All-Aughts Team of the Decade C: Jason Varitek

He’s the only position player to have bookended the Red Sox’s history-altering decade. He was anointed team captain, an occurrence that does not happen often. He’s Jason Varitek, the All-Aughts catcher of the decade for Boston.

When Varitek retires, he’s going to be known for two things: what he meant to Boston as a leader out of the catcher’s position, and how he got to Boston in the first place. You all remember the trade back in 1997. Red Sox closer Heathcliff Slocumb was shipped to Seattle for a couple of minor league prospects named Varitek and Derek Lowe.

Matsui in Red, Varitek’s ‘C’

Hideki Matsui as a Red Sock?

(Left: While not the best “action shot” out there on Matsui, it would offend our sense of decency to have pictures of Yankees high-fiving or trotting around the bases on our site. Therefore, we felt a picture of Matsui being brushed back by a fastball was much more appropriate.)

Yesterday, the Red Sox official website announced a rumor linking the team to Hideki Matsui. According to sources at nikkansports.com (don’t even bother with the link, unless you can read Japanese), the Japanese website expects the Red Sox to tender Matsui a contract at some point this offseason.

Though Matsui proved this season that he is still a force at the plate, the real question is whether or not he can effectively man left field.

Quick Musings on the Latest Sox Rumors

Billy Wagner

According to MLB Trade Rumors, Billy Wagner is considering accepting an arbitration deal from the BoSox because he “loved his experience with the Red Sox enough that’s it’s now a possibility.” That is an MLB Trade Rumors quote, not Wagner directly from Wagner’s mouth. However, it’s hard not to be skeptical of his sudden change of heart, as no one could love a city enough from four short weeks to make a complete 180 in their opinion of the team and their place within it…

Varitek’s Player Option Due at Midnight

***UPDATE: Varitek has officially picked up his $3 million player option.

As we continue to follow the Jason Varitek story, his contract is undergoing more flip-flopping than a Brett Favre retirement or Florida in the 2000 presidential election. Is he or isn’t he? We’ll find out before the end of the day, though the verdict is still out as to whether it would be better for him to re-sign…

Mauer Extension Talks Begin

While all of Boston awaits the man of our dreams… er, catcher of our dreams leaving Minnesota for our nightly NESN living room broadcast, agent Ron Shapiro is beginning to discuss a contract extension for his all-world catcher…

New Poll Question: Which Red Sox veteran will have the biggest impact on the 2010 team?

New Poll Question:

Which Red Sox veteran will have the biggest impact on the 2010 team?

* Jason Varitek
* Tim Wakefield

So Much So Soon: Analyzing the Sox’ Looong Weekend

Well, that was quick.

After a slow couple weeks while we waited for the crowning of the new World Series Champion (who, sadly, were the New York Yankees), the MLB hot stove exploded in a flurry of moves including the trades of Jeremy Hermida and J.J. Hardy, the rejection of Alex Gonzalez’s, Jermaine Dye’s, and Jason Varitek’s options, the outrighting of Nick Green and Joey Gathright, the retention of Victor Martinez, and the re-signing of Tim Wakefield and Bobby Abreu.

I’m out of breath.

But man, what a week.

Jeremy Hermida

Though Hermida was just the first pin to drop, coming over to Boston in exchange for Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez, he is quite the exciting piece. Though he vastly underperformed his prospect billing during his seasons with the Marlins, Hermida used to be quite the prospect, ranking as Florida’s top farmhand from 2004-2006 and the MLB’s 4^th best in 2006.

But he has fallen quite far since then, posting a cumulative .265/.344/.425 line in 1708 career at-bats. Though Hermida is a big-bodied corner outfielder, standing 6-3, 222 lbs, his power has yet to come around at the big league level, as he posted a career high of just 18 homers back in 2007.

Of greater concern, however, has been the dissipation of his walk rate since arriving in the Majors. His once begone elite batting eye was the primary reason for his soaring stock in the minor leagues – of particular interest was his prodigious showing at AA Carolina in 2005, where he drew 111 BBs against just 89 strikeouts in 504 plate appearances on his way to a .293/.457/.518 line.

Sox decline ‘Tek option, he exercises his

[UPDATE: Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 backup catcher will be Jason Varitek. 'Tek exercised his option, and I for one am pleased he did. It'll likely keep him in Boston threads for his entire career, as well as give the club an option to make Varitek the personal catcher for Josh Beckett. $3 million is a bit steep for a backup catcher, but for Boston, it's worth it to keep Varitek.] [One more update: Hasn't happened yet, but... it will.]

Not a surprise: Jason Varitek’s $5 million club option for 2010 has been declined. As much as I may want ‘Tek back in a backup role for 2010, I wasn’t willing to commit $5 million to that role. Neither was Theo Epstein. The ball is in ‘Tek’s court now, and we’ll know by the end of the week whether he picks up his $3 million option.

If he doesn’t, he becomes a free agent who can negotiate with any team. Don’t rule out the Sawx offering ‘Tek arbitration, though: he’s a Type B free agent who would net the Sox a pick in the compensatory round (so no team directly loses its pick).

New Poll: Which catcher would you least like to see go on free agency?

New Poll Question: Which Red Sox catcher would you least like to see go on free agency?
* George Kottaras
* Victor Martinez
* Jason Varitek
Vote in the poll on the sidebar.
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Guest Sunday: Looking back at the ‘04 Sox/Cards

Drew Silva, 22, contributes to Rotoworld.com, MLBTradeRumors.com and FanGraphs. Check him out on Twitter. Silva takes a look back at 2004, the season of salvation for the BoSox and revisits where the seminal players on the World Series teams are now…

Guest Sunday: Turn it around, Theo!

Alex Remington is a blogger for the Atlanta Braves at Chop-n-Change, and kicks off Guest Sundays, which will be a recurring feature in the offseason, where you hear from other bloggers on issues related to the Red Sox. This Sunday, Remington urges Boston to move on from their underperformers and strike hard this offseason.

Red Sox Offseason BluePrint v.2 : Holliday, Harden, Scutaro

Like most teams, the Boston Red Sox offseason will be defined by the willingness of their owner to open his wallet.

Fortunately for Sox fans nationwide, Uncle John certainly has some deep pockets. However, the amount he is willing to spend will have a lot to say about the direction that this team will be headed.

The prudent move by the Red Sox will be to look for incremental gains in what is partly a transitional year, while also being a year of opportunity. The club has nearly its entire 2009 starting lineup under contract, including its entire starting staff and at least seven of nine position players. For a team that won 95 games last season, that’s a recipe for success. Still, the American League gets more competitive every year, as the AL West, the Yankees, and our little brother Rays make it harder and harder to buy the Wild Card.