Nomar Retires As A Member of The Red Sox!

March 10, 2010

"I mean, selfishly I'd have liked to have gotten to see him play some games in this uniform again. But you know, it's nice to see in his case, the right things being done." -- Jason, on the retirement of his friend and former teammate.

From the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham this afternoon:

Nomar Garciaparra, who for the better part of seven years was the face of the franchise before his shocking trade in 2004, has come home to the Red Sox.

At his request, the Red Sox today signed the 36-year-old to a minor-league contract at which point he announced his retirement from baseball during a press conference held at City of Palms Park.

Garciaparra, wearing his old No. 5 jersey, threw out the first pitch before today's Rays-Red Sox exhibition game at the Park. When the announcement of his decision was made, Garciaparra received a thunderous ovation from the sellout crowd.

The current players lined the top step of the dugout and applauded as well. Jason Varitek, Garciaparra's teammate at Georgia Tech and with the Sox, caught the pitch and the two embraced in front of the plate.

"I know his heart has been here since he left," Varitek said."He was a Red Sox and always has been."

To read the rest, click here.

To see a larger version of the photo above (and more!), click here, second row!

To see a photo from today's ceremony, click here.

He will join ESPN as a baseball analyst! Congratulations to Nomar!

Also Today:

From WEEI -

While talking to the media regarding Nomar Garciaparra's retirement, Jason Varitek divulged that his recent absence has been because of his father's illness. Varitek, who left the Red Sox' camp late last week, didn't get into particulars regarding what the medical issue was.

"It's my dad so I'm not going to say I'm here for good," Varitek explained. "As far as extended period, I have no idea. I knew I had to come back, get outside a little bit, kind of get refreshed, and get back to work a little bit and make sure the family's stable, which is most important.

"It's a weird feeling. It's just a different feeling. I was tired today. It's been a stressful, straining week, five to six days. Guys have been great. I had a ton of text messages from Theo down to Tito and all my teammates. Family has been great. Friend support in the area has been awesome. I'm just very thankful that so many people reached out."

If you'd like to send your thoughts and prayers out to the Varitek family...

Please email me (erin@jason-varitek.com)! I can't guarantee that the family will read them, but I will still compile and post well wishes this week!

Tuesday: Talkin' Tek

March 9, 2010

"I don't know if it's blown out of proportion because the number is there and I'll say it in front of Vic: I like throwing to Jason Varitek. It doesn't mean I don’t like throwing to Vic. There's got to be some transition there." -- Josh Beckett, in an interview featured on WEEI.

From the column of WEEI's Alex Speier today:

Josh Beckett threw three perfect innings against the Cardinals on Monday, yet that performance seemed almost secondary to the identity of the man who was behind the plate to receive the 29-year-old’s pitches. Beckett spent the day working with Victor Martinez, and pronounced afterwards that he has achieved something in the vicinity of a 7-of-10 in terms of comfort level with the catcher who came to Boston at last year’s trade deadline, and who will now serve as the everyday catcher for the Sox in 2010.

Beckett explained that there is a necessary transition phase as he begins to work with someone other than Jason Varitek. Yet while opponents had a 1.021 OPS off of Beckett in three starts with Martinez behind the plate, compared to a svelte .625 mark when he threw to Varitek, Beckett made two things clear:

1. He likes throwing to Varitek because of the comfort that the two have built.

2. He doesn't dislike throwing to Martinez.

"I do like throwing to Jason Varitek, and I'm not ashamed to say that. He has helped me so much throughout the years just throwing to him," Beckett said. "That doesn't mean I don't like throwing to Victor. I think Victor does great. Somebody asked me after a bad start that Vic caught me and I said, 'Damn, if you’re blaming him for me pitching like (crap) I'll tell you right now he's got a pretty good answer for you and that's, 'I've caught two Cy Youngs in two years.' Maybe it's the Indian [and] not the arrow.

And from an article by WEEI's Rob Bradford today:

John Farrell summed it up succinctly.

"They're different people," said the Red Sox pitching coach, "and different personalities."

Not better or worse, just different.

As Farrell articulates, while Varitek and Martinez share more than a few similarities — especially when it comes to taking pride in their craft — the separation between the two can be found in how they get through a game.

"I would say we’re like a seven right now," said Beckett when asked to rate where he was with Martinez on a scale of 1-10.

Beckett explained that he isn't one to obsess over scouting reports, whereas Varitek consumes the information with a thoroughness perhaps unlike any other catcher in the big leagues. It is because of that the pitcher is able to concentrate more on the feel of his pitches, rather than the particulars that might be assigned to each hitter.

To read more, click here.

There is no comparison for former backup catcher Kevin Cash...

From an article on MLB.com:

With former Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills taking over as Astros manager and the team lacking a veteran catching presence other than Humberto Quintero, Cash signed a Minor League deal with Houston.

"The last two years, I had gone to places where you had Jason Varitek [in Boston] and Jorge Posada [in New York], who were pretty established veteran catchers. Not to take anything away from these guys here, but there's nobody quite at that level in their career. I looked at it as a good chance to show I'm healthy and make the most of it."

The experience of spending time around Varitek and Posada was invaluable to Cash, and he hopes to be able to mentor Castro and Towles as well. For now, he's just looking forward to life outside of the AL East.

To read the rest, click here.

Down At Camp Tuck...

March 2, 2010

From ESPN's Gordon Edes in his column today:

There is no registration form for Camp Tuck. It's by invitation only.

Officially, there are just six catchers enrolled in Camp Tuck: the veterans, Jason Varitek and Martinez; the organization's longtime catcher, Dusty Brown; up-and-comers [Mark] Wagner and Luis Exposito; and Gustavo Molina, a nonroster invitee with a modicum of big league experience.

"They're animals," said Gary Tuck, the Red Sox bullpen coach who oversees the camp within a camp. "They're in the weight room and they lift together. They're instructed to walk around like a pack of wolves, which means all six walk out together, all six condition together, all six drill together and they support each other.

"Jason Varitek is a legacy in Boston history. He leads the young guys by example and words. Victor Martinez came on our team last year and stepped in and took off for us. Now he's going through this instructional camp. He said, 'It's like the army.' I said, 'Yeah, it is. My army."'

Varitek is the alpha "wolf," the leader of the pack. His name for Tuck, who has been the team's catching instructor for the past four seasons after serving in a similar role for the Yankees?

"The Catching Guru," Varitek said.

And the pack mentality?

"We're having fun with it," he said. "Every year, Gary comes up with a little twist. Every year he makes it a little more fun."

But behind the fun, there is a dead-serious purpose.

To understand Tuck is to know that he has affection for all of his catchers, whether they are All-Stars like Varitek or survivors like Brown.

"They know I love it as much as they love it," Tuck said, "and they feel my passion. It's a true passion. I care about each one of them, all of their families."

And now he has Martinez, who does not come with the behind-the-plate credentials of Varitek. Few catchers do.

It is for players like Martinez -- as well as for the Mark Wagners and Luis Expositos and Dusty Browns and yes, even the Jason Variteks -- that Camp Tuck exists.

To read Mr. Edes full column on "Camp Tuck" and to see a video, click here.

Tek-nically Speaking...

"One guy who really helped me out was Jason Varitek, he’s really helped me out, telling me which pitch to call to assist the guy, when this guy's in trouble, call this pitch, it’ll relax him a little bit, little stuff like that was a big help for me.

"Man, that's what it shows to everybody, he has that 'C' on his chest for something. I really have a big amount of respect for Jason, and I really have a big amount of respect playing against him, the way he played the game. And now, just being his teammate, I have it even more now." -- Victor Martinez, in an interview on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Show today.

Tomorrow:

If you have NESN, you can catch Tek behind the plate for the Spring Training Exhibition Game when the Red Sox take on Boston College on Tuesday, March 3rd.

Game time is 6:05 p.m.

To see the schedule for NESN's other spring training games, click here.

Update On The Spring Issue Of The 2010 Red Sox Magazine

March 1, 2010

The first edition of Red Sox magazine for the 2010 season featuring Jason and Victor Martinez on the cover is now available!

The two catchers posed for their upcoming cover during a photo shoot in Fort Myers last weekend (see February 21st news below).

The duo is also the topic of a story entitled, "Call Two Arms - Tek and Victor command the staff".

The issue will include a story on the new faces on this year's club, an interview with first-base coach Ron Johnson, a trip down memory lane to spring training 1975 with the eventual American League champion squad and an article on Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees' connection to Ted Williams.

You can see a sample of the issue, watch a video from the cover shoot, and order the magazine here.

Again, you can "catch" a couple of captures here.

The Scott Dunham Collection

February 28, 2010

Amateur photographer and diehard Red Sox fan Scott Dunham sent an email today along with a collection of his beautiful photography:

"Just wanted to say that I came across your website and really enjoy it. Jason has been my favorite player for years and you've really done a nice job putting together a website that really captures his accomplishments over the years, as well as the respect that his peers have for him. Thanks again and keep up the great work!"

After checking out his incredible photographs, I decided I couldn't select just a couple!

Instead, I started a separate album on the site's gallery specifically for Scott's photos.

You can see his collection here. Enjoy!

*Scott, thank you so much for sharing them!

And speaking of fine photography...

Today was "Photo Day" in Fort Myers! You can see the results here.

Catching Up With The Captain

February 27, 2010

Jason sat down for an interview with NESN's Heidi Watney during "Red Sox Spring Break" this morning. Here are some of the highlights -

On Coach Tuck's comments yesterday (see yesterday's news below) suggesting he could play 4-5 more years:

Jason: "I don't really know, but I'm not going to cut it off and say I can't. I'd like to play as long as my body and my abilities allow me to."

What is "Camp Tuck" like?

Jason: "It's fun. Early on in your minor league career you get a lot of work [in], then you come in to the big leagues and you sometimes tend to not get enough work. We are constantly doing things with Tuck, trying to refine little things to make big changes. He constantly has us busy and it results in a group of catchers that ends up with a bond by the end of Spring."

Once again, he is asked about the difficulty of taking on the backup role:

Jason: "I think I've had plenty of time to get used to that role before I got here. I got used to it pretty much last year, it just kinda happened that way. Now, it's about trying to get ready, trying to get better, and if I'm able to do that then I can help Victor as much as possible."

On the importance of Victor working with Gary Tuck:

Jason: "I think it's tremendous. You don't always necessarily have somebody that's going to be there on a day-to-day basis to push you, pat you on the back, or to make changes when you need it. Changes don't happen overnight in our position. Things we can work on now, you might not see the results 'til mid-season, and some you can see in the first game of spring training. So many things take time and to have a guy like Tuck there, whether it be pitch selection, or game situations or a reminder that "hey, we didn't back up first"...he's always there to support us for both the good and for the bad, but always in a positive way."

Comments that Yankees catcher Jorge Posada made to Peter Gammons last week about Tek are brought up. Posada said that he believes Tek will play more than people expect because of his leadership skills and ability. Tek is then asked how much he thinks he will play:

Jason: "I don't know. I really don't know. I will be prepare to play as much as they need me to, which would be the same route as preparing for every day. But that's...I'm probably 99% sure that's not going to happen. You know, you just have to be ready. In this game you never know what [may] happen, and when the time comes where you're needed more often."

On how he feels coming into this season after the injuries he dealt with last season, which were kept quiet from the public (including the bulging disk in his neck, the broken toe, the shoulder and the constant wear and tear on his body):

Jason: "Much better (laughs). I was able to get the strength back in my left shoulder which allows me more mobility. My neck has calmed down, which will be an on-going issue - making sure it doesn't flare up, and time heals a broken toe. Those things you have to deal with when you have to do what you do back behind the plate and [dealing with it] allows you the chance to be back there everyday. That has been the most important thing over my career is I have been able to make sure I'm dependable out on the field."

You can check NESN's video page here later today for video of the entire interview.

You can also check out the Spring Training coverage in a new screen capture album here.

Also Today:

From ESPN's Gordon Edes this evening:

The contract is due to end this year. The desire to play remains strong.

Turns out that was anything but idle chatter, bullpen coach Gary Tuck's remark Friday that catcher Jason Varitek is capable of playing four or five more seasons.

"I've defied odds before," Varitek said Saturday morning when Tuck's comments were relayed to him. "You never know."

There was even less ambiguity in his answer when asked if he wanted to extend his career as far as it would go.

"Absolutely," he said, and in case his questioner wasn't paying attention, he repeated, "Absolutely."

Varitek turns 38 on April 11. Only one catcher, Carlton Fisk, has caught as many as 50 games past the age of 42. The Hall of Famer retired at the age of 45.

Could Varitek see himself lasting as long as Fisk?

"Let's get to 40 first," he said. "Get through this, see how things change for me, see how my health will be. When I'm healthy and keep my strength, some things can be good. There are things that are not in my control, but as long as I'm healthy ..."

But it has always been part of Varitek's credo to play through injuries, and say little about them. When he undergoes his team physical, Sox doctors don't look for what body parts hurt … they try to find one that has been spared through the course of 1,381 games spent behind the plate, all but 100 as a starter.

"I may need one of their [medical] charts," Varitek joked when asked if he would enumerate all of his injuries after he retires. "'Oh yeah, I remember that one.'

