If you are in Atlanta tonight - perhaps grabbing a bite to eat at a nice restaurant or having a drink at a trendy bar - keep an eye out for Boston Red Sox owner John Henry and catcher Jason Varitek. According to multiple media reports, including Boston.com, the two will meet tonight in the city where Varitek lives in the off-season.
By now, if you are a Red Sox fan, you know about the Varitek saga. After hitting .220 last season, when he battled sickness and endured a divorce, the captain rejected Boston's arbitration offer (likely at the request of his agent, Scott Boras) and has received scant interest on the free agent market. Since he is a Type A free agent - meaning that any team that signs him will have to surrender its highest 2009 draft pick - Varitek's options are minimal. In fact, Boston might be his only option. With no Scott Boras, this will probably be a productive evening.
Tony Massarotti wrote in today's Boston Globe that resigning Varitek makes sense because, though the Red Sox offense will be productive, it may not be potent. The 2009 Sox will primarily win with pitching and defense, and Varitek's game preparation plus the trust he has earned with veterans and young arms alike make him invaluable, even though his bat speed as slowed.
Earlier this month, I wrote a post on how I have waffled back and forth about whether the Red Sox should bring back Varitek. My final decision, one with which I will steadfastly keep, is this. For leadership purposes alone, the Sox should resign Varitek, if he will agree to a one-year or two-year deal. Josh Bard is a proficient backup, so I am fine with a Varitek-Bard catching tandem. I think it is best to keep Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden since this might be Tim Wakefield's last season (I know, we say that every year), and likely Brad Penny and John Smoltz will just be with the Sox in 2009. If Arizona will accept Daniel Bard or another agreeable prospect for Miguel Montero, or if Texas would take Bard and another prospect other than Buchholz and Bowden for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, by all means make the trade. Otherwise, give Varitek and Bard a chance this year, and see how Mark Wagner and Luis Exposito develop in the minors.
I am confident about Boston's chances to win a World Series title in 2009 because of the team's depth, talent and chemistry (yes, chemistry is important as long as you also have enough talent). Varitek has pride, so it would not surprise me if he has a better year at the plate. It can't get much worse than .220 for a starting position player. The Red Sox lineup is proficient enough from top to bottom that it doesn't need the captain to hit .280. In fact, a .250 average with 15 home runs will suffice because of what he does behind the plate. Varitek can be a valuable member of this 2009 team, and by resigning him and keeping Buchholz and Bowden, the Sox will be better off for the future.
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