Red Sox Offer Contract to Jason Varitek

By KC Downey in Featured, Red Sox, Top Story ⋅ January 26, 2009 at 6:20am ⋅ Post a comment

According to WEEI.com, the Red Sox have offered Jason Varitek a two-year contract, and put a deadline on the negotiations. One would assume that if that deadline passes (whenever it is), Jason Varitek and the Sox will end their ties.

The deal is worth between $8 and $10 million over two years. Varitek was offered $5 million guaranteed for 2009 and depending on some player incentives, a team option for $5 million in 2010 or a player option for $3 million in 2010.

Varitek, at the advice of agent Scott Boras, turned down Boston’s offer for arbitration (one year offer for at least $10 million), allowing the catcher to declare free agency. Boras badly misjudged the market for Varitek, thinking he could fetch a Jorge Posada-like deal (4 years, $52 million) for his client. Because Varitek was classified as a Class A free agent, any team that signed him would need to give up a first round compensation draft pick to the Red Sox. As a result, no one was interested.

Varitek, who will turn 37 on April 11, hit a career-low .220 with 13 HRs and 43 RBIs in 131 games in 2008. His peers in baseball respect him tremendously, as evidenced by his All-Star nod despite his struggles. Tek also battled a difficult divorce, which may have affected his performance at the plate.