"But that's part of what you do. Bob Boone used to say, 'The more I'm out there, even when I'm hurt, the better I can service the team.' Didn't he say something like that?

"I can't tell you in the course of your career how many times, whether you're sick or something and you shouldn't be out there and all of a sudden, boom, one swing of the bat, three-run home run, you won that game. Or you're part of a play at the plate, or the guy [you're catching] throws a shutout. It's being out there."

Dependability may be the virtue Varitek prizes above all.

"Dependability aids in what I do best, game-planning and calling games," he said. "If you're not dependable on that end, or you transfer your offense into your defense, guys know. You can't trick your teammates. You can't.

"But that's part of what I believed in. Being able to go out there sometimes may have [hurt the statistics]. But you're out there, you're dependable."

Varitek is not making playing time an issue, nor will he.

"He's a good boy, he's a good man," Varitek says of Martinez. "I want to make sure he knows I'm his teammate and I'm here to help whatever way I can."

To read Mr. Edes full column, click here.

*Thanks to Sterling for "catching" this column!

Coach Tuck on Tek: Tek Can Catch 4-5 More Years

February 26, 2010

From the column of ESPN's Gordon Edes this afternoon:

Only one player in major league history has caught as many as 50 games past the age of 42. That would be the indestructible Carlton Fisk, who at age 43 appeared behind the plate in 106 games for the Chicago White Sox, starting 91 of them, caught in 54 more at age 44, and caught an additional 25 before retiring at the age of 45.

Red Sox bullpen coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck believes there can be another.

"I think Jason Varitek can catch as long as he wants to catch,'' Tuck said here Friday of the catcher who turns 38 on April 11. "I think his body will hold up to that. Obviously, there's the shape he gets himself in, and in the [backup] role he is in now with Victor [Martinez] here, I think he can catch at least four, five more years.

"His game hasn't really slowed down. It's the wear and tear of the physical that has affected him along the way. The formula for him this year is to stay strong and healthy. You've got a pretty irreplaceable guy there. No one has the same experience. Only one other guy sticks out, and that's Jorge [Posada]."

When the day comes that Varitek decides to retire, Tuck said, there would be a place for him in the game if he chose to stay.

"I think he could manage in the major leagues," Tuck said. "He obviously could coach. He's a great communicator and he's organized. And he's had the luxury of being taught by the best the last three years. That's what I tell him every day."

To read Mr. Edes complete blog, click here.

Tito Talks Tek...

February 24, 2010

Among the topics discussed during manager Terry Francona's guest appearance on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Show this morning was the team captain:

On whether the discussion with Jason about the change in his role was at all uncomfortable?

Francona: "Last year was tough for Jason. You're the captain, you're playing. Regardless of what kind of success he was having or wasn't having, he's got a responsibility with our team and Victor kind of took over a lot of that. So we had some, not uncomfortable, but sensitive...you know sometimes guys don't want to hear things you have to say. That's just the way it is. But he made the decision to come back and he knew pretty much what his situation was going to be.

"He's actually been great. I think he is in a pretty good place and I think he is situated to do better than he has in the past because he won't get beat up physically. The first couple of months he is always good and we ask too much of him and it wears him down."

How many games we can expect to see Jason play, and how much of an impact is he expected to have with the pitching staff?

Francona: "Well, that will be a lot. Regardless of how much he plays, that will be a ton and it needs to be, because it's important. He was good with Victor last year, as was John Farrell.

"I can't put a number on it because you just don't know. If somebody went down — if Youk went down and Vic needed to play first, that changes things. There are a lot of things that can happen to change things. We do want Victor to be our catcher but it will probably be a little bit easier to have a more normal...you know rather than 'Doug Mirabelli catching Wake'. That was something we always did in the past, but we've taken Tek probably too far some times, because we don't want to give him three days off in a row or Wake is following a day game after a night game, so this is probably a little bit easier."

To listen to Terry Francona's entire interview, click here.

Tek On TV Last Night...

February 22, 2010

The Captain was a guest on Comcast Sports Net last night with host Chris Collins.

After an excellent interview, he was asked five questions, but could only give one-word answers during their "SportsNet Central's Five Questions" segment.

You can read and watch this enjoyable interview here.

Tek On The Radio Today...

February 22, 2010

Jason was a guest on WEEI's Dale & Holley Show this afternoon.

He called in to the show to talk about his new role on the team, the pitching staff, wearing the "C", and spring training in general.

He also talked about his raffle sponsored by Celebrities for Charities which will benefit the Journey Forward Foundation (see February 20th news post below for more info on the raffle).

To listen to his interview, click here.

Cover Boys

February 21, 2010

Jason and Victor Martinez will grace the cover of Red Sox Magazine's 2010 Spring Training Issue.

The two catchers posed for their upcoming cover during a photo shoot in Fort Myers this weekend.

NESN's Red Sox Report crew was on hand to capture the shoot.

If you missed tonight's episode of the Red Sox Report, you can check it out again on Monday, February 22nd at 5:30pm and again at 7:00 pm; and on Tuesday, February 23rd at 7:00 pm.

You can subscribe to Red Sox Magazine here.

You can "catch" a couple of captures here.

The 2010 Jason Varitek Spring Training Raffle

February 20, 2010

From Celebrities for Charity today:

Help Jason Varitek and Journey Forward in their efforts to improve the lives of those afflicted with spinal cord injuries, and, in return, you could win this great Red Sox Spring Training experience.

The winner will receive -

-- 2 tickets to the Boston Red Sox spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Field in Sarasota Florida (game time is 1:05pm).

-- 2 tickets to the March 28, 2010 game against the Minnesota Twins at Palms Park Field in Fort Myers, Florida (game Time is 1:05pm).

-- Dinner for you and a guest with Jason Varitek in Florida.

-- $1,500 for travel and other expenses.

Tickets start at just $2.00 each (minimum purchase of 5 tickets but decrease in price when you order more than 5 tickets).

Entry deadline for purchasing tickets: March 22, 2010 at 11:00 am.

The winner will be announced later that day!

*Now, while you must be 18 years of age, or older, to purchase a ticket, which the entrant will need to prove prior to being certified as the winner, but CFC's ordering process and rules allow the entrant to 'gift' their tickets to another person, who may or may not be a minor.

For more information and to purchase your raffle tickets online, click here.

Also Today:

Jason anwered a few questions from the media this afternoon...

On his new role -

"For the most part, I’m here to support Vic [Martinez] as much as possible and take the load off him when he needs it."

On the transition from starter to backup -

"I think for me it happened the last two months of the season last year, so this isn’t necessarily new for me. Is it different? Of course, it’s different, but I think in that role, it was last year toward the end that probably got me prepared for this."

On his playing time -

"From my point of view they want to evaluate, see what's going on, they're not making any decisions now. I have to continue to go out there and work hard and fight for a job."

On his role as the team captain this season -

“Sometimes I get caught up in the grind and tend to be a little quieter; I'm just trying to conserve energy and stuff. Maybe this will open up more communication with Tito and my teammates. Any way I can help. I'll do the things I can to help, use my eyes, use my knowledge, my game vision to help any way I can."

On what he expects as the back-up -

"The biggest asset I've always had was dependability out there, is to be able to be out there and whatever goes on, whether you're hitting well or not hitting well, things are going well as a team, or not, they depend on me to be out there. So that part's going to be different. How that transfers over early on, not taking a beating, not playing every night game, day game. I don't know. I might be a little bored, that might be a good thing, we'll see."

On whether he still sees himself as an "everyday" catcher -

"I just look at myself as a catcher. I don't know any other way to do it. How it all pans out, I don't really know. You try to get through spring training healthy, try and get better, and work on the entire game, and if that's the case, and if there's a question in the end, it means our team's pretty good."

On how many more years he expects to play -

"I don't know. Ask me at the end of this one."

You can watch video of some of his interview here.

Excerpts of his interview from ESPN and the Boston Globe.

And:

Check out the latest Extra Bases blog of the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham on the growing relationship between Tek and Victor Martinez from his perspective.

Click here to read it.

NESN has a video available from the catchers workout this morning along with analysis from Peter Gammons.

To view it, click here.

Quotes of the Day:

"Jason Varitek looks bigger than I've seen him the last two years, and that's a good thing. Not that Tek was ever 'small', but the last two years he looked a lot leaner, which may have contributed to his second-half drop-offs. He's 10 pounds heavier but still remains at 8-9 percent body fat. He was sporting red contact lenses on Friday. I need to get the scoop on that one. -- From the blog of Lou Merloni on WEEI this morning.

"I think Tek is kind of a special guy. I think he's certainly earned that right to wear that 'C' and if his playing time changes a little bit, I don't see his role diminishing ever, [in terms of] what he can bring to a team, even when he's not in the lineup. He's a very strong influence on our team and he always will be." -- Terry Francona, during his conversation with the media today.

You can find the latest spring training photos here.

Talkin' Tek Today

February 18, 2010

Pitchers and catchers reported to spring training and the uh...big, exciting news of the day was...

According to the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham, Jason reported to the minor league facility in Fort Myers, but did not make an appearance.

And moving right along...

From Don Orsillo's mailbag column at NESN.com:

Q: "How many games do you think Jason Varitek will catch this season?"

Mr. Orsillo: "More than the average backup catcher and certainly more than we have seen Doug Mirabelli, George Kottaras or Kevin Cash catch over the past few years. My guess is in the 50 to 60 game range.

"I think we will see him in the normal backup role in day games after night games, and he could make a start once or twice a week. What we do not know at this stage is whether, like in the past few years, he will be matched up with one particular starter, giving him the opportunity to plan on a regular start. Obviously, that situation was created because of the unusual nature of Wakefield's knuckleball. We also know that Victor Martinez can catch Wakefield, and Varitek has not in a really long time. Whether the 37-year-old will catch another starter on a regular basis remains to be seen."

To read the rest of his mailbag column, click here.

From NESN's Spring Break Special that aired live from Fort Myers this evening:

During a discussion about Victor Martinez and his continuing familiarity with the Sox pitching staff, guest host Peter Gammons said that Martinez told him last season, "I can't believe how generous Jason Varitek is." Gammons said that Jason spent as much time working with Victor last season as he does with his new pitchers.

When asked how much playing time he thought Varitek would see, Gammons said he believed Jason will "play a lot more than people think" because he was fourth in the AL for catchers last season with an OPS of over .800 when batting against left-handed pitching.

NESN will have live coverage of spring training throughout the coming weeks. To see the schedule, click here.

Also Today:

The 2010 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament will take place on Thursday, July 1, 2010.

I will post more information and links to participate and purchase tickets as soon as they become available.

Quote of the Day:

"I'm going to be with Jason. He's a great guy, great man. That's why he is the captain. That's a guy that really makes a big difference for me in this clubhouse and on this team." -- Victor Martinez, to reporters gathered around his locker yesterday in Fort Myers.

You can find the latest spring training photos here.

The "Glue Guys"

February 15, 2010

From the NESN.com blog of Scott McLaughlin this morning:

A July 2009 article in the Wall Street Journal defined "glue guys" as "the players whose oft-overlooked performance quietly holds teams together -- and without which, presumably, the team would fall apart."

Not every team in baseball has a glue guy, but most of the good ones do.

The Red Sox are also fortunate enough to have two glue guys -- Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield. They may not be stars like Jeter, Howard or Utley, and they may not even see regular playing time this season, but their leadership will go a long way in determining how much success the Sox have in 2010.

Besides just being good guys to have around the clubhouse, the biggest way Varitek and Wakefield will help the Red Sox is by showing the rest of the club what it means to be a team player. They'll do whatever it takes to help the team win, and they won't complain about their personal playing time.

Why? Neither guy is interested in playing anywhere other than Boston or in wearing anything other than a Red Sox jersey.

Phrases like "calls a good game" and "handles a pitching staff well" have almost become cliché when talking about Varitek, but those qualities are hard to overlook when coaches and pitchers alike continue to praise his prowess.

Although he may not be calling as many games behind the plate this season, he can still help prepare the staff for each day's opponent and he can help teach Martinez how to make better in-game decisions. You'll see a lot of cutaways of Varitek talking to Martinez in the dugout between innings.

Varitek and Wakefield may not put up huge numbers this season, and they may not garner much national attention. But these glue guys will definitely play a big role in bringing and holding this year's Red Sox team together.

To read Mr. McLaughlin's entire blog, click here.

To see a larger version of the photo above, click here.

Also Today:

From an article/interview on Victor Martinez that appeared in the Boston Herald this morning:

Martinez understands that for the first time since 1999, Jason Varitek [stats] will not enter the season as the Sox’ full-time catcher. Martinez said he has nothing but total respect for the way Varitek welcomed him when he joined the club last summer.

"He was generous," Martinez said. "To be honest again, I never thought that he was going to be that helpful for me. I started taking a little more of his playing time, little by little.

"I got more comfortable with the pitching staff because of him. He was a guy who came to me and said, 'If this guy struggles, call this pitch, that will relax him a little bit.' Man, he was great."

To read the rest of Mr. Silverman's article/interview, click here.

To see a larger version of the photo above, click here.

