RSSAsk Daily: Resign Tek
Nov 23
Sports baseball, Red Sox Comments Off
Question: Should the Sox resign ‘Tek?
Answer: Yes. And I’ll go one further -- they should pay what it takes to get him signed. Of course, please note that I say, pay what it “takes,” not pay what slimeball Scott Boras “asks.” Most of the fans despise Boras and are sick of his politician-like lies and half-truths and ridiculous expectations. And worse, that he often gets what he asks for (and then rolls around gleefully in his money while we spit at our computer screens). But, that’s not the central point in this case. The point with Jason Varitek is pretty simple: There’s no one out there that can do a better job in 2009 or 2010 catching for the Boston Red Sox.
So, will it require giving him a much higher salary than he might otherwise be offered (like $10 million a year instead of $4 million)? Yes. Will it require giving him a third year, when we don’t know if he’ll be hitting over .200 or playing in more than 80 games by then? Probably. But, while we all fall victim to the emotion of saying, “just forget it, I’m sick of dealing with all this drama for a guy who can’t hit anymore,” all the yahoos who call sports radio can’t answer the most obvious follow-up question: Then, who catches?
There are several free agents that will cost a few bucks less and produce at somewhat comparable offensive levels to Varitek’s ’08 season, and may even do a better job throwing out runners. But, is that really worth all the uncertainty? Varitek is battle-tested playing in Boston, penetratingly knowledgeable both of all the Sox pitchers and nearly every single American League hitter, a fiercely loved leader in the clubhouse, and tough as nails. For whatever you might save in the near term to get someone new -- and let’s remember, it doesn’t matter what his salary is, ticket prices have no connection whatsoever to the team’s payroll -- it will cost you far more in unanticipated consequences.
Sign Varitek, and realize that it is truly A Wonderful Life. You just don’t realize how grim the alternative is in a world without Tek
