Is Jason Varitek's time in a Red Sox uniform as captain over? Probably. The curtain call for him on Sunday was a nice touch. Varitek is a free agent at the end of this season.
The Captain could be back as a back-up catcher, like this year, in the event that Jarrod Saltalamacchia is not healthy. He could also be back if the Sox do not sign Victor Martinez. Dusty Baker & other catchers in the Sox system just don't seem to be ready yet.
Prior to his injury, Vartikek was catching a game or two a week & hitting the ball pretty well. His throwing arm remains a problem. Josh Beckett still likes having Varitek as his catcher. Jason also speaks a little Japanese which helps with Dice-K.
One comment on the Sox website mentioned Varitek coming back as a catching coach. That could be an interesting option as the Sox could activate him as a player should the injury bug happen again.
Any team with a young pitching staff could benefit from having Varitek as their catcher. The real question is -- does Varitek want to go anywhere else, or should he retire like Mike Lowell?
Jason Varitek is one of many Red Sox stories this off-season. Will the Red Sox offer this aging star - a guy who helped the Sox win 2 World Series & has caught 3 no-hitters - a role with the 2011 version of the club?
My thought, as of today, is no. Time to move on.
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