And:

The 2010 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament

A "little birdie" told me that the 2010 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament will be held Thursday, July 1st.

When I get confirmation from the Celebrities for Charities organization, I will post more information!

Red Sox Children's Hospital Celebrity Golf Classic

February 5-12, 2010 (UPDATE - SEE BELOW)

On Friday, February 26th, the Boston Red Sox will once again lend their time and talents to raise awareness and funds for The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida.

The tournament will take place on the championship golf courses of The Forest Country Club in Fort Myers. Individual golf slots are available for $300 per player.

The Sox "Tee Party" will be held at the Country Club on Thursday, February 25th from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are just $35.

The "Tee Party" allows guests to enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and to bid on sports memorabilia items, trips, game tickets and restaurant gift certificates. This year's live auction will include travel and ticket packages to top-notch sporting events including The Masters at Augusta, the opportunity to watch a Red Sox game from the celebrated "Green Monster" seats and the chance to sit atop TD Bank Garden in the "Chairman's Suite" to watch the Celtics vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. Other featured packages include a luxury cruise and a trip to see a taping of the popular Rachael Ray Show in New York City.

The final celebrity player list for the tournament will not be released until the day before the tournament, but past participants have included fan favorites Jason Varitek, Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jonathan Papelbon and Red Sox legend Luis Tiant.

To participate in The Boston Red Sox Children's Hospital Celebrity Classic, or to purchase tickets to the "Tee-Party":

Send an e-mail to BostonGolf@LeeMemorial.org or...

Call the Lee Memorial Health System Foundation office at 239-985-3550.

Speaking of golf tournaments....

I have added a few more photos from the 2009 David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic here.

Catch Tek's Workout...

January 25, 2010 - February 1, 2010 - Update (see below)

You can check out a behind-the-scenes video of Tek's offseason workout and nutrition routine with his trainer and personal assistant, Leslie Eddins at RedSox.com!

The video was shot at Tek's home near Atlanta.

Click on the site's video library here to view. **

The segment is also featured on the latest episode of NESN's Red Sox Report, which re-airs tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan 26th) at 5:00pm & 10:30pm, and on Wednesday (Jan 27th) at 9:30pm.

For other dates and times for the Red Sox Report, click here.

*Thank you to Luann for the heads-up on the video!

**If the featured video changes, just type in "Varitek" in the video search to locate.

UPDATE: The segment can also be seen on NESN's Red Sox Hot Stove on Monday, February 1st at 10:30 pm and Tuesday, February 2nd at 1pm and again at 5:30pm.

"I'm Going To Play Hard And Go Out And Do My Job"

January 20, 2010

From Jason's phone interview with CSNNE's Chris Collins last night:

On whether it's been hard to accept his new role as a back-up -

"I already had to kind of accept it last year. I think the last two months I didn't really play very much. So you know, it is what it is. I have to do the things I have to do to help this team win."

On whether it was difficult to adjust to playing a total of 28 games during the last two months of the season -

"No. I think initally you go through the adjustments, but it's understandable. At that time we were making our team click. We needed an extra bat in the lineup, and David [Ortiz] started swinging the bat really well, and we had to put the best lineup out there."

On whether there have been any "promises" or conversations about the amount of games he will catch this season -

"No. Things have been quiet. They tend to leave me alone and allow me to prepare and get ready for the season. I'll be prepared to handle more than I'll probably end up playing...but we'll get into more finite roles and those type of things when we actually get started. "

On whether fans can expect to see him come in as a late-inning replacement, and whether that would sit well with him -

"I have no idea what the role is at this point. It's not my job to decide what the role is. It's my job to prepare and be prepared. It's Tito's and Theo's job to decide what roles we all fall into."

On his relationship with both Terry Francona and Theo Epstein "these days" -

"It's the same as it's always been. I mean it doesn't change because your team gets better with an added player. It hasn't changed."

On whether he thinks Victor Martinez is ready to assume the duties of an everyday catcher -

"Whether he's catching, playing first base, DHing, catching 140 games, or whatever he ends up doing, he IS extremely valuable...if he can stick it out and grind it out back there then we'll be just fine."

On how much he will help Victor Martinez this season -

"We laid an extreme amount of that groundwork last year. Whatever way I could help I was going to help. Whether it be just little things -- from discussing things to being a good teammate, a teammate that plays the same position -- in any way that I can help, I will."

On whether he still feels that he has the same "voice" as the Captain of the team even though he is no longer a starting player -

"(laughing) I think my voice now goes to complete mute. And, um, you all of a sudden go from a level of respect to absolutely none at all."

Mr. Collins laughs nervously at Jason's answer, as if he doesn't know what to say to that, but then Jason finally let's him off the hook -

"I'm being sarcastic! (starts laughing again). You know, whether I have a decal on my jersey or not, I'll handle my business the same way. I will be a good teammate. I'm going to play hard and go out and do my job. Does that change all of a sudden now that I'm not playing 4 out of 5, or 9 out of 10? Does that all of sudden change? I'd be shooting myself in the foot if it did."

On whether he's stil looking forward to the season given his new role as a backup -

"You know, this could be a good change for me physically and mentally. And it could cut down on the number of 'dog days'. It could bode well for me and even extend my career."

On whether he thinks being more "rested" will help him with his hitting -

"I honestly don't know (laughs). I'm going to try and be good. that's all I know. I don't know what difference it's going to make. I'm not going to put expectations on myself because of the different role. I'm going to be prepared and give what I have."

On Jonathan Papelbon as the Red Sox closer (and his new deal) -

"We've seen it around there, when you don't have a means to an end, when you don't have somebody to lean on to be your closer. It sets the bullpen up for putting people, before that, in the right situations to allow them just to get to Pap. Just to get to somebody and to be able to handle that is special in itself. We wouldn't have won a championship and been parts of another and been in playoffs if it wasn't for Pap. It's extremely well deserved on his part and he's been a valuable teammate of mine for a long time."

On what he sees in Daniel Bard's future -

"I think Bard has a chance to be a great pitcher for our team and for this organization, period. What role, we don't know. He's still developing, he's still going to get better. If he ends up throwing harder - that will be utterly amazing. He's a great young man and he's a pleasure to play with."

On the "run prevention" philosphy of Terry Francona and Theo Epstein this off-season -

"I think our pitching staff got better. Definitely. You add Lackey into that and you give us a rotation that has our youth with another year of experience, and then you have a horse like Beckett...that's going to win you games in the long haul. Then you have a means to the end with Pap? That's what going to win you lots of games. If you're not going to beat somebody 15-12, you better be able to beat them, 2-1."

On how his workouts are going with spring training right around the corner -

"They are going great. I've had a very productive winter, was able to get things started early in November and I've just been plugging along, being a dad, doing my training and getting ready for the next one."

On how many more years he has "in him" -

"Ah, we'll see after this year. I was able to get further in my training earlier because I had a little less playing time late so I was able to recover quicker. I don't know, we'll see how the body adapts and maybe this will be a good thing for me and I can play another ten..."

On whether he could see himself playing in another uniform -

"I would think that would be something that is completely out of my hands. Which is part of why I am where I'm at because I wanted to do everything I could possibly do in my negotiations to allow me to continue to wear that uniform. It might not be my choice before long."

(the above was transcribed by me as accurately as possible from the interview)

A Look Back At Those No-Hitters

January 16, 2010

From Jeffrey Brown, of the popular Red Sox blog Soxfan1 in his series "The Red Sox Top 20 Games from 2000-2009, Parts I & II" :

No Red Sox pitcher had thrown a no-hitter in more than 35 years, yet in the first ten years of the 21st century four BoSox hurlers accomplished the feat. All of the games were caught by Jason Varitek, who became the first backstop in history to catch that many no-hitters. After Nomo’s gem, he declared that it was "a catcher's dream" to be behind the plate for a no-hitter.

Amazingly, he did it FOUR times in the just-concluded decade.

In his Red Sox debut on Apr. 4, 2001, RHP Hideo Nomo shut the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in a 3-0 victory, striking out 11 hitters and walking 3 in the game.

On Apr. 27, 2002, sinkerballer Derek Lowe threw the first no-no at Fenway Park since Dave Morehead no-hit the Cleveland Indians on Sept. 16, 1965. Lowe beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 10-0, allowing only one base-runner (a third inning walk).

In his second major league start, Clay Buchholz threw a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on Sept. 1, 2007, at Fenway Park. He became only the third pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-no in his first or second big league start (Bobo Hollomon threw one in his St Louis Browns debut in 1953 and Wilson Alvarez turned the trick in his second start for the Chicago White Sox in 1991).

On May 19, 2008, Jon Lester threw the 18th no-hitter in Red Sox history when he beat the Kansas City Royals, 7-0, in a 130-pitch effort at Fenway Park. After the game, the southpaw said: "If you all saw my bullpen today, you would have thought I wouldn't have gotten out of the first inning."

He owed some of the credit for the feat to center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who made a diving catch to rob Jose Guillen of a base hit in the fourth inning.

If you'd like to check out the rest of Mr. Brown's list and read his other entries? Click here.

If you'd like to read more about the No-Hitters, click here, here, here, and here.

*Thank you to Mr. Brown for allowing me to re-post from his blog!

Quote of the Weekend:

"Have to believe that Jason Varitek may enjoy the season a bit more knowing his body won't be crushed all season long. I don't think fans realize just what he went through on a daily basis to play every day the past few years." -- From the blog "Hit and Run" by WBZ-TV sportswriter Dan Roche.

John Farrell On Tek's New Role

January 13, 2010

From an article by MLB.com's Ian Browne today:

For the first time in more than a decade, the Red Sox will arrive in Fort Myers, Fla., with someone other than Jason Varitek slotted as the starting catcher.

It is a situation Varitek says he is ready for, and one that could be a perfect setup for the Red Sox. Not many teams will have a backup catcher with such thorough knowledge of a pitching staff and leadership abilities.

"Any time you've got Jason Varitek in the mix, you know there's going to be quality work and leadership provided to the staff," said Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. "The one thing that 'Tek did when Victor came over, even though it was a different role for him, he was more than willing and able to help Victor through some things from a catcher's perspective that he could provide in a very selfless way."

The staff genuinely enjoys working with both Martinez and Varitek. They are both willing to sacrifice their bodies to block the plate and are sturdy and steady receivers.

All in all, though, the Red Sox feel good about their catching tandem.

"I think if you look at some of the best players who have played this game, they play it for all the right reasons, and that's with respect and they recognize fully that they wear the same uniform," said Farrell. "How do you help one another in times of need? Both were willing to do that, and we expect the same to continue here in 2010."

To read the entire article, click here.

Also Today:

From Don Orsillo's mailbag at NESN.com:

Q: "How many games do you think Jason Varitek will play this season? What are some ways Jason Varitek can contribute to the team if he’s not playing regularly?"

Don Orsillo: "That's tough to say, and Victor’s health will play a large role in that. I would think Varitek would catch one of the starters regularly to keep him fresh and in a rotation. I would also fully expect him to start the day games after night games and some of the other obvious areas for backup catchers. I think what he will bring off the field will be what he does best, and that’s help devise game plans for pitchers and how to deal with hitters. Victor was extremely appreciative of all that Jason gave him in assistance in learning the staff on the fly last year, despite taking his playing time."

To read Mr. Orsillo's complete mailbag, click here.

*Thank you to Sterling for the heads-up!

Talkin' Tek...

January 11, 2010

From an interview with Daniel Bard conducted by Robert Woodward of "Under the Radar":

UTR: "You have one of the most respected catchers' in the game, Jason Varitek, as your catcher. What kind of impact did he have with you on settling in Boston?"

Daniel Bard: "It's nice to have a catcher that you can fully trust behind the plate. Tek is one of the smartest players I've ever been around at any position, and on top of that, the guy studies opposing hitters with the focus of Woody studying for finals at Carolina (that was a joke). But seriously, his brain is like an encyclopedia of at-bats and scouting reports that goes back more than a decade. He remembers everything. To have a guy like that, who's caught four no hitters, calling pitches for you, well I'll just say it helps you feel a lot of confidence in what pitches you're throwing."

Mr. Woodward (Woody) is a minor league pitcher with the San Diego Padres' organization selected in the 2007 draft from the University of North Carolina.

You can read his blog and the rest of his interview with Daniel here.

Also Today:

Lo Duca for Tek?

According to CSN-New England's Joe Haggerty:

"The Red Sox tossed around the idea of trading for third baseman Adrian Beltre prior to the 2003 season, when a four-player deal was discussed with Los Angeles that included Shea Hillenbrand and future captain Jason Varitek heading to Chavez Ravine for Beltre and Paul LoDuca. Imagine that."

To read the entire article, click here.

Baseball Initially takes a quick look at Tek's fascinating career:

"Jason Varitek has had a fascinating career. He played in a Little League World Series, a College World Series and a Major League World Series, and in the Olympics, too. He’s one of the few players to be drafted twice in the first round. He was part of one of the most famously bad trades in major-league history – the Mariners packaged him with Derek Lowe in order to pry Heathcliff Slocumb away from the Red Sox. He has caught four no-hitters by four different pitchers, and he was captain of the Red Sox team that broke the curse. He's a career .260 hitter who draws some walks and hits his share of doubles and home runs, and he has the rep as a great handler of pitchers."

