Varitek Exercises Player Option

Is there anyone out there that would really want to give Varitek an everyday job?

Yeah, he'll probably post a better OBP than Barajas or Olivo, but he's not nearly the power threat.

We're talking about a guy who finished the season posting a .130/.221/.210 line in 113 PA covering his final 31 games of the season.

As a Red Sox fan, I would like for Jason to turn it down and look elsewhere. But reality is he will most likely exercise his option. I am fine with him being a backup this year, after all he has done for our organization he has earned at least a backup role. Hopefully, after this year though he decides to retire and goes into coaching.

if he does not take the deal from the red sox, in so many words, he acknowledges that he is going to retire pretty much

for the other teams in baseball's sake, please accept the player option!!!!!!

mburg85, i don't think there is a question of sentimental value of him, however it is proven he is actually hurting the team. Now I am yank fan and as souvenir said, it would be a good thing for other teams if he picks up the option. But lets be serious, virtually any other available catcher would be a tremendous up tick for the sox in terms of agility, and christ, someone who can hit more than .188. The sox probably are not handling this right either, but that doesn't surprise me either. They should be proactive and discuss other options with him. Theo is too busy hearing about trades a day later that he could have been involved in. Varitek should stand up and retire and work within the organization elsewhere. Oddly, he'd probably be a better hitting coach than magdan, whatever the guy you have now name is...Just because he can't hit a watermelon, doesn't mean he does not know how too..

Its funny how the "rumor" of Tek going to the Mets got started (see BORASS)..and the Mets saying they are not interested...
Tek has been a warrior for the Sox, and he would be an idiot if he didn't take the 3 mil.. that being said, you know Theo is hoping that Tek walks...

...And I'm sure whatever happens the Red Sox and Varitek will move ahead on good terms. There's too much history between them for one or the other to pull up a middle finger.

Retire, Jason.
Give younger talent a chance...
You are 38!

" I am fine with him being a backup this year"

All you Red Sox fans that keep post about wanting him back for "sentimental" reasons need to wake up.. There is a 100% REAL reason he never caught Wakefield and it didn't have a thing to do with giving him a day off when he pitched.. he flat out could not catch the knuckleball.. PERIOD..

Charlie Zink has (or was until released a few days ago) a knucleballer in the Sox system for 6-7 years and every catcher coming up through the Sox system therefore have experience catching it, that means George Kotteras, Dusty brown, even mark Wagner if he had a terrific spring all know how to catch a knucker and Varitek flat out can't.

It's hard enough to handle a knuckleball for a guy that knows how to and can, how about a guy that has tried and FAILED, plus cannot hit, nor throw?

Dump this turd and stop this sentimental crap, all he will do is hurt the team. you want V-Mart to have to catch him and get hurt, then get stuck with Varitek as the starter???

Varitek accepts for $3mil.
Sox buy him out for $3mil.
Varitek becomes a coach with the Sox, eventually becomes a pitching coach.
No one was ever better prepared to face opposing hitters.
Kottaras continues to be Wakefield's catcher.

Red Sox buy him out for $2 million. He gauges interest from other teams - finds none and retires.

Why?

we'll take him in seattle. better than rob johnson

Oh well Red Sox fans, only one more season.

Yes, Varitek is done, but as a back-up (albeit a highly-paid one), he doesn't hurt the team offensively much and probably is worth the $3MM in terms of helping manage the staff for one final year. With lots of additional rest, he might even be able to manage the type of numbers he had in the first half of 2009 (when he had almost all of his 15 HR/50 RBI) over the course of 2010. That would be more than acceptable. He doesn't have to compare to a Posada or Mauer, he just has to compare to a Cervelli or Zaun.

yet another done player sadly thinking they can contribute and deserve money that a younger player wouldnt need while outproducing said player.

"Can the Sox still buy him out or is he now locked in unless they waive him?"

No buyout. So yeah, it's pay him $3M to become a FA or pay $3M for him to back up Martinez. They'll probably wait until ST to decide what to do with him. Still would like to see him taking on some kind of coaching position.

He calls a great game. Go to the Radio Booth and call it from there. V-Mart is underated as a catcher too. Some of the best pitched games latter in the season, V-Mart caught. You know why he lets the pitcher decide what is working. Bucholz said this in an interview. He hated pitching to Varitek.

"Because according to some great work done by Driveline Mechanics recently we see that Victor Martinez is actually just a slightly below average catcher."

Yeah but he can't throw anymore. He has one of the worst arms in the league among catchers and is just as easy to run on as Varitek.

YESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! vtek is my favorite player and is a key part to the sox organization

@ Lock

As a Sox fan, I feel obligated to inform you of the front office strategy employed by the Epstein-era staff.
1. Use a power player as much as you can, until situation sours.
2. Release power player.
3. Slander player in media as much as possible, praising replacement as you would the second coming of Christ.

Look I love and respect the hell out of Tek but i think its time to call it quits. True hes a great teammate to have in the clubhouse and a good leader, but he cant back anything up on the field... so tek for your legacies sake and for sox fans everywhere lets get realistic