// Jason Varitek

Kelly Shoppach, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and the Unexpected Catching Controversy

By ⋅ June 16, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

When “Oh Captain My Captain” Jason Varitek retired from professional baseball and the Boston Red Sox during spring training, I felt a sense of relief followed by a twinge of nostalgia. While I would no longer have to reintroduce my fist to my face with every Tek tapper to the second baseman, the reins were [...]

Reviewing NESN’s Jenny Dell (So Far)

By ⋅ April 23, 2012 ⋅ 3 comments

The 2012 season is about a month old and already two things are very clear: I miss last year’s bullpen and last year’s “sideline” reporter. Sorry folks, but Jenny Dell is not really doing it for me. I know, I know, the women reading this are calling me a superficial pig and the fellas reading this [...]

Beckett Sharp in Sox Home Opener Victory, Ellsbury Injured

By ⋅ April 13, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

The Red Sox put it all together on Friday afternoon in their home opener with a strong 12-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox had contributions all around, most notably a great start from Josh Beckett who rebounded from an ugly performance last Saturday to lead Boston to a 12-2 win. Despite all [...]

Does Jason Varitek Belong in the Hall of Fame?

By ⋅ March 20, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Recently, Jason Varitek held a press conference to announce his retirement from baseball. It was the final chapter in a stellar career, which was marked with outstanding team and individual successes. Whenever a noteworthy player retires, fans and scribes feel compelled to put the career in some sort of historical perspective. Often, that analysis is clouded by emotion. The [...]

What We Learned This Week: No More Beer, No More Varitek

By ⋅ March 2, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

What We Learned This Week: Week of 2/23-3/1 1. Jason Varitek retired. A good way to honor the Captain is to retire that hockey-style captain’s “C” that was on his jersey. Don’t give it out to anyone else, so that Jason Varitek will be the only Red Sox player in team history to ever wear [...]

Jason Varitek to Announce Retirement Thursday

By ⋅ February 27, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

After fifteen seasons, three All-Star appearances, and two World Series trophies with the Boston Red Sox, Jason Varitek will retire at the age of 39, Peter Abraham reports.

What We Learned This Week: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

By ⋅ February 13, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Week of 2/5 – 2/12/12 This was a week filled with curious and controversial decisions like Kevin Youkilis popping the question to Tom Brady’s sister, Rob Gronkowski partying like he’s on the Jersey Shore right after losing the Super Bowl, and Tom Brady’s wife publicly blaming the receivers for blowing the big game. What could go [...]

Red Sox Waiting on Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek

By ⋅ February 11, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

The Red Sox have openly invited both veterans Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek to spring training, but it remains to be seen if either is willing to play again or lean towards retirement. They are two of the limited number of players remaining from the legendary 2004 championship team, and may choose retirement because of [...]

Red Sox Ink Jarrod Saltalamacchia to One-Year, $2.5 Million Deal

By ⋅ January 16, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Jason Varitek is gone. Now it’s Jarrod Saltalamacchia‘s turn. The Red Sox signed Saltalamacchia to a one-year, $2.5 million contract Sunday, the Boston Globe reported, avoiding arbitration and giving Saltalamacchia a $1.75 million bump over his 2011 salary.

Red Sox Sign Albers, Shoppach… Say Goodbye to Varitek?

By ⋅ December 13, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

The Red Sox have signed backup catcher Kelly Shoppach, a former Sox farmhand, to a one-year, $1.35 million deal. With Shoppach, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Ryan Lavarnway and Luis Exposito as catchers on the 40-man roster, it likely means the Red Sox will not re-sign longtime catcher and captain Jason Varitek, who played just 68 games last [...]

Should the Red Sox Retain Jason Varitek?

By ⋅ November 18, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

In 1997, then-Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette (now GM of the Baltimore Orioles) traded closer Heathcliff Slocumb to the Seattle Mariners for two minor leaguers. One of them was Derek Lowe. The other was Jason Varitek. Fast forward to 2011, and Varitek just finished his fourteenth year behind the plate in a storied career [...]

Catching on to Success: Jarrod Saltalamacchia

By ⋅ September 26, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Entering the 2011 season, baseball analysts across the country made many different predictions for how things would turn out for the Red Sox. Through the ups and downs of the lengthy season, individual story lines have emerged for different players, such as the struggles of Carl Crawford, the revival of Josh Beckett and Jacoby Ellsbury, [...]

Daniel Bard Blows Another Game, Blue Jays Win Late

By ⋅ September 14, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

For most of the game, Boston was in firm control, but the 8th inning was rough, as Daniel Bard blew the lead and gave Toronto a 5-4 win. Toronto seized the early lead in addition to the late one, scoring twice off John Lackey. With two on and two outs, Toronto put two more singles [...]

Lester Gives up Three in First, Rays Complete Sweep

By ⋅ September 11, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

The Red Sox are in absolute free fall, and by the time they hit the ground, they might be looking up at the Tampa Bay Rays in the playoff race. Rays starter James Shields allowed just one earned run in 8.1 innings Sunday afternoon in St. Petersburg, and the Rays battered Jon Lester and the [...]

Sputtering Red Sox Come Out Flat Against Jays, Lose Again

By ⋅ September 8, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

For the second straight night, the Red Sox faltered North of the border, dropping the series finale to the Blue Jays 7-4. Ricky Romero finally managed to beat Boston, surrendering 3 runs in 6.2 innings. All of those runs came late for the Red Sox as Romero had batters guessing for most of the night. [...]

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