And a quote of note that I somehow missed...

"If need be, my role changes. Most importantly, I'm here. I have the opportunity to come back and to be in Boston." -- Jason, on returning to the Red Sox in 2010 (from an article by the Union Leader's Brian MacPherson).

ESPN's "Top 10 Sox of the Decade"

December 29, 2009

The selections of Gordon Edes at ESPNBoston.com today -

1. David Ortiz, Designated Hitter

2. Manny Ramirez, Outfielder

3. Pedro Martinez, Starting Pitcher

4. Jason Varitek, Catcher: Played in more games than any Sox player in the decade (1,208), was 3rd in hits (1,045) and 3rd in HRs (148). Offense was secondary to his handling of pitchers, who swore he made a difference. The A-Rod facial altered the course of a rivalry.

5. Curt Schilling, Starting Pitcher

6. Josh Beckett, Starting Pitcher

7. Kevin Youkilis, First Baseman

8. Johnny Damon, Outfielder

9. Jonathan Papelbon, Closer

10. Dustin Pedroia, Second Baseman

Click here to read his comments for each player (scroll down to today's date).

Mr. Edes then gives you the opportunity to rank your selections for the "Top Sox of the Decade"!

To make your selections, click here.

*Thank you to my friend Caelin for the heads-up!

Also Today:

Terry likes Tek right where he is...

From Terry Francona's mailbag today at NESN.com:

Q: "Has Jason Varitek been approached about a coaching role with the Red Sox? This seems ideal, considering how well he handles a pitching staff."

Terry: "We are still happy having him on our team as a player but I agree he exhibits the skills to be a solid coach or manager when his playing days are done. It is probably not a coincidence that a lot of catchers go on to be coaches and managers."

To check out Terry's complete mailbag column, click here.

NESN Red Sox Report - David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic

December 21, 2009 (Update - see below for link to video)

You can catch all the highlights of The David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic in a special Red Sox Report airing this week on NESN.

The show chronicles the weekend's activities (held December 3-6, 2009 at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic), including the welcome reception, pairings party, golf tournament and awards gala. There will be exclusive interviews from David's Red Sox teammates, baseball superstars and friends such as Pedro Martinez, sports legends Bobby Orr, Alonzo Mourning, Andres Galarraga, Jim Rice, John Havlicek and many more.

The show is guest hosted by David Ortiz and includes teammates Jason Varitek, Mike Lowell, Tim Wakefield, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Daniel Bard, and Clay Buchholz. Other MLB players included Alex Rodriguez, Pedro Martinez, Robinson Cano, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Placido Polanco. Others attending the event included MLB Network commentator Sean Casey; Red Sox manager Terry Francona, Houston Astros manager Brad Mills, actors Jeffrey Donovan, Rachel Dratch and Sam Page, pop singer Joanna “JoJo” Levesque; and sports legends Bobby Orr, Jim Rice, Luis Tiant, John Havlicek and Alonzo Mourning.

In addition to coverage of the celebrity golf classic, the show will also feature one-of-a-kind footage of David Ortiz visiting Cedimat Hospital in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and interviews with family members of children who are receiving critical care courtesy of the David Ortiz Children's Fund.

This special Red Sox Report will air today at 5:00 p.m.; December 22nd at 1:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 11:30 p.m.; December 23rd at 4:30 p.m.; and December 27th at 10:30 p.m.

You can check out a few photos from the Golf Classic here.

UPDATE:

If you don't have access to NESN, you can check out a full-length video of the Special here on MLB.com...Tek makes a brief first appearance at about 11:03 minutes into the video and then in few more shots, including a short interview on the golf course.

*Thanks Susie!

Tek-nically Speaking...

December 18, 2009

...and skating!

From ESPN.com today:

Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, who turns 38 one week into the 2010 season, struck a positive tone while discussing his transition from everyday starter to a backup player next season, saying he got used to the role in the two months after the trade for Victor Martinez and is fine with it.

Varitek acknowledged a couple of health issues he battled last season, including a bulging disk in his neck and a broken big toe he sustained while blocking a ball against the Anaheim Angels, on top of dealing with a partial labrum tear in his left shoulder he'd sustained previously. But in typical fashion, he refused to attribute his struggles at the plate last season -- in particular, a second half in which he batted just .157 with 1 home run and 13 RBIs -- to those injuries.

Varitek said he has been working out since the beginning of November and expects to be ready for the start of the season. He is in the last year of his contract with the Red Sox, having exercised a $3 million player option after the Sox declined to trigger the $5 million option they held on his deal, but said he did not know yet whether this would be his last season.

"I've got to listen to my body,'' Varitek said. "Now I feel strong and continuing to get stronger, so I feel really good. And if I'm able to maintain that, I don't know how long I'll play. But if my health is not there, that will be the determining point before anything.''

And from an article written by Ian Browne at MLB.com:

In a way, Varitek has been surprised at how much talk there has been about his upcoming reduced role, since that was pretty much the way things went after Martinez was acquired on July 31.

"Things fell that way kind of the last two months of the season anyway," Varitek said. "My role changed. There's different parts. I handled a lot early, played a lot and handled it in a full-time capacity. But I think that just seeing in a different role, how my body adapts to maybe the less pounding and the less physical grind, it might be a good time for me to transition. I'm preparing as I always do, to be able to handle as much as I can. I'll prepare for a full-time role even though it's dictated another way, and that way if something happens, I'm ready to go."

For those who have observed Varitek for a long time, it should come as no surprise that he doesn't plan on being in smell-the-roses mentality in 2010.

"I think you can reflect back when you're done," Varitek said. "I'm preparing to come out here and get to Spring Training and make sure I win myself a job, and to make sure I'm able to help this team win games. When I'm done and sitting on the couch and doing that full-time, then I can probably reflect more. I'm happy, and always feel fortunate that I've been able to be here and have a career, period."

Yes, Varitek did say that he needs to win a job in Spring Training. This, from the man who has held the title of captain since 2005.

"Everybody does," Varitek said. "I don't think a decal makes a difference. It's an extra letter on a uniform, but I prepare myself to go out there and be ready this spring, and work my way into trying to play at a high level."

Why the skates?

Tek was at Fenway Park for a Celebrity Skate.

He skated with Boston Bruins legends, Bobby Orr, Cam Neely and Ray Bourque, among others as the NHL prepares to get the baseball venue ready for the Winter Classic between the Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers on New Year’s Day.

Hockey was the first sport that Jason played as a kid growing up in Michigan. He played until he was 7 years old and his family moved to Florida, ending his hockey "career".

What did the three hockey Hall of Famers have to say about the catcher on skates?

"I have great respect for Jason," said Bobby Orr. "He handles himself so well and you don't hear him complaining. Last year when they brought in a new catcher, Jason did a great job when he was called upon. He's a good person. I've come to know him and he's a gentleman."

Cam Neely said he admires the Red Sox Captain's contributions to his team over the years. "The thing that's impressive about Jason is his work ethic. How he approaches the game and his leadership. With our fan base, whether it's hockey, football, baseball or basketball, fans want to see guys who are committed, who work hard, who put out an effort, and that's what Jason has done."

Ray Bourque, who has gotten to know Jason through their work with the Celebrities for Charity organization agreed, "He's an incredible player and has had so many great years with the Red Sox," said Bourque. "He really stabilized that position for so many years. You just listen to the pitchers and their thoughts about working with a guy like that says it all right there."

To read the transcript of Tek's conversation with the media today, click here.

To read Ian Browne's complete article, click here.

To watch a video of his interview, click here.

To watch some video footage of Tek on the ice with Bobby Orr, click here.

To see a larger version of the first photo above, click here.

To see a larger version of little Tek - the hockey player, click here.

*Thank you to my friends Caelin, Sterling and Marylin for the heads-up today!

The Manager Question

December 8, 2009

From an interview with MLB managers in the latest issue of Sporting News magazine:

Q: "Which current player will one day make a great manager?"

Ron Washington, Texas Rangers: "Jason Varitek. I've never met a catcher who didn't have a great feel for the game. His day-to-day job -- handling a pitching staff and daily situations with flawlessness -- puts him high on my list."

For the record - Terry Francona was also asked, and his choice was Alex Cora. The Baltimore Orioles' Dave Trembley gave an "honorable mention" to Dustin Pedroia.

The latest issue is on newsstands and in bookstores now.

Speaking of Tek and Terry -

From NESN.com today:

Fan Question: "I have been hearing rumors about who will take on the role of captain after Jason Varitek. I have heard Dustin Pedroia's name several times and not once heard Kevin Youkilis' name. Will Youk be considered for the captain spot when the time comes?"

Terry Francona: "We have never had that conversation. We never had a captain before Jason. I think looking for the next captain (if we even have one) is a little premature with Tek still being here. What is important to us is getting leadership from all of those guys you mentioned."

You can read the rest of Terry's mailbag here.

Also Today:

There's still time to purchase raffle tickets for the chance to win dinner with the Captain!

Help Jason in his efforts to support the Celebrities for Charity Foundation and the many charities CFC assists throughout the year, and in return, you could win this great evening with the man himself.

Tickets start at just $2.00 each and decrease for orders of more than 5 tickets.

Entry deadline is December 15th at 11:00 a.m.

The drawing for the winner will take place later that day!

For more information, see my December 3rd news post below.

To purchase your raffle tickets, click here.

From Cap Cana...

December 6, 2009

From the Boston Herald's Michael Silverman, in his blog this morning:

When Jason Varitek exercised his option last month to return to the Red Sox, he did it with the realization that he would be the backup catcher.

For somebody who has been a fulltime catcher his entire career, the role change could be seen as a tough one, the kind that sometimes become awkward for players whose prime years have passed.

From the way Varitek has looked and sounded the last couple of days at David Ortiz' Celebrity Golf Classic, this is going to be a breeze.

"I'm excited to be back and I'm excited for another season. I'm in a good place," said Varitek yesterday.

Varitek, who turns 38 next April, did not want to go beyond that. In the coming days, he plans to speak to the Boston media to return the many queries he has received since picking up the $3 million option.

To read the rest of Mr. Silverman's blog, click here.

Oh, and did I mention I have a couple of photos? Click here.

The Man Of Few Words...

December 5, 2009

...had even fewer in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic this weekend!

From the blog of ESPN's Gordon Edes this morning:

A few things picked up at David Ortiz's charity golf tournament while contemplating why baseball's winter meetings couldn't be held in this slice of paradise instead of Indianapolis:

Jason Varitek, who has not commented publicly since the Red Sox declined their $5 million club option on him and he exercised a lesser ($3 million) player option to stay, begged off on saying anything on the matter Friday night, saying he'd prefer to do so in a conference call.

"But it's all good," said Varitek, who will be surrendering the role of everyday catcher to Victor Martinez after an 11-year run interrupted only by a fractured right elbow that limited him to 51 games in 2001.

To read Mr. Edes complete blog, click here.

Dinner with the Captain!

December 3, 2009

Celebrities for Charities presents the "Jason Varitek Captain's Dinner Raffle"!

Would you like the chance to win dinner with the Captain on December 17th in Boston?

The winning ticket holder will receive the following:

-- You and 3 guests will enjoy dinner with Jason on December 17, 2009, in the Greater Boston Area.

-- You and each guest will receive a baseball autographed by Jason.

-- You and each guest may bring up to 2 items to be autographed by Jason.

-- You and each guest will have your photograph take with Jason.

Help Jason in his efforts to support the Celebrities for Charity Foundation and the many charities CFC assists throughout the year, and in return, you could win this great evening with the Captain himself.

Tickets start at just $2.00 each and decrease for orders of more than 5 tickets.

Entry deadline is December 15th at 11:00 a.m.

The drawing for the winner will take place later that day!

For more information and to purchase your raffle tickets, click here.

Just A Few More Days Left...

December 2, 2009

...to bid on auction items to support the David Ortiz Children's Fund:

The 2009 David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic, which benefits his charity, starts tomorrow through Sunday (December 3rd-6th) in the Dominican Republic's beautiful Cap Cana Resort. The golfers guest list includes the Red Sox captain Jason Varitek, Mike Lowell, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and manager Terry Francona. Also expected on the course are MLB stars Torii Hunter, Alex Rodriguez, Pedro Martinez, and Vladimir Guerrero.

To coincide with his tournament, David has some great items up for auction on his event site which you can bid on through December 6th.

Among the new items up for auction:

The "Tee off with Mark Wahlberg" package - the winning bidder can join actor Mark Wahlberg and the cast of "Entourage" on the golf course for his Celebrity Golf Tournament. You can bid on the opportunity to take fielding lessons from AL MVP Dustin Pedroia or be the proud owner of a Celebrity signed Gibson guitar, signed by David Ortiz, all three Jonas Brothers, Yandel of Wisin y Yandel, Wilmer Valderrama, Juan Luis Guerra, Ivan Lins & Edward James Olmos?

And there is still time to bid on autographed collectibles from your favorite Red Sox players:

A Jason Varitek signed catchers mask, a Daisuke Matsuzaka signed jersey, a Josh Beckett signed baseball, a Jonathan Papelbon signed baseball, and an official David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic Golf Bag. There is also an auction for a lesson with Tim Wakefield on how to throw a knuckleball!

