Pride goeth before a fall
One of the greatest catchers in the history of the Boston Red Sox, Jason Varitek, refused a chance to make about $10m in 2009 by declining the club's offer of arbitration for next season.
Doesn't he realize that he was A-W-F-U-L last season? And, at the age of 37, he isn't likely to rebound this coming year? What kind of advice is he getting from his agent, Scott Boras?
It's my view that Boras, who is incredibly bright and never has had the wool pulled over his eyes, may not have Tek's best interest at heart. Boras wants a four year deal of his client in order to show the rest of his stable that he, Boras, can deliver the goods for even the worst of the bunch.
Tek should have signed the one year deal with the team that made him captain, and with which he has won two World Series rings. No other option makes as much sense. It is highly doubtful that any other major league team will sign a 37 year old with declining number to a long term deal. It would defy logic to do it, though that may not prevent some desperate club from putting up $35 or $40. I don't see it, though.
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Here are Jason Varitek's career batting stats: (from BaseballReference.com)
Year Ag Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG *OPS+ TB SH SF IBB HBP GDP
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
1997 25 BOS AL 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000 422 1 0 0 0 0 0
1998 26 BOS AL 86 221 31 56 13 0 7 33 2 2 17 45 .253 .309 .407 83 90 4 3 1 2 8
1999 27 BOS AL 144 483 70 130 39 2 20 76 1 2 46 85 .269 .330 .482 101 233 5 8 2 2 12
2000 28 BOS AL 139 448 55 111 31 1 10 65 1 1 60 84 .248 .342 .388 82 174 1 4 3 6 16
2001 29 BOS AL 51 174 19 51 11 1 7 25 0 0 21 35 .293 .371 .489 123 85 1 1 3 1 6
2002 30 BOS AL 132 467 58 124 27 1 10 61 4 3 41 95 .266 .332 .392 90 183 1 3 3 7 13
2003 31 BOS AL 142 451 63 123 31 1 25 85 3 2 51 106 .273 .351 .512 120 231 5 7 8 7 10
2004 32 BOS AL 137 463 67 137 30 1 18 73 10 3 62 126 .296 .390 .482 121 223 0 1 9 10 11
2005 33 BOS AL 133 470 70 132 30 1 22 70 2 0 62 117 .281 .366 .489 122 230 1 3 3 3 10
2006 34 BOS AL 103 365 46 87 19 2 12 55 1 2 46 87 .238 .325 .400 83 146 1 2 7 2 10
2007 35 BOS AL 131 435 57 111 15 3 17 68 1 2 71 122 .255 .367 .421 103 183 0 4 9 8 9
2008 36 BOS AL 131 423 37 93 20 0 13 43 0 1 52 122 .220 .313 .359 73 152 0 2 3 6 13
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
12 Seasons 4401 1156 13 654 18 1024 .263 .346 .439 100 19 38 51 54 118
Doesn't he realize that he was A-W-F-U-L last season? And, at the age of 37, he isn't likely to rebound this coming year? What kind of advice is he getting from his agent, Scott Boras?
It's my view that Boras, who is incredibly bright and never has had the wool pulled over his eyes, may not have Tek's best interest at heart. Boras wants a four year deal of his client in order to show the rest of his stable that he, Boras, can deliver the goods for even the worst of the bunch.
Tek should have signed the one year deal with the team that made him captain, and with which he has won two World Series rings. No other option makes as much sense. It is highly doubtful that any other major league team will sign a 37 year old with declining number to a long term deal. It would defy logic to do it, though that may not prevent some desperate club from putting up $35 or $40. I don't see it, though.
----------------------
Here are Jason Varitek's career batting stats: (from BaseballReference.com)
Year Ag Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG *OPS+ TB SH SF IBB HBP GDP
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
1997 25 BOS AL 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000 422 1 0 0 0 0 0
1998 26 BOS AL 86 221 31 56 13 0 7 33 2 2 17 45 .253 .309 .407 83 90 4 3 1 2 8
1999 27 BOS AL 144 483 70 130 39 2 20 76 1 2 46 85 .269 .330 .482 101 233 5 8 2 2 12
2000 28 BOS AL 139 448 55 111 31 1 10 65 1 1 60 84 .248 .342 .388 82 174 1 4 3 6 16
2001 29 BOS AL 51 174 19 51 11 1 7 25 0 0 21 35 .293 .371 .489 123 85 1 1 3 1 6
2002 30 BOS AL 132 467 58 124 27 1 10 61 4 3 41 95 .266 .332 .392 90 183 1 3 3 7 13
2003 31 BOS AL 142 451 63 123 31 1 25 85 3 2 51 106 .273 .351 .512 120 231 5 7 8 7 10
2004 32 BOS AL 137 463 67 137 30 1 18 73 10 3 62 126 .296 .390 .482 121 223 0 1 9 10 11
2005 33 BOS AL 133 470 70 132 30 1 22 70 2 0 62 117 .281 .366 .489 122 230 1 3 3 3 10
2006 34 BOS AL 103 365 46 87 19 2 12 55 1 2 46 87 .238 .325 .400 83 146 1 2 7 2 10
2007 35 BOS AL 131 435 57 111 15 3 17 68 1 2 71 122 .255 .367 .421 103 183 0 4 9 8 9
2008 36 BOS AL 131 423 37 93 20 0 13 43 0 1 52 122 .220 .313 .359 73 152 0 2 3 6 13
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
12 Seasons 4401 1156 13 654 18 1024 .263 .346 .439 100 19 38 51 54 118
posted by joe sweeney at 11:15 AM
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