Too Much Varitek Is Barely Enough

Hello all. I have been invited to post here by Ben, so I guess a few particulars are customary.

First, I'm an Australian but please, if you are going to comment about the fact that I live in Australia and ergo don't know anything about American sports, at least do me the service of avoiding the word "kangaroo". I worked as a bookie for two years, specialising in MLB and NFL, essentially as an advisor. The agency was small so it was more like a betting team, we didn't have the clientel to do much bookmaking so to speak. I'm 24 and may even post the occasional rant about cricket or rugby if I find the content general enough to appeal to everyone and the offense to logic particulary egregious. One example that comes to mind is that I once was watching a rugby game where the announcer (Ben Ikin) said "they were out there left, right and centre out on the right". This has since become something of a mantra for public and sporting related displays of stupidity between me and my friends.

Anyway, any other details are probably unnecessary - I don't really follow teams, I kind of adopt them here and there, but when that team gets good I feel guilty for being a bandwagon rider and immediately trade down to a lower version. Currently these teams are the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Brewers (might have to jet on them soon) and Washington Redskins. My favourite American sport is baseball, I love the crazy setup of 162 games and the races coming down to September, following a baseball season is such a unique experience. I have no time and general contempt for, college sports.

Discussions with Ben suggest that there may be times of debate and discussion of various issues and points of view between him and I, hopefully providing entertainment and provoking thought. We shall see. I wasn't actually going to post today but Richard Justice, in all his arrogant, belligerent, megalomaniacal glory, practically insisted with the following colum, available at the Sporting News.

No offense, but Boston needs Jason Varitek

very witty

Can you imagine Jason Varitek wearing any other uniform? Can't do it, can you?

"That would be hard," Derek Jeter said.

How about you, Mariano Rivera?

"He's their captain," he said. "That tells you what he means to them."

Indeed.

this is some vapid fucking sportswriting here people. I dunno, maybe I give Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera too much credit, but I would love to see the looks on their faces when Richard Justice sidled on up to them and asked them "can you imagine Jason Varitek in another uniform?". Surely there must be better questions you can ask. I mean, think about it, the abuse of position this entails. Put yourself in Richard Justice's shoes, here they are, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, you get a precious few minutes with them to pick their brain on a topic of your choosing, and this is what he comes up with. Breathtaking.

"When you think of the Red Sox, he's one of the people that comes to mind," Joe Torre said.

probably because he plays for them, thank you for that Joe.

Wait, there's more.

I would certainly hope so Richard, this has been...less than impressive so far.

For a decade, Varitek has represented the Red Sox with grace and grit. He might be the poster boy for some of the best years the franchise has ever had -- six playoff appearances, including two championships, in 10 seasons.

grit alert.

He has helped changed the way people perceive the Red Sox. Once lovable losers, they're now widely respected both for winning and for doing it the right way.

I dunno man. Like, if "the right way" means the cunning trades and savvy positioning in the market, surely that's Theo Epstein right? Even if you mean the emphasis on defense and stuff, that was basically put in motion by the Nomar trade, that's my understanding. Seems Epstein pretty much coincided with this period of success in Red Sox history. He would seem to be the "poster boy" if you're asking me, and quite frankly, I think he was more responsible for whats happened to this team than Varitek. I know I'm in dangerous GM vs guys who actually play territory here, but I'm just saying, if it's about the appearance and attitude of the Red Sox, maybe we're overstating the case of Varitek.

I also dispute this "lovable losers" tag. I mean, they were pretty damn good, they had like the best pitcher on the planet, a scary offense, sold out every game and were involved in some of the best playoff series of all time. To suggest they were "cute" or "quaint" is not only disrespectful to a very successful franchise with a storied history but also a gross misrepresentation.

That "C" on Varitek's jersey speaks volumes. He's the Red Sox captain in every sense of the word.

Recently, when he briefly snapped out of a terrible slump with a hit, the Red Sox celebrated as if they'd won another championship.

oh come on! Come on! I mean why go so ridiculously over the top like this? They were happy for him, awesome. Again, maybe I am giving baseball players too much credit, but I'd like to think they have enough perspective to act proportionately when a player gets a fucking base hit. Also, how would that make Varitek feel if they actually did celebrate like this? Like he was a nine year old who was there because of the "Make a Wish Foundation", that's how. I'm sure Jason Varitek doesn't want to be condescended to, and to be honest, I think he was probably a little embarrassed to be at the all-star game with a line of .216/.297/.351.

My God that's bad.

Varitek's future with the Red Sox has become a hot topic on Boston sports radio at a time when he's hitting .218 and sometimes looking overmatched at the plate.

sometimes? I'd suggest most of the time. Maybe even all of the time. And Varitek has hit .240/.331/.396 over the past three years. This season is indicative of a trend. Some may say a typical, easily identifiable trend that correlates strongly with the end of a career. He's also 36. He also plays catcher. He is also off contract at the end of this season so the Red Sox will have to address these very issues head on. These discussions seem warranted.

Because he is 36 years old, because he is unsigned after this season and because the Red Sox have had acquiring a catcher on their to-do list for more than a year, the previously unthinkable has become thinkable.

right.

