 06:15 PM
That's not really true. Most of us started disliking Wells when he walked off the mound in Game 5 vs. Florida.
Posted by: Not Joe Morgan | October 23, 2008 at 07:40 PM
Varitek getting 4 years, probably even 3 (unless the 3rd is strictly at Boston's option) is more than likely a pie dream judging from the way Theo & Company have handled every other veteran + older FA that has asked for more than they were willing to spend.
This team assigns a value for each player and rarely goes over it, in Lowell's case, he dropped his monetary and years demand to return and if Varitek insists on 3-4 years guaranteed, he is long gone.
Posted by: johns | October 24, 2008 at 06:47 AM
Perfectly stated, Mister Dynasty.
Posted by: Not Joe Morgan | October 24, 2008 at 09:48 AM