And for that 'All-Boston teams' fan on your Christmas list: The "Best of Boston Package" which includes a Paul Pierce signed jersey, a Tom Brady signed football, a Zdeno Chara signed jersey, and a David Ortiz signed bat.

There are also auctions for trips to Las Vegas, a Costa Rica resort, tickets to the New Year's Winter Classic, tickets to the Home Opener at Fenway, and tickets to the Patriots' Season Finale...

To see all of the items and place a bid or two, click here.

All auction proceeds will benefit the David Ortiz Children's Fund.

Tito Talks Tek...

November 18, 2009

Red Sox manager Terry Francona was a guest on WEEI's Dale & Holley Show today and took a few moments to talk about Jason:

Q: "Would Jason Varitek make a good coach?"

Terry Francona: "I don't think yet. I wouldn't approach him with that. I don't think he would like that one.

"I saw Tek the other day. I think he's in a good place. I think he's going to do a good job. I've said this a lot of times: he has that 'C' on his jersey for a reason. Victor is going to catch the majority of games. How much, we don't know.

"I think Tek can be an unbelievable backup catcher. Because his body can't handle catching 140 games anymore, that doesn't mean, if you run him out there less than that, especially from the right side – and again, by the time July rolled around this year, he had 13, 14 home runs. You're not going to find backup catchers who have that ability, that game-calling experience. He kind of gets run into the ground physically. And again, he's caught a lot of games. Some of that is my responsibility, too. But I think that in the situation we have, hopefully, upcoming, he can really excel in that."

Q:"Do you think his clubhouse role changes with decreased playing time?"

Terry Francona: "I don't think so, and I think a lot of that is because of Jason. If he didn't accept it, then it could have been a problem. I don't see that happening. I saw him the other day. He was about as fired up as I've seen him. Last year...that's a tough thing to not play. I don't care who you are, whether you're good enough or not...to have somebody come and tell you that somebody is taking your playing time is hard to take.

"I never saw Jason put himself ahead of the team. I didn't expect him to walk in the clubhouse and 'lead the cheers' for not playing. At the same time, he never let that get in the way of his caring for the team or helping Victor. Again, that's part of the reason he has the 'C' on his chest. He's lived up to that. I know he will continue to."

To listen to Terry's complete interview, click here.

Also Today:

Catcher George Kottaras, who was released by the Red Sox this morning, has been claimed off-waivers by the Brewers this afternoon.

According to the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel:

This could give the Brewers another option at catcher if Kottaras can prove himself during spring training. He is a left-handed hitter and the plan could be to use him in a platoon with Brewers catching prospect Jonathan Lucroy, a right-handed hitter.

Brewers GM Doug Melvin said the addition was just to add depth to the position and he hasn't thought much about a platoon just yet, but Melvin would invite Lucroy to big-league camp and see how he handles himself.

Melvin also said he likes Kottaras' bat and that he is working on his defense.

Kottaras is a Canadian -- the Brewers' Canadian-led operation scouts that country as well or better than any other organization -- who was drafted in the 20th round on the 2002 draft by San Diego. In 2006, he was listed as the Padres' No. 2 prospect by Baseball America magazine.

To read the entire Brewers Blog, click here.

Wishing George Kottaras all the best with his new team!

You can check out a larger version of the photo above here.

Support Big Papi...

November 17, 2009

...and his Foundation:

The 2009 David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic, which benefits the David Ortiz Children's Fund, is just around the corner (see November 13th news below) and there are some great autographed items up for auction on his event site through December 6th, including...

A Jason Varitek signed catchers mask, a Daisuke Matsuzaka signed jersey, a Josh Beckett signed baseball, a Jonathan Papelbon signed baseball, and an official David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic Golf Bag.

You will also find autographed items from MLB stars like Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez, and Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

And it's not just baseball, there's a Philip Rivers signed football, a signed jacket from two-time Formula One World Champion Racer Mika Hakkinen, and a Jack Nicklaus signed Fujikura SG Pro 2.01 driver up for auction as well.

The "Best of Boston Package" includes a Paul Pierce signed jersey, a Tom Brady signed football, a Zdeno Chara signed jersey, and a David Ortiz signed bat.

For more info and to bid on any of these items, click here.

There are also auctions for trips to Las Vegas, a Costa Rica resort, tickets to the New Year's Winter Classic, tickets to the Home Opener at Fenway, and tickets to the Patriots' Season Finale...

Or how about the opportunity to learn to throw a knuckleball with Tim Wakefield on the mound? Or the chance to have Big Papi attend your child's birthday party?

Those auctions can be found here.

All auction proceeds will benefit the David Ortiz Children's Fund.

*Thank you to Kathy for the heads-up!

"Varitek's Return Has Answered One Off-Season Question"

November 15, 2009

From Peter Gammon's column on ESPN.com this weekend:

Before Varitek decided to pick up his $3 million option and return at the age of 38 to the Red Sox, the club had explored other options.

Kelly Shoppach interested them, and had worked in tandem with Victor Martinez in Cleveland. They thought about Rod Barajas, Gerald Laird and others, but now Theo Epstein is convinced Varitek will go into the season as the backup to Martinez.

After coming to the Red Sox in the trade deadline deal, Martinez repeatedly marveled at how selflessly Varitek worked with him in his game preparation. Martinez was highly respected in Cleveland for his sense of responsibility with pitchers and his pitch-calling instincts, and the two worked well together.

Having Varitek and Martinez allows bullpen coach Gary Tuck to work with the young Red Sox catchers in spring training.

The staff thought Varitek's defensive problems at the end of last season stemmed from his workload at age 37, especially given his intensity. The question, however, has been that with his toe-tap and complicated swing, could Varitek hit at all playing once or twice a week?

The Red Sox's reply to that question is that Varitek is a far better hitter with a far simpler swing from the right side. He batted .226 with a .793 OPS from the right side, with an .807 OPS against left-handed pitchers. Of the nine catchers who qualified for the batting title, only Joe Mauer, Martinez and Brian McCann had better than an .807 OPS.

Even though Martinez is one of the rare switch-hitters whose swing is almost exactly the same from both sides, his numbers against right-handers (.316, .866) were better than against lefties (.273, .848), so this could turn into an informal platoon. Martinez could also be used as the designated hitter against left-handers if David Ortiz were to struggle against lefties.

To read Mr. Gammon's complete Red Sox column, click here.

*Thank you to Lynn for the heads-up!

The 2009 David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic

November 13-14, 2009

Stepping up to the tee to support Big Papi and his charity -

The 2009 David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic will be held December 3rd-6th at the Cap Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic.

The star-studded event benefits the David Ortiz Children's Fund, providing children in New England and the Dominican Republic access to the pediatric critical care they need to live full and productive lives.

The inaugural David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic in 2008 netted more than $300,000.

David expects to be joined by a host of celebrities and MLB players, including teammates Jason Varitek, Mike Lowell, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and manager Terry Francona. Torii Hunter, Alex Rodriguez, Pedro Martinez, and Vladimir Guerrero are also expected to attend.

Cap Cana is one of the most spectacular resort communities in the world. Guests will stay at the five-star luxury Sanctuary Cap Cana Golf & Spa, overlooking the turquoise waters and pristine beaches of the Caribbean Sea. The tournament itself will take place at the Jack Nicklaus-design and signature golf course, Punta Espada.

The David Ortiz Children's Fund began as a way for David to help children in his home country. The Fund is proud to partner with Heart Care Dominicana, International Hospital for Children, and the Massachusetts General Hospital to fulfill its life-saving mission, linking pediatric critical care services to children in developing countries. To date, the Fund has raised over $1 million for children in New England and the Dominican Republic and has given life, health, and hope to critically ill Dominican children.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities for the David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic, please contact Michele Lasky at michelelasky@company20.com.

You can also visit his Children's Fund site here.

From The Fans...

November 13, 2009

Just a few of the emails I received in the last couple of days....

"Erin, let me be the first to say 'WOOOHOOOO!!!'. I kept coming by to check your site (I knew you'd keep us up-to-date even though I also knew you were on vacation!) and there it was. Dimished role or not, the man has a lot to offer and it is a great feeling to know that my favorite player wil be back in a Red Sox uni next season. Thank you for the site, it's always a pleasure to stop by." -- Jim K., Cape Cod

"Thank you Tek!!! I am so glad you will be back!! I need to make another trip to Boston next season or maybe Florida for spring training! I went to my first Red Sox game this year and was able to meet Jason at a charity event. That man has class! He probably has hundreds, no not hundreds, but thousands of fans that come up to him all the time to shake his hand and say hello, to ask for autographs or pictures or hugs and kisses, woops! sorry...wishful thinking.

"The things I noticed when I met him (besides him being very tall and very handsome) was the respect and kindness he gave me. He made me feel like he really wanted to hear what I had to say. In those few seconds, I felt like I was the only person in the room that existed for him as he gave me his full attention. He didn't make up some excuse to walk away. He wasn't looking around checking out the party. (don't you hate it when someone does that.) Those few seconds were the highlight of my trip!

"I wonder if people really realize the extent of the service he gives to Boston and the surrounding areas, to charities, to the hospitals and to the children. How much Tek being part of the Boston Red Sox brings to tourism, merchandising, and how with Tek at an event, the event's attendance increases significantly. He is so much more than just a baseball player!

"The Red Sox are lucky to have him back! He brings with him his expertise, his experiences and his leadership. Boston is lucky to have him!

"Thanks Erin for letting the fans speak out!" -- Jamie, Omaha Nebraska

"I am so glad that he going to be back for one more year. I am moving to Boston with in the year, so hopefully I will be able to see him play in Fenway Park." -- Sterling, from the site's MySpace page

"I am absolutely ecstatic Tek's coming back. Wasn't prepared to see him go. Also means another putt-putt next year. Another chance to see him up close. I've been a Red Sox fan for over 30 years and he is my all-time favorite. I am very, very happy. I also want to thank you for this website. Everytime I need a "Tek fix" I come on here and look at all the great pictures you have." -- Thanks again, Lisa, Melrose, MA

"Yay!! He's back!!! Made my day!" -- Caelin

"Erin, I was thinking after the Yankees won (Booo!) what Tek would do. It was my conclusion that he decided last year when his deal with the Red Sox included a player option that it was already agreed that he would exercise his option the second year. Now I know things can change during a season but I have to believe this is how Jason wanted to go out…on his own terms.

"I have told my husband that I am definitely heading down to FL in the spring to hopefully meet and greet him and of course get a picture and autograph. It will be my last chance. Although I have a kid in college taking every bit of extra money from me, I have made up my mind I am saving every penny I can to make it down there.

"Now after his catching career is over, it is my thought that he will move on to coaching jobs maybe down in the minor leagues. I am not sure of any openings but it would be nice if he wanted to come to Portland for a while…that would make him a little closer. That will also allow you to keep track of his new chapter in life….the COACH, but not the Captain. It will be neat to see what he does.

"By the way, thanks so much for your time and effort towards your web site for him. It is great!!! I enjoy it – especially the pictures." -- Lana Ballard

"Erin, all I can say is Hallelujah!!!! I wasn't looking forward to another winter of wondering and waiting. Great job on the site. It helps having one place to go to. Take care and have a wonderful holiday season." -- Tina

"Thank goodness he didn't make us wait all winter!! Soooo excited!!" -- AND0227

"No surprise to me that Jason Varitek accepted his option. First and foremost, all you have to do is look back at this past season to see the grace and leadership he demonstrated when Victor Martinez was added to the roster. It was obvious that he mentored the younger catcher and helped him adjust to his new team while at the same time he himself had to be struggling to realize that his once frontline role would now be diminished. Most of us 'retire' from our profession in our sixties...imagine how it must feel at 37 to know that you are reaching the end of the road in a job that you love and that it is time to pass the torch if you will.

"TEK is accepting his new role because he wants to retire as a Red Sox player. And, because he is the captain and a role model, he is doing whatever he can to help his team. We have never heard a negative comment or thought come out of his mouth, and you never will. With the extra time off, his body won't break down and I believe he may have a pretty good season much like the first half of last year. And, Victor Martinez and the rest of the Sox will be better for his presence." -- Dori

"I'm happy. Captain TEK is also supported in 2010. Let's go TEK!" -- SHIMA, JAPAN

"Glad to see him come back for another year! Very glad!!!" -- Dan, New Hampshire

"I'm so glad that the Captain is back. He has so much to offer to our team it's beyond words. Yes, his hitting may not be where it used to be but his knowledge for the game is beyond words. Thanks Tek for giving your favorite and number 1 fans another season to watch you play for us." -- Ann, from the site's MySpace page

"Hi Erin - Yippee! I think this is terrific, and I was holding my breath until Jason made his decision.

"I hope this is the beginning of a transition from being a superb and elite catcher to another role where he can use those tangible and intangible skills within the Red Sox organization for a long time, as a coach or otherwise.

"And, thankfully, you will continue to update your site, and I will continue to check it on a daily basis for updates!