Money could become an issue. Varitek is represented by Scott Boras, and rumors have Boras seeking a four-year contract for Varitek.

I think the bigger issue is that .218, no wait .216 average right? I mean, if the Red Sox don't sign him, exactly who will? He probably will get offers precisely because of people like Richard Justice but I don't think Jason Varitek is bargaining from a position of strength here, and I think unless Theo Epstein is replaced by an evil twin, that four year contract Scott Boras is supposedly coveting exists only in his dreams.

Varitek's value could change depending on how the second half of the season goes, who the Red Sox acquire and how the season plays out.

but most important, he has to hit right? I mean this is patently unacceptable. And I mean, short of him inventing a time machine, the liklihood is, as unfortunate as it may be, that that will not happen.

To anyone Red Sox fan ready to throw Varitek off the bus: Be careful what you wish for.

the case in favour for reckless wishing in this instance does indeed appear to be a strong one, even for "anyone Red Sox fan", let's see what you have.

When the Red Sox trailed the Cleveland Indians 3-1 in the American League Championship Series last fall, Varitek was one of the guys who set a relentless one-game-at-a-time tone in the clubhouse.

Had you walked into the Boston clubhouse before Game 5, you might have thought the Red Sox were preparing for a June game with the Mariners. That's because they play the game one way -- and Varitek is partly responsible for that.

what did he expect? Looting, molotov cocktails and violent sobbing? They play the game to win. They want to win. They plan and prepare to win. That is the extent of "playing the game one way" and every team does it. These are professional baseball players. They are here because they have played in a lot of big games, at every level, and know how to handle it. I'm not really sure what the alternative would be...these people are professionals.

Richard...I just have no idea what you are trying to say.

There's no debating his offensive season. It has been terrible. Varitek's .218 batting average is 46 points below his career average.

but only 22 points below his average the past three years.

He's hitting just .184 on the road and .192 with runners in scoring position. He has put together back-to-back tough months -- a .122 average in June, a .188 average in July.

well yeah, he's been bad. I think ".218" is sufficient, I don't need the situationals. ".218" isn't nuanced like that, it's what is called absolutely terrible. We're not splitting hairs here.

And yet at this point in his career, considering the makeup of this club, offense isn't his primary responsibility.

yeah, and if he was hitting like .250/.330/.390 this might be a good argument. But he's not. Jason Varitek has wet dreams about hitting .250 right now. Primary responsibility is one thing, destructive agent of hitting death is quite another. Again, there's no room to look "deeper" here, it's .218 (.216 at the time of writing). Terrible. Indefensible. It's that simple.

Even with Varitek not hitting, the Red Sox are second in the American League in runs, first in on-base percentage and third in home runs.

With J.D.Drew having a career year, with Dustin Pedroia becoming an impact player and with David Ortiz due back from the disabled list next weekend, Boston's concerns are mostly with middle relief and the back of the rotation.

I hope this isn't the pitch Boras is taking to the Red Sox for his bid for a fanciful contract - "you need better pitchers". I don't particulary think it should be your argument either, considering you're strongly implying he helps the pitching staff so much, and that that pitching staff is actually a pronounced weakness. Logic dictates then, that Jason Varitek has not been particulary benificial to said staff.

Also, Pedroia is basically as good as last year, not getting on base as much, more power, much of a muchness. I don't think he's "become" anything this year, he's still a pretty awesome second basemen (I'm not particulary informed on the prowess of his defense, seems adequate) but yeah, let's not pretend there are all these extra toys to a team that won the World Series here. Finally, the Red Sox aren't in first place, unlike last year, and haven't been for most of the year, I don't think they are in a position to easily carry a .216 hitter.

As for Varitek, it might be impossible for an outsider to understand his impact in the clubhouse.

He keeps charts on every Red Sox pitcher and studies scouting reports and video before each game. He picks the brains of scouts, coaches and anyone he thinks can help with that day's game.

isn't the stuff about scouting reports, video and charts pretty standard for catchers? I don't know maybe not. But .218...that is my response to this statement, a number that Richard Justice cannot rationalise his way out of, as difficult as it may be to understand the famed "Varitek aura".

Whether I'm hitting or not, I can influence other parts of the game," he said.

you're missing the point Jason, it's not that you can't influence other parts of the game, it's that you're fucking disgraceful at one very important part. Even if it isn't your "primary responsibility". Your ability to influence other parts of the game isn't in dispute...except by Richard Justice because the bullpen and half of the rotation are bad, apparently.

But what about the offensive struggles? He continues his workaholic ways, hoping to find a way out.

you paint a sad and tragic picture Justice, because it's almost definately not going to happen. There will be no happy ending to this story, as desperately as Varitek practises.

What Varitek mainly does is set a tone for everyone else. When his peers voted him onto the American League All-Star team, he was asked over and over if he felt bad about going when he's hitting so little.

"No," he said. "That's a pretty good honor, to be sent by the players."

oh. I guess I was wrong, you weren't embarrassed as much as oblivious.

Sometimes Francona seems to know the questions are coming before they're asked.

"That is from the players around the league," he said. "That's how they feel about him."

As Pedroia told the Boston Globe, "He's all about us. He'll sacrifice himself for the team every time."

.216/.297/.351