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''I think we're doing a pretty good job of getting together, going to have dinner," Varitek said. ''Everybody's trying to get to know each other even more. That's good, because I think a lot of places it doesn't happen that way. Everybody hits the park, splits, nobody together. Well, that isn't the way we do it here. We try and spend time and get to know each other, what's going on in each other's brains."

Varitek often sits tucked away by his locker, a folder of charts open on his knees, his face wrapped in pitch counts and locations and tendencies. In Baltimore this past weekend, that placed him back in the corner, by the lockers of pitchers Tim Wakefield and Curt Schilling. He seems to be alone, doing his ''legendary preparation," as new backup catcher Josh Bard termed it, though it might just as well be a glossary of his teammates.

Because as much as his bat helps, and as much as his knowledge of pitchers and hitters and the game itself helps, there is more to Varitek. And few outside the walls of this space ever see it.

''I think the thing that he has that people don't see on the other side is he keeps the team loose," said Bard. ''He's a funny guy.  [ More ]