"Keep up the great work, and have a terrific holiday season!" -- Sue

"Erin, it sure is nice to have a place to send my positive thoughts where they don't get lost in all the mean-spirited ones on other sites and forums. I have always been and always will be a big fan of Varitek. He is the epitome of the Dirt Dog player. A professional through and through. I am so pleased to see him return." -- Patrick, Maine

"Yippee Skippee! He's back in Beantown one more year! Good! I am so happy and relieved. I guess this means I'll have to make that trek to Fenway this year. Oh darn... the lengths I go to... LOL!!! J/K! I want to go back and now I have a viable reason. Viable in my book! Thanks for keeping us all up to date Erin. Seriously!" -- Becky, California

"Erin, I kept stopping by your site every hour for the last couple days figuring you'd have the news up when it was available - you didn't disappoint! Thank you! Very glad to see our captain come back. Whew!" -- Dale, Virginia by way of Boston

"We are so happy that Tek is coming back for one more year. Now, if we can just get him to come back after that as a coach....Looking forward to another great Red Sox season. How many days left til' spring training starts?" -- The Kramer Family, Massachusetts

Thank you to everyone who took the time to email!

The Captain's Back!

November 11, 2009 - Veterans Day

From the Boston Globe & Boston Herald a few minutes ago:

Tek has exercised his $3 million option for 2010, the Red Sox announced late Wednesday afternoon.

"We're happy to have Jason back and we look forward to a good year from him in 2010," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein told the Globe. "He means an awful lot to the organization on and off the field. He helps solidify our catching position also and is a big asset to the pitching staff.

"We're happy he decided to come back and stay in the organization he's such an important part of."

Acquired by Boston from Seattle on July 31, 1997, Varitek has hit .259 (1,232-for-4,765) with 175 home runs and 705 RBI in 1,439 career Major League games over parts of 13 seasons with the Red Sox. He has been behind the plate in a club-record 1,381 contests and ranks among franchise all-time leaders in overall games played (9th), doubles (8th, 290), home runs (12th), RBI (15th) and walks (15th, 583).

Okay fans, you can breathe now!

*If you want to send along some positive comments that you'd like added to the site later in the week, please email me!

Thoughts From Another Veteran Catcher...

November 10, 2009

Brad Ausmus talks Tek, from an article by the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo this morning:

Baseball sources indicated last night that Varitek will accept his option and will notify the Sox as soon as today.

Varitek's place as one of the top catchers in Red Sox history is secure. Sox' pitching certainly flourished during his heyday. To this day, Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe still consider him the best catcher they ever threw to.

Varitek remains a leader on the team and should be able to remain that way even in a backup role.

One player who has been through the transition is Brad Ausmus, who backed up Russell Martin in Los Angeles this season.

"I think Jason is going to be OK," Ausmus said. "What I did was I approached it from Day 1 like I was going to be the backup and I was going to do everything I could to help Russell. We pored over scouting reports every day and came up with a good plan for that particular game. I know Jason is going to do the same thing because he’s so respected and we all know he's the best in the game at being prepared. Nobody works harder than Jason Varitek in preparing a pitcher to pitch that day. He can still do that with Victor and it will be a big help to Victor. I'm sure some of that happened last season with the two of them.

"The one thing I found having all that time is you tend to get bored. You tend to try to find things to do. Last year I just sat with Don Mattingly and we went over the game inning by inning and move by move. It's a way of kind of staying in the game. There were times I'd think to myself, 'Gee, I would have done it this way.' Or, 'I wished I'd been out there,' that kind of thing. There's a definite mind-set you have to have and after you’re a starter for a long time you just have to accept that that part of your career is over.

"It's not easy, but I think you're going to have some pitchers who want to throw to Jason. You hope that doesn’t become a problem and it probably won't. But knowing how professional Jason has been, I think he’ll transition to it just fine."

To read the entire article, click here.

Tek To Return?

November 9, 2009 - Evening Update

From a report on NESN.com this evening:

The Red Sox declined to exercise their $5 million team option on catcher Jason Varitek on Monday, but that doesn’t mean the longtime captain will be leaving Boston.

NESN learned on Monday night that the 37-year-old Varitek will exercise his $3 million player option for 2010 that includes up to another $2 million in incentives. The move is expected to be formalized on Tuesday and will keep Varitek with the Red Sox through at least the end of 2010.

With the incentives, Varitek would earn an additional $400,000 for starting 80 games in 2010 and another bonus for every 10 starts thereafter.

To read the rest, click here.

However...

According to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe (on Twittter), Red Sox GM Theo Epstein said "Jason has not yet picked up his option. That could come tomorrow, however."

The Waiting Game...

November 9, 2009

From MLB.com's Ian Browne this evening:

The Red Sox officially took care of the main part of their catching solution for 2010, exercising All-Star Victor Martinez's $7.1 million club option on Monday. But veteran Jason Varitek, who has caught more games than any player in Red Sox history, remains in limbo.

Boston declined the $5 million club option it held for Varitek, but the veteran has until Saturday to notify the team if he will exercise his $3 million player option.

If Varitek declines his option, he will be a free agent for the second consecutive offseason.

Once the Red Sox acquired Martinez in a trade with the Indians on July 31, Varitek suddenly found himself playing a reduced role after serving as Boston's primary catcher for the past decade.

In 13 seasons with Boston, Varitek has caught 1,381 games and ranks among the club's all-time leaders in games played (ninth, 1,439), doubles (eighth, 290), home runs (12th, 175), RBIs (15th, 705) and walks (15th, 583).

To read the entire article, click here.

To see a larger version of Kelly O'Connor's photo, click here.

From the collection of Scott Dunham.

To see more of Scott's beautiful photography, click here.

You can check out the latest spring training photos here.

*If you have a favorite photo you would like to see as a future Picture-of-the-Week, email me!

You can follow Jason-Varitek.com on Twitter:

http://twitter/jasonvaritekcom

I'm also on Facebook:

http://facebook.com/erin3307

This is an unofficial fan site on Mr. Varitek.
For more information, click here.

The 2010 Jason Varitek Spring Training Raffle

Help Jason Varitek, Celebrities for Charity, and Journey Forward in their efforts to improve the lives of those afflicted with spinal cord injuries, and, in return, you could win this great Red Sox Spring Training experience.

The winner will receive -

-- 2 tickets to the Boston Red Sox spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Field in Sarasota Florida (game time is 1:05pm).

-- 2 tickets to the March 28, 2010 game against the Minnesota Twins at Palms Park Field in Fort Myers, Florida (game Time is 1:05pm).

-- Dinner for you and a guest with Jason Varitek in Florida.

-- $1,500 for travel and other expenses.

Tickets start at just $2.00 each (minimum purchase of 5 tickets but decrease in price when you order more than 5 tickets).

Entry deadline for purchasing tickets: March 22, 2010 at 11:00 am.

The winner will be announced later that day!

*Now, while you must be 18 years of age, or older, to purchase a ticket, which the entrant will need to prove prior to being certified as the winner, but CFC's ordering process and rules allow the entrant to 'gift' their tickets to another person, who may or may not be a minor.

For more information and to purchase your raffle tickets online, click here.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and elegant with enticing flavors of black currant, tart cherry, tobacco and clove. This Cabernet is a full bodied wine with a finish of moderate tannins.

Proceeds from Captain's Cabernet support Pitching In For Kids, a program dedicated to improve the lives of children across New England. Funds have been earmarked to help Children's Hospital Boston, one of the nation's top hospitals specializing in pediatric care.

To order, click here.

Pitching In For Kids Foundation

Pitching in for Kids, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing grants designed to improve the lives of children across the New England region through sports-related fund-raising events.

For more information, click on the image link above!

To see photos of Jason from PIFK events, click here.

Looking for exclusive autographed memorabilia from the Captain? Click on the logo!

All-Star Sports Equipment -

Prepared to take you onto the field!

Click on the image above for more info!

Scroll down the page to see Jason in his All-Star Sports catchers gear that was specially designed for and worn by him. It was then sold at auction on MLB.com for charity.

2010 Spring Training

Pitchers and Catchers report on February 18th!

» March 3, 2010
» vs NEU, 1:05pm (ss)
» vs BC, 6:05pm (ss)

» March 4, 2010
» vs MIN, 7:05pm
»

» March 5, 2010
» @ MIN, 7:05pm
»

» March 6, 2010
» @ TB, 1:05pm (ss)
» @ MIN, 1:05pm (ss)


» March 7, 2010
» @ BAL, 1:05pm
»

» March 8, 2010
» @ STL, 1:05pm
»

» March 9, 2010
» @ FLA, 1:05pm
» TBS

» March 10, 2010
» vs TB, 1:05pm
»

» March 11, 2010
» @ NYM, 1:10pm
»

» March 12, 2010
» @ STL, 1:05pm
»

» March 13, 2010
» vs PIT, 1:05pm
»

» March 14, 2010
» @ MIN, 1:05pm
»
» March 15, 2010
» vs BAL, 1:05pm
»

» March 16, 2010
» @ HOU, 1:05pm (ss)
» @ TB, 7:05pm (ss)

» March 17, 2010
» vs NYM, 1:05pm
»


For the full schedule, click here.

Book - Dynasty: The Inside Story of How the Red Sox Became a Baseball Powerhouse

By: Tony Massarotti
Foreword by: Jason Varitek

Available March 31, 2009 - To order online at Amazon.com, click here.

Jason's Holiday Charity Gear!

All game-used gear is auctioned or raffled with proceeds benefitting Jason's favorite charities.

2009 Fourth of July gear: proceeds (over $20,000) from the raffle benefitted Saints Medical Center.

2009 Memorial Day gear: proceeds from the auction benefitted the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund.

2009 Mother's Day gear: proceeds from the auction benefitted the Susan G. Koman "For the Cure" Foundation.

*To see more photos and caps of Jason's All-Star holiday gear, including the Father's Day gear, click here.

2009 & 2010

Red Sox Magazine

2010 Spring Training Issue

Jason and Victor Martinez will grace the cover of the first issue of Red Sox Magazine for the 2010 season.

The two catchers posed for their upcoming cover during a photo shoot in Fort Myers this weekend.

The duo is also the topic of a story entitled, "Call Two Arms - Tek and Victor command the staff".

You can subscribe to Red Sox Magazine here.

You can "catch" a couple of captures from the shoot here.

TV: The Red Sox Report

NESN - February 21st at 10:30pm

Jason and Victor Martinez will grace the cover of the 2010 Spring Training Issue of Red Sox Magazine and NESN's Red Sox Report crew was on hand to "capture" the photo shoot.

The two catchers posed for their upcoming cover in Fort Myers this weekend.

The Red Sox Report will be shown Sunday, February 21st at 10:30pm; Monday, February 22nd at 5:30pm and again at 7:00 pm; and on Tuesday, February 23rd at 7:00 pm.

*You can "catch" a couple of captures here.

TV: Red Sox Report - 2010 Off-Season Workout With Tek

January 24, 2010 on NESN

You can catch a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Sox Captain's off-season workout and his nutrition routine with personal trainer Leslie Eddins.

Show times: Jan 24st (10:30pm), Jan 25nd (1:30pm), Jan 26th (5pm & 10:30pm), Jan 27th (9:30pm).

You can also check out the full-length video of the segment here.

*If you have trouble locating the video, just type in "Varitek" in the video search!

"The biggest asset I've always had was dependability out there, is to be able to be out there and whatever goes on, whether you're hitting well or not hitting well, things are going well as a team, or not, they depend on me to be out there. So that part's going to be different. How that transfers over early on, not taking a beating, not playing every night game, day game. I don't know. I might be a little bored, that might be a good thing, we'll see." -- Jason, February 20, 2010.

"Things fell that way kind of the last two months of the season anyway. My role changed. There's different parts. I handled a lot early, played a lot and handled it in a full-time capacity. But I think that just seeing in a different role, how my body adapts to maybe the less pounding and the less physical grind, it might be a good time for me to transition. I'm preparing as I always do, to be able to handle as much as I can. I'll prepare for a full-time role even though it's dictated another way, and that way if something happens, I'm ready to go.

"I think you can reflect back when you're done. I'm preparing to come out here and get to Spring Training and make sure I win myself a job and to make sure I'm able to help this team win games. When I'm done and sitting on the couch and doing that full-time, then I can probably reflect more. I'm happy, and always feel fortunate that I've been able to be here and have a career, period."-- Jason, during an interview with Ian Browne at MLB.com, December 18, 2009.

I’m ectastic that I'm a Red sox. I’m ecstatic for the fact that I had peace of mind to know that I'll be in this uniform. I get closer to retiring in this uniform—not saying that I see retirement anytime soon—but it allows me that opportunity to do what's most important for me, to wear the 'C' for this group of fans and people in this organization who have spent a lot of time building a championship." -- Jason Varitek, in his first interview of spring training, shown live on NESN (February 14, 2009).

"I am aware these could be my last home games here, and I don’t want to take them for granted. That’s as far as I can take it right now. I don’t want to take any of this for granted, particularly the excitement of playing here." -- Jason Varitek, on his pending free agency at the end of this season, Providence Journal, (September 3, 2008).

"There's a reason the Yankees have been as good as they have been since I've been going against them. Jorge (Posada) plays the game right. He has an extreme respect for the game, which you can't help but notice. And his bat is obviously pretty special and he's durable.

