Catcher: Martinez & Varitek? Or just Martinez?
The Red Sox have a decision to make when it comes to the team’s catching position for 2010. Manager Terry Francona transitioned Victor Martinez into the everyday Sox catcher just a month or so after his acquisition from the Cleveland Indians. Long-time catcher Jason Varitek was fine with the switch given his bad offensive numbers, but he would still like to be considered a viable option for the catcher’s role in 2010.
The Red Sox have a club option for $7 million on Martinez. That is a no-brainer and the Red Sox will likely pick that up very soon. Francona will keep Martinez as his starting catcher, but will also let him play 1st base a few times a week to keep him fresh through the long MLB season. That will also allow Francona to keep 3rd baseman Mike Lowell a little fresher as well with a few extra days off. On the days Martinez plays 1st, Francona can move Kevin Youkilis across the diamond to play 3rd base. It really is a great fit all-around.
Now to Varitek. The Red Sox have a club option for $5 million that they will likely not exercise. Varitek has a player option for $3 million, but he would be a back-up and it’s unclear if he is willing to accept that role. He could also start for another team, or even retire.
If I was Varitek, I would take the player option and stay in a familiar place that you call home. $3 million is still a lot of cash and he definitely still has a lot of positives to bring to the table in terms of helping with the development of the pitching staff.
We’ll keep you posted as soon as we hear anything on the Martinez / Varitek front.
