http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/kirk-minihane/2012/03/01/red-sox-would-be-wrong-retire-jason-variteks
cant believe this is even an issue but apparently it is! i say you RETIRE that baby at his retirement ceremony today at 5:30P and if not, by the end of this season. noone should ever wear that #33 ever again. 2004 and the curse speak for itself.. period! tek is the embodiment of the sox dynasty and the changing of the character of fenway. ASK a-rod. TEK stayed the longest and represents the ENTIRE era.. the only one! nothing against dwight evans or even boggs. those guys did not WIN the ring and in the case of boggs left under shaky conditions and went to play for the enemy. in 20 years, we may re-consider them but for this ownership group this should be a no-brainer!
SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
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SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 12:21 PM EST
- CAPITALIST_AVENGER
- Posts: 688
- First: 1/19/2012
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Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 12:44 PM EST
- LloydDobler
- Posts: 12011
- First: 7/13/2009
- Last: 6/19/2013
I love Tek ... but no. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 12:53 PM EST
- ZILLAGOD
- Posts: 10444
- First: 5/30/2008
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They should retire Rico Petrocelli's number before they retire the number of a catcher who really never could hit very well. Batted .296 in 2004 and seldom came close to that number in his career.
If they start retiring numbers of every guy who was popular with the fans, they are going to need a bigger space in rightfield for all the retired numbers and soon you will see players wearing triple digits. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 12:59 PM EST
- soxnewmex
- Posts: 1676
- First: 9/15/2009
- Last: 6/15/2013
No, numbers should be retired rarely and reluctantly, Tek as a player isn't among the immortals, very very few deserve the honor. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 1:01 PM EST
- cglassanos
- Posts: 296
- First: 5/3/2007
- Last: 8/28/2012
No, but on a separate but related note they SHOULD retire Pedro Martinez' 45. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 1:20 PM EST
- greenwellforpresident
- Posts: 522
- First: 3/25/2008
- Last: 6/14/2013
Wow, another retire someone's number post.
I'm surprised how few people understand how this works. There are a strict set of rules the redsox have in place for retiring numbers.
1. At least 10 years for the sox
2. In the Baseball Hall of Fame
It used to also be finish career with redsox, but they manage to get around that.
The only exceptions to this rule are Johnny Pesky (and Jackie Robinson of course). So if Tek stays with the club for 50 more years than maybe he'll get 33 retired. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 1:34 PM EST
- jackbu
- Posts: 3165
- First: 4/9/2011
- Last: 6/19/2013
Do not retire it today but yes. Two rings and 15 seasons, wait a few years to make sure he is retired for good The only player in MLB history to catch four no hitters, I hope the sox retire his number -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 1:40 PM EST
- jackbu
- Posts: 3165
- First: 4/9/2011
- Last: 6/19/2013
In response to "Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?":They should retire Rico Petrocelli's number before they retire the number of a catcher who really never could hit very well. Batted .296 in 2004 and seldom came close to that number in his career. If they start retiring numbers of every guy who was popular with the fans, they are going to need a bigger space in rightfield for all the retired numbers and soon you will see players wearing triple digits. Posted by ZILLAGODI agree with this but tek deserves to have his number retired. Let the waiting game begin. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 1:45 PM EST
- sindarin-erebor
- Posts: 1407
- First: 12/3/2010
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Check out the numbers we have retired.....then tell me you think Tek should be in this group? If so you'll need a lot more rationale than playing for two WS Championship teams and face planting ARoid.....although both are highly commendable.
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/history/retired_numbers.jsp -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 1:48 PM EST
- JB-3
- Posts: 2206
- First: 12/28/2010
- Last: 3/5/2013
Eventually his number could be retired, but certainly not any time soon. I is the Sox all time leader in HR's as a catcher, a 4 time All-Star, and finished in the top 30 in MVP voting 5 years in a row. He was never good at preventing runners from stealing, but part of that falls on team philosophy while he was a regular.Give it some time to take emotion out of the decision, and don't reissue the #33 until a decision is made. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 1:52 PM EST
- jackbu
- Posts: 3165
- First: 4/9/2011
- Last: 6/19/2013
Tek in his prime had some Larry bird qualities. Even without the ball, bird did a lot. Tek kept a lot of guys from scoring from second just by his demeanor. It is not always fair to compare players from different eras. Without tek, some pitchers didn't have a great game. If schilling did not brush off tek, they would both have another no hitter on their resumes. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 2:04 PM EST
- S5
- Posts: 1442
- First: 8/9/2012
- Last: 6/19/2013
Retire it. Someday. Now or later, I just hope I live to see it.
Unfortunately retiring a number is all about statistics. If there were some way to quantify what he brought to the Sox this wouldn't even be an issue. He's be a shoo-in. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 3:03 PM EST
- Alibiike
- Posts: 3097
- First: 2/1/2011
- Last: 6/3/2013
How about retiring the "C" instead? -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 6:32 PM EST
- jackbu
- Posts: 3165
- First: 4/9/2011
- Last: 6/19/2013
That was one classy retirement speech from one classy guy -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 7:54 PM EST
- royf19
- Posts: 8842
- First: 3/15/2009
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In Response to Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?:They should retire Rico Petrocelli's number before they retire the number of a catcher who really never could hit very well. Batted .296 in 2004 and seldom came close to that number in his career. If they start retiring numbers of every guy who was popular with the fans, they are going to need a bigger space in rightfield for all the retired numbers and soon you will see players wearing triple digits.