"Jorge doesn't get the credit he deserves as a catcher. You can tell he is very good at handling pitchers. ... I respect the way he plays, as I do with their shortstop Derek Jeter and closer Mariano Rivera." -- Jason Varitek, during an interview for an article by Bill Burt of The Eagle Tribune (August 21, 2009).

From HOF Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk -

"I've always enjoyed the way he catches and approaches the game. He's a tough nut. You need to be one of those to be back there. You can tell by his actions on the field that the most important part of his game is behind the plate. I always felt that was my most valuable place on the field and dealing with the pitchers and positions and the umpires. I see a lot of that in Jason, too.

"When you recognize you have more chances to influence the outcome of the game back there than you do three or four or five times you come to the plate. If you can feel good about what you're doing behind the plate and what the pitcher is doing with you, then you feel that much better than when you go up to the plate.

"Even if things don't work out at the plate, you can still feel as though you have influence on the outcome. I always thought it was necessary for me to come out of the game with a victory. I could go 0-for-4, 0-for-8 or 0-for-the-week, but I know that I blocked a ball to save the run or helped a pitcher out in a tough spot.

"Even though your value doesn't show up in the numbers page, you have a lot of value when you put the gear on." -- From an interview with The Enterprise news (September 20, 2006).

"There's no mystery as to when the Red Sox started to have a little bit of a soft spot. I don't mean to dis' anybody on the club because everybody has their own value. When you saw what happened to the Red Sox when Varitek went down, it shows you the value that he has for his team." -- From an interview with the Lowell Sun News, after the 2006 season about Jason's injury, surgery and stint on the DL (September, 2006).

From The Sports Journalists -

"Jason Varitek is baseball's purest definition of catching." -- Mark Whicker, columnist for the Orange County (CA) Register in his article on October 3, 2008.

"As the 2008 ended, Jason Varitek was a free agent at the end of a four-year contract. He had caught more games than any other Red Sox catcher (1,273); had hit more home runs(158), than any other Red Sox catcher; led the franchise list in home runs by a switch hitter (161) and was tied for second with Manny Ramirez on the team's all-time list for post-season homers (11).

"In Varitek's case, the numbers that mattered most were not batting average or RBI's or home runs. From 1998, when he caught his first game for Boston, through 2008, the Red Sox were 705-468 (.601) when Varitek was the catcher, 256-302 (.459) when he was not.

"It's little wonder why he was an All-Star -- no matter what his batting average was -- and why he joined Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice as Red Sox players who were selected as captains." -- Sportwriter Bill Ballou, in his book "Behind the Green Monster: Red Sox Myths, Legends & Lore", available March, 2009.

"So if this is it -- and it might be -- get a good look at what we've been taking for granted these last 11 years. It's hard to remember any Red Sox player who engendered as much public respect from his teammates as Jason Varitek, and, with the exception of Carlton Fisk, no Red Sox catcher in history ever produced as consistently and as well for as long a period of time.

Remember not the figure who struggled to put his bat on the ball for much of June and July this year. Remember instead a man who, as much as anybody, symbolized the return of the Red Sox as one of baseball's true powerhouses." -- Sports Journalist Art Matone, Providence Journal, (September 19th).

From His Pitchers - Past & Present

"Jason Varitek is very special to me because we end up getting in a rhythm very, very quickly. But the bottom line is that it's your fault. If you can't execute a pitch and you give up a hard hit ball it's your fault. Anybody who tells you different is probably a (wimp). For me the thing is that I throw so many pitches. For somebody new it's very difficult to remember everything I throw because I throw everything to both sides of the plate. -- Josh Beckett, during an interview on WEEI on September 19, 2009.

"There isn't a son of a (gun) alive I'd rather have back there!" -- Josh Beckett replies to questions from the media about Jason during a post-game press conference, September 18, 2009.

"Hats off to Jason Varitek tonight for calming me down - I was a little frustrated early. He got a couple of hits, came out of the game, and in the locker room I wanted to talk about his hitting and he wanted to talk about my pitching. It's nice to have a guy behind the plate who cares that much about the pitchers and what they do. He did a good job of getting me through tonight." -- Paul Byrd during his post-game press conference on September 10, 2009.

"He's a warrior, man. He's intimidating when you see him walking out in his full gear and that's exactly why. He's a competitor and that's the reason the Red Sox still want him here, because he does stuff like that for the team. That's not going to show up in the stats or be in the box score tomorrow, but that’s as big a play as you could ask for tonight." -- Pitcher Daniel Bard during post-game comments after Tek blocked the plate sending the Blue Jays' Travis Snider spinning away like a top (August 28, 2009).

"He knows how I am, a laid-back guy having a good ole time, of course serious on the mound, but he knows I like to have fun. And he came along those lines and was there just to make sure if anything didn't go right, wherever there's a time, a few struggles here and there, to make sure I'm keeping my head up, saying, 'Hey, you've got the stuff.' Just simple things like that, always in his mind saying, 'Hey, let's try this pitch here to this batter.' Just talking through things, and that's helped me be a better pitcher in general. And, whenever his career is over, I’ll have a better idea of who I am as a pitcher because of him." -- Justin Masterson, in an interview with NESN (after his trade to the Cleveland Indians) on August 4, 2009.

"Ludicrous! I thought it was ludicrous that they were thinking about not bringing him back. The biggest thing that he brings to our team and means to our team is leadership by example. And when I say that, I mean he shows everyone by his examples how to play, how to be a consistent player and he shows everyone how to play through pain, just everything that goes along with leading by example." -- Jonathan Papelbon, in an interview with NESN on August 4, 2009.

"I thought Tek and I did a really good job. Most normal people probably wouldn't have been playing if they were Tek. I am amazed by what he does, how he goes out there whether he's feeling 100 percent or 5 percent. I think today was probably closer to 5 percent than 100 percent, he deserves a lot of credit for that....we had a game plan and we stuck to it, and like I said, he deserves a lot of credit for that, he really does." -- Josh Beckett, during his post-game press conference after an 8-3 win over the Athletics on July 27, 2009.

"That was one of the concerns of mine when I went to L.A., because I went for months without ever shaking him off. I was like on 'auto pilot' when Jason caught. You don't see guys shaking Varitek off because of his preparation. You have to think more on your own [in L.A.], and that's where you get spoiled with Jason because then you can just let him call the whole game." -- Derek Lowe during a radio interview with WEEI's Joe Castiglione on June 19, 2009.

"It has a huge impact! I mean, certainly the inviting way he can get a pitcher to throw a pitch, it's still up to the pitcher - you've got to be committed! But when you're as established and as confident as he is, he knows everything - his preparation is second to none, and you want to know as a pitcher if you have any sense of doubt, that the guy is going to carry you through those.

"You think about it - you have 115-120 decisions to make through a game and you're not going to be right on all of them, and you need that guy back there empowering you to say, 'this is the right pitch' and working together. You can't be shakin' your head 'no' a lot, at least for most pitchers it's not going to work in an environment like this. If you're not clicking and you're not on the same page, it's going to make for a longer game and a tougher scenario.

"Without a doubt, a catcher is a huge part of a pitcher's success as he goes through the season." -- John Smoltz talking about Jason during an interview with Mohegan Sun's Sports Tonight in relation to a question asked by host Michael Felger, "Can a catcher behind the plate have any impact on the way a pitcher throws a game?" (February 16, 2009).

"There's certain players in Major League Baseball that are on certain teams that you take a gamble on whether it's age or whether it's money. And for me, Varitek is, no question, in that category. I don't care who you bring in or who you take out, there's certain stability, not only in the clubhouse but on the field as well and he's part...no, he's not part, he is the main stability in our clubhouse and on that field, so for me - whether it's the age issue or the money issue, there is no question in my mind that you make that gamble with a person like that! That's the way I feel, that's it. It's that simple for me!" -- Jonathan Papelbon during a phone interview with Comcast Sports Net on bringing 'Tek back for 2009 (January 20, 2009).

"He lives, eats, and sleeps baseball, and cares as much or more than anyone I’ve ever played with." -- Paul Byrd, during a post-game interview after Game 3 of the ALDS (October 13, 2008).

"I knew he was a good catcher, but he is a great receiver. He blocks the ball as well as anybody. What he brings behind the plate, the knowledge he has of hitters, I've had a blast working with him."
-- Paul Byrd talks about his second start working with Jason Varitek (August 22nd).

"For two years, over all those games that Varitek has caught for me, I've been able to pitch with less and less stress over that time and that certainly has helped me in my performance, as well. Any time a pitcher pairs up with a new catcher, there's some adjustments that need to be made and it's not an easy process. So I just hope I get to be paired up with the same catcher for as long as possible." -- Daisuke Matsuzaka, throught his interpreter Masa Hoshino, from an article on MLB.com (October 15, 2008).

"Tek is the most prepared baseball player I have ever been around. He's great because he comes up to you before your start and says, 'Hey, you want to go over these guys?'. He's very outspoken on what he thinks works with these guys (batters), and he's very knowledgable about it because he does the legwork". -- Josh Beckett, from an interview for Major League Baseball (after the 2007 World Series).

"Everyone knows what kind of leader he is. But the biggest thing for me is he leads by example. He’s able to do a multitude of things and [he] carries the load. It’s not one thing. For me, he does it all. He helps me with my confidence and the way he calls a game." -- Jonathan Papelbon, from an interview with the Providence Journal (September 17, 2007).

"He’s helped me out tremendously, especially with the mental side of the game — learning how to pitch to hitters. He’s great, not just at knowing the hitters, but also at understanding what makes each pitcher go. He does a tremendous job behind the plate." -- Rookie reliever Justin Masterson, in an interview with the Providence Journal (September 4, 2008).

"The way he breaks down each hitter, it's unlike anything I've ever seen before - how much pride and passion he takes in everything he does. When he's back there calling a game you can see him thinking about what pitch we want to throw. You don't come across guys that often who 'think' the game while they're playing. He's a great attribute to what happened tonight and I'm glad to say I got to throw to Jason Varitek." -- Clay Buchholz, during his post-game interview after his no-hitter (September 1, 2007).

From His Other Teammates -

"I'm going to be with Jason. He's a great guy, great man. That's why he is the captain. That's a guy that really makes a big difference for me in this clubhouse and on this team." -- Victor Martinez, to reporters during the first day of Spring Training in Fort Myers, February 18, 2010.

"He was generous. To be honest again, I never thought that he was going to be that helpful for me. I started taking a little more of his playing time, little by little. I got more comfortable with the pitching staff because of him. He was a guy who came to me and said, 'If this guy struggles, call this pitch, that will relax him a little bit.' Man, he was great." -- Victor Martinez, in an interview with the Boston Herald, February 15, 2010.

"I love catching. I love the relationship a catcher has with pitchers and the responsibility. But if we have had success with me catching, it's because of Jason Varitek. He has been unbelievable working with me to know the pitchers and work on game plans. I am very fortunate to be able to work with Jason. I look up to him." -- Victor Martinez, as quoted in Peter Gammons' blog at ESPN.com on September 19, 2009.

"I am very respectful for Jason Varitek. He is a great guy and a great catcher. We have been playing a little bit, behind the plate and man, he has been great for me. Varitek you know, he's been there for me. He's always saying, 'if you need anything, you just come out and ask me'. That's the one thing that I really appreciate, that is one of the things that makes me feel more comfortable in the clubhouse and on the field." -- Victor Martinez, during an interview with NESN's Tom Caron on September 10, 2009.

"I think he's such a stable force behind our pitching staff. I think, in today's game, we analyze things so much. I think there's actually an added 'oomph' to guys that can handle a pitching staff. I was actually talking to [Orioles catcher] Gregg Zaun the other day. And I was like, 'So, how’s it going? I see that you’ve been swinging the bat pretty good.' He goes, 'I’m just trying to do my best to call a good game, put the pitcher in a position to win, and if I hit, it's icing on the cake.'

"It's almost gotten to that point where if you have someone who can handle a staff so well, you can almost offset the offense. Well, that being said, no one wants to not hit. And I think Tek's got to be happy with his power numbers. His average I'm sure is lower than what he would want. But I think he's shown that we can play a lot of winning baseball with him behind there. I think there would have been a lot more openings and question marks and inconsistencies if he wasn't here this year." -- Mike Lowell, in an interview with NESN on August 4, 2009.

"One of the things that’s frustrating to me about the way he’s perceived sometimes is that everybody talks about him being a clubhouse leader and all that, but the guy’s a great player. It’s like when (pitcher Greg) Maddux came over to (the Padres). Everyone said, 'He's going to help the young pitchers and do all this stuff.' They’re not paying him $10 million to coach.

"Obviously, I admire the career that Jason's had — being able to win the World Series and put up numbers. Obviously, he’s a great, great player. I’m excited to learn from him and be here." -- Josh Bard, during spring training (February 22, 2009).

"He is the foundation for the team. No matter what he is going through, no matter what he's doing with the bat, he's such a valuable asset to the team. Not only just commanding the game, commanding pitchers and putting them in the right mindset to pitch, but he's just a clubhouse guy that you can always lean on. For me personally he was always there! He was always there - if something needed to be said. He is not a guy that is 'rah rah' or a guy that everyday is going to be cheering you on, but if something needs to be said or something needs to be acted upon - HE is the one do to it.

"If there was something he saw in my game or something happened during the game that he thought I could improve on, he would sit me down and we would have a talk. At the same time, if he saw something that he liked, he would reinforce that. He just handles situations so well. He would be an asset to any team, but because he knows Boston so well, he is even bigger for us." -- Shortstop Jed Lowrie as a guest of the Casey Stern Show on MLB-Radio, February 7, 2009.

"When he walks in the door at one o’clock in the afternoon, his presence everyone feels. He doesn’t even have to say anything. That’s the type of teammate he is and what kind of player he is. Everyone looks to him for advice and looks up to him. That’s why he’s the captain of our team. He sets the tone." -- Dustin Pedroia, during a post-game interview (October 19, 2008).

"From a personal standpoint, he has taught me a lot in this game, both on and off the field. He's a great role model for a lot of people out there and he's a great...you know, what he does for this team is unbelievable. You know, he's not the most talkative guy in the world, but when he says something, it means a lot to the team. That's one thing you can't replace." -- Kevin Youkilis, during an on-air interview at his "Hits for Kids" event (October 20, 2008).

"He’s a human wall behind the plate. Nothing gets by him. As far as preparing for a game, he’s the best I’ve seen. The confidence he brings to our pitchers is invaluable." -- First baseman Sean Casey, in an interview with the Providence Journal (October 4, 2008).

"He (Lester) did a good job. With 'Tek back there calling the game, they're a good combination, and when you have the captain back there you have a good chance of winning." -- Coco Crisp, during an on-the-field interview after the Sox win over the Blue Jays (September 14, 2008).

"He's been great. He's a great person and a great leader, and he is very important to this baseball club. I try not to get in his way too much and try not to bother him. When I have a chance, I ask him a lot of questions. He's been great with that."-- Catcher George Kottaras, after making his major league debut with the Sox (September 13, 2008).

"Man, el capitan, he’s a leader, man! He’s a guy who knows how to deal with situations better than anyone around here, I can tell you that. He’s great. He doesn’t talk too much, but when he sees things going in the wrong direction, he tries to fix them up. "-- Designated hitter David "Big Papi" Ortiz in an interview for the Providence Journal (September 17, 2007).

From His Manager -

"I think Tek is kind of a special guy. I think he's certainly earned that right to wear that 'C' and if his playing time changes a little bit, I don't see his role diminishing ever, [in terms of] what he can bring to a team, even when he's not in the lineup. He's a very strong influence on our team and he always will be." -- Terry Francona, during his conversation with the media at spring training on February 20, 2010.

"You want your catcher to be indispensible. The problem is, when he goes down, you find out he is!" -- Manager Terry Francona talking about Tek (and his stint on the DL in 2006) in a interview for a USA Today Sports Weekly Cover Story (March 30, 2008).

"When we were on the field after the [clinching] game the other night, he put his head on my shoulder and cried like a baby. He had willed everybody to be so good. I think that's why I'm so calm. I know he's in charge. It's his team." -- Manager Terry Francona talking about Tek, from an article first published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (November 2, 2007).

From His Coaches -

"I think Jason Varitek can catch as long as he wants to catch. I think his body will hold up to that. Obviously, there's the shape he gets himself in, and in the [backup] role he is in now with Victor [Martinez] here, I think he can catch at least four, five more years.

"His game hasn't really slowed down. It's the wear and tear of the physical that has affected him along the way. The formula for him this year is to stay strong and healthy. You've got a pretty irreplaceable guy there. No one has the same experience. Only one other guy sticks out, and that's Jorge [Posada].

"I think he could manage in the major leagues. He obviously could coach. He's a great communicator and he's organized. And he's had the luxury of being taught by the best the last three years. That's what I tell him every day." -- Red Sox bullpen coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck, in an interview with ESPN's Gordon Edes on February 26, 2010.

"I don't think they get the credit they deserve. I believe they are taken for granted, especially in this great rivalry. But I've been involved in coaching for 34 years and I never seen anything like these two guys when it comes to catching, leading, work ethic. The fact that they've been matched up against each other for so long and have had the success they've had, winning multiple championships...I believe they are in a class of their own.

"Jason is Navy Seal. He's programed like a computer. His recall is second to none. His prep dwarfs everyone's. I really believe he is the most selfless guy in the game. -- Bullpen Coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck on Jason and Jorge Posada, during an interview for an article by Bill Burt of The Eagle Tribune (August 21, 2009).

"Tek is like a pilot. We're flying along, and we run into a storm, and he takes it up a few thousand miles, brings it back down. He gets you through it." -- Bullpen Coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck, in an article for the Orange County (CA) Register (October 3, 2008).

"I don't know that we can measure the effect Varitek has had on this pitching staff because it has been immense. His ability (is) to not only execute a game plan that we've devised through scouting reports, through our own personal history or through the many other avenues available to us, but to also tailor it within the game depending on what's working effectively for a pitcher that night. He's the most valuable member of our pitching staff." -- Pitching coach John Farrell, during an interview with NESN (September, 2007).

"I've been very fortunate to work with some of the best guys that ever squatted in the game in 30 years, and he's right at the top of the list, if not the top, because of what he brings to the game.

No. 1, mentally, his retention skills, his work ethic, his leadership skills and just his passion for wanting to be a better player at age 35, and he will be a better player this year than he was last year and that's all because he's willed himself to do it." -- Bullpen Coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck, from an interview with MLB's Mike Petraglia (February 27, 2008).

From Major League General Managers -

"If I could take Varitek and put him on another planet, I would." -- Yankees GM Brian Cashman, during a speaking engagement at William Paterson University in New Jersey in January, 2008.

From Major League Managers -

"He's a bulldog! I wouldn't want to mess with the guy. He's big-time old-school. He'll hurt you. He's a throwback player. And there just aren't many out there like him. Players like him just don't come around often." -- John McLaren, manager of the Seattle Mariners in an interview on June 6, 2008.

"I walked up to Varitek and said, 'You don't know who I am but I know who you are. I see the way you carry yourself, I see the way you conduct yourself...' I mean I watch this guy block every pitch, I watch him throw in between innings down to second base - that's what this game needs, it needs people to have respect and play the game the right way!" -- Orioles manager Dave Trembley, during MASN's broadcast of the Red Sox @ Orioles game on May 14, 2008.

"I think he's probably, outside of the Red Sox organization and with the work in the club, he probably gets less appreciation because people are going to focus a lot on the offensive numbers and if you're not having the type of offensive year maybe you're thought not to be contributing as much. But Jason Varitek has been a guy there that has brought as much to that organization and contributed maybe more than anybody to what they've done in the last five or six years.

"So I think I certainly appreciate what he does behind the plate and there is no doubt in my mind about what he brings to that club, and I think when you look at the defensive aspect of catching, not many guys bring it like Jason Varitek does." -- Mike Scioscia, manager of the L.A. Angels, during his ALDS press conference on October 2, 2008.

"He's the heart and soul of that team. I've known that for years. Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the All-Star coaching staff and I went up to him, I mean, I didn't even know him, but I told him how much I appreciated the kind of work that he did - that was 2003 I believe. This guy has always been there. He wears it on his face...I mean this guy's always ready to play and his preparation habits are tremendous. You never take him for granted. He wants to win every night!" -- Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon talks about Jason during his post-game press conference.

From Major League Players -

"I do have a lot of respect for Jason. He's a world champion and I'm not." -- New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, during an interview in the New York Daily News (March 24, 2005).

"I know Jorge (Posada) really well and he is really an outgoing guy, very funny. I don't know Jason as well, but he's definitely got a tougher exterior. He's all business out there. He's not really an approachable guy." -- Former Yankees catcher and YES Network play-by-play man John Flaherty during an interview for an article by Bill Burt of The Eagle Tribune (August 21, 2009).

"He's definitely come a long way. I was fortunate to, in my opinion, play with the best catcher in all of baseball, especially calling a game in Varitek. And I went years, not starts, but years in Boston and never shook off that, because I had that much faith in his game calling.

"And I think Russell is eventually going to get there. You can't expect him to be at Jason's level this early in his career. We definitely look to him, we definitely lean on him. I think he's definitely open for suggestions throughout the game. But you still have to do your homework being a starting pitcher and you can't 100 percent rely on anybody this time of year." -- L.A. Dodgers pitcher Derek Lowe, during a pre-game interview when asked about catcher Russell Martin (October 12, 2008).

"The catcher-pitcher relationship is totally important. My best games on the mound were those in which I didn't have to shake off my catcher's signals. I'd be thinking, 'OK, let's go fastball outside,' and my catcher would signal for a fastball outside. That's what it means to be on the same page. That’s what Varitek brings to the Sox, and I'd certainly want him behind the plate if I were pitching." -- Former MLB pitcher Steven Ellis in an interview with The Swellesley Report, March 16, 2009.

"He's a good pitcher, but I have to give credit to Jason Varitek. You can have a good pitcher, but you need a good catcher to make it complete, and that's what Varitek does." -- Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora, when asked about Daisuke Matsuzaka during a dugout game-time interview with MASN announcers (September 2, 2008).

"You never want to see a no-hitter go against you like that, but, unfortunately, that situation happened.I give a lot of credit to the pitcher, but most of the credit I give to Jason Varitek. He one of the smartest guys, the smartest catcher. He's the one that got that pitching staff going that way about [its] business.

"You want to guess and you're looking for a pitch, it's like Jason is reading your mind. And the pitchers listen to him about the pitch he wants in a certain situation. You think, 'OK, I'm going to take a pitch,' and here you go, he comes with a strike there; and you want to swing, he comes with a breaking pitch. He's a big value to this team, and they should be proud of what they have there. He's a special guy. That's a lot of work to do to be a catcher. It's not just catching the ball and throwing it back to the pitcher.

"You've got to be pretty smart and know the situation and, from what I understand, he's a big student of the game. He studies every hitter and he gets in your head. He's pretty special." -- Royals left fielder Jose Guillen, during a post-game interview after Jon Lester's no-hitter on May 19, 2008.

"The guy is always prepared. He does more and more every day. Every time he gives up a run, he takes it personally. He takes it as his own ERA, and that’s what makes him so different." -- Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Eric Gagne, talking about working with Jason during his time in Boston. Gagne said that Varitek was like no other catcher he has ever worked with.

MLB Game Announcers -

"It’s really beneficial to the Red Sox pitching staff to be able to think about execution and never think about theory. When you’ve got a 'virtual computer' in Jason Varitek behind the plate calling games, you turn everything over to him and all you think about is executing that pitch." -- MLB game announcer Buck Martinez, on the importance of catcher Jason Varitek to the Red Sox, during the third game of the Toronto series (September 21st).

"I think Varitek is the key. What are the Sox going to do with 'Tek? We talk about their pitching, but there is someone back there calling a lot of signs and who does a lot of work. He puts in yeoman’s work behind the plate, I think they are going to miss that if they lose him behind the plate. We always focus on offense but he brings a lot." -- Harold Reynolds, former MLB player and current MLB commentator on the importance of the Red Sox bringing back Jason Varitek (during the TBS ALCS broadcast, October 19, 2008).

"Jason Varitek might be the most important person on that team and I'll tell you why: If you look at last year when he got hurt in August and didn't play much in September - actually rushed himself back - bottom line: HE is the reason this team plays well.

He controls the pitching staff. He's the heart and soul - When they lost him in August, they were done. That's when they fell way behind the Yankees. They had absolutely no chance after he was gone. He is so important to them." -- New York Yankees game announcer & ESPN radio personality Michael Kay, during his radio show (August 27, 2007).

And Three NHL Hall of Famers -

"I have great respect for Jason. He handles himself so well and you don't hear him complaining. Last year when they brought in a new catcher, Jason did a great job when he was called upon. He's a good person. I've come to know him and he's a gentleman." -- Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins HOF'er, during a Celebrity Skate at Fenway Park on December 18, 2009 as the NHL prepares to get the baseball venue ready for the Winter Classic between the Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers on New Year's Day.

"The thing that's impressive about Jason is his work ethic. How he approaches the game and his leadership. With our fan base, whether it's hockey, football, baseball or basketball, fans want to see guys who are committed, who work hard, who put out an effort, and that's what Jason has done." -- Cam Neely, Boston Bruins HOF'er, December 18, 2009.

"He's an incredible player and has had so many great years with the Red Sox," said Bourque. "He really stabilized that position for so many years. You just listen to the pitchers and their thoughts about working with a guy like that says it all right there." -- Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins HOF'er, who has gotten to know Jason through their work with the Celebrities for Charity organization.

Have you met Jason? Had your picture taken with him? Taken a picture of him? If the answer is yes, and you would like to share your story and/or photo, please e-mail me!

• Boston Red Sox
• Red Sox Foundation
• Jimmy Fund
• Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament
• Celebrities for Charities Foundation
• Pitching In For Kids Foundation
• All-Star Sports (makers of Jason's catcher's gear)
• RBI Academy
• Curt's Pitch for ALS
• The Mike Lowell Foundation
• J-V.com MySpace
• Big Ben News (my other site)