Posted by ZILLAGOD
Really Z. You're going to base a catcher's hitting ability on one stat.
Try these stats:
HR-RBI-BA-OPS
20-76-.269-.813
10-65-.248-.730
injured, played jut 51 games
10-61-.266-.724
25-85-.273-.863
18-73-.296-.872
22-70-.281-.856
12-55-.238-.725 (played just 103 because of injuries)
17-68-.255-787
Pretty good numbers in his prime for a catcher who in his prime was great behind the plate.
Even the last couple of years, his numbers weren't bad for a catcher in his late 30s who was a backup. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 8:23 PM EST
- jb12bb
- Posts: 398
- First: 12/28/2008
- Last: 12/14/2012
One day, I think the RS can pay tribute to what he has done for the franchise by not letting another player use his number for awhile.
Numbers that will eventually be retired:
34 Ortiz
45 Martinez
And longer down the road:
33 Varitek
15 Pedroia
31 Lester
Those are the players who will one day grace the wall with the greats like Yaz, Williams and Fisk. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/1/2012 10:38 PM EST
- hankwilliamsjr
- Posts: 1742
- First: 12/27/2011
- Last: 6/15/2012
Ortiz 5 straight years in top 5 of MVP voting Clutch Yankee killer legend!!!! Yes!
Pedro Best pitcher of a generation! Yes!!!
Varitek No!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe after another 50 years of service
Pedroia too early to tell
Lester too early to tell -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/2/2012 9:34 AM EST
- MichFan
- Posts: 457
- First: 6/6/2008
- Last: 6/5/2013
If the Red Sox retire all the numbers of the great players they have had there won't be any numbers left. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/2/2012 10:45 AM EST
- DaBlade
- Posts: 1619
- First: 6/29/2009
- Last: 5/23/2013
OK... I like Fisk think he was the best catcher in Red Sox history but he didn't stay here his whole career, (not even the majority) and I think it is questionable to retire his number. (I realize he is MLB Hall of Famer) So if you retire Pudge why not Varitek who actually played his whole career and brought two championships here as a Captain? I say retire his number which is a unique set of circumstances and I bet all the pitchers who pitched here agree. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/2/2012 10:54 AM EST
- seannybboi
- Posts: 1864
- First: 8/25/2011
- Last: 6/19/2013
come on... he provided service for the same freaking team for 15 straight years and he only served one team.. Does anyone have done anything like that in your lives? His number should be respected and retired. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/2/2012 11:54 AM EST
- hankwilliamsjr
- Posts: 1742
- First: 12/27/2011
- Last: 6/15/2012
Same janitor provided decades of service to the same team, at the bargain price of $200 an hour plus free healthcare, abortions, morning after pills and rubbers and pills. Retire his union card number, right next to #9. The janitor represents the American and Boston government vision for every single American and hyphenated American. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/2/2012 11:58 AM EST
- SpacemanEephus
- Posts: 10639
- First: 6/6/2008
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In Response to Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?:Same janitor provided decades of service to the same team. Retire his union card number, right next to #9.
Posted by hankwilliamsjrIf Jason Varitek can't even get a morsel of respect from you on his retirement, who does? So weird. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/2/2012 12:01 PM EST
- hankwilliamsjr
- Posts: 1742
- First: 12/27/2011
- Last: 6/15/2012
Jason Varitek didn't have "his retirement". He had to be kicked to the curb. I don't respect that, after the 100 million or more the Red Sox owner's redistributed to him.
I don't respect him allowing his new life partner to trumpet that he is ready to play another 2 or 3 years. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/2/2012 12:17 PM EST
- SpacemanEephus
- Posts: 10639
- First: 6/6/2008
- Last: 6/19/2013
In Response to Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?:Jason Varitek didn't have "his retirement". He had to be kicked to the curb. I don't respect that, after the 100 million or more the Red Sox owner's redistributed to him. I don't respect him allowing his new life partner to trumpet that he is ready to play another 2 or 3 years.
Posted by hankwilliamsjrYou are a hard man if you cannot understand a ball player wanting to hang on as long as possible. But, hey, to each their own. So, that sin overshadows the whole of his career, being a leader of 2 championship teams and the greatest run in sox history? That just seems odd. -
Re: SHOULD TEK HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED?
posted at 3/2/2012 12:26 PM EST
- hankwilliamsjr
- Posts: 1742
- First: 12/27/2011
- Last: 6/15/2012
You are a hard man if you cannot understand a ball player wanting to hang on as long as possible
One is not "a hard man" for not understanding why an athlete has so much foolish pride as to ignore the obvious, when he has been paid over 100 million to play a child's game.
Baseball, to me, represents a team game, with all players doing what is in the best interest of the team. To once represent that value, then ignore it for personal reasons, is a betrayal of the ethic. Varitek should admit to his mistake and apologize to his former teammates and Red Sox ownership. Humility engenders good grace.