Pitching the catcher

Agent Scott Boras answers questions upon arriving at the general managers meetings. Client Jason Varitek was one hot topic. (Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press)

DANA POINT, Calif. - It is in these pre-free agency stages when Scott Boras sets the tone, digging in and stating his position on clients in no uncertain terms.

Yesterday Boras did just that at the general managers meetings in regard to Jason Varitek, whom most baseball people view as a player on an offensive decline at age 36. Not Boras. In fact, he and the Red Sox will be as far apart in their views as San Diego and Bangor.

Boras is eyeing Yankee catcher Jorge Posada's four-year, $52.4 million deal as a benchmark for Varitek.

"It is probably representative age-wise and it's also representative of what a player on a winning team - for very different reasons, obviously - can do," Boras said. "You aren't going to have many catchers with those performance levels - a 60 percent winning percentage on a franchise which has won two championships, caught four no-hitters. I can go on and on.

"The idea of it is there aren't many players in the marketplace who lead a team like Jason Varitek can, and that's got to be his value."

Sox general manager Theo Epstein, apprised of Boras's opinion, had no official comment, but his facial reaction wasn't that of a man who was in agreement.

Epstein and Boras have had preliminary talks on Varitek, but by tomorrow the Sox likely will receive the "book" that Boras and his staff compile on each of their clients.

Epstein has a meeting planned with Boras today and said they would be discussing a full slate of Boras clients currently with the Sox.

Whether they wind up keeping Varitek is hard to gauge.

"Teams offer contracts, I don't," said Boras. "I'm at the will of what teams choose to do."

But it appears the Red Sox will talk with the Texas Rangers about their two young catchers, Taylor Teagarden and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who could be in play if the Sox are willing to give up the right pitching prospect (likely Clay Buchholz or Michael Bowden).

Saltalamacchia had an elbow strain at the end of the season and his winter-ball play will be delayed for about a month. The 6-foot-4-inch switch hitter is considered defensively raw, but he has great upside and the Sox like his makeup.

Teagarden seems less available, though the Rangers have concerns about his injury history. Veteran Gerald Laird could also be in play for the Sox, but there are mixed views on Laird's ability to handle pitchers.

If Varitek goes elsewhere, the teams most often mentioned as destinations are the Dodgers (with the idea of Russell Martin used as a part-time catcher/third baseman) and Tigers, who need a veteran to handle a pitching staff that underachieved last season. If the money is Posada-like, however, forget the Tigers; they are trying to reduce their payroll.

Asked whether it would be tough for Varitek to go to the National League and learn new pitchers, Boras countered, "Jason Varitek doesn't learn pitching staffs; he goes there and teaches them. I think that's what he does. He gives them approaches, a comfort level. He helps them understand and gives them instruction on how to get their best skills on the field without a great deal of change."

In selling Varitek, who hit .220 last season, Boras disputes the idea that he had a "down year" in 2008.

"I'd have to take exception to the terminology based on his assignment, which was 70-80 percent defensive," said Boras. "The Red Sox won 60 percent of their games when he caught.

"I think over the last five years, that's the same; when you're looking at what they did when Jason wasn't catching, they were under .500.

"So when you're talking that he got them to the playoffs, advancement of pitching staffs under his tutelage - [Jonathan] Papelbon, most recently [Justin] Masterson and [Jon] Lester - I just think you have to go to those players and say, 'What's the importance of his role? What's his level of preparation?'

"Position players come to me and tell me what he does and that he must sacrifice some time in the cage. I think Jason Varitek was coming into the first week of June hitting .280 or .290. I think he was in the top 10 catchers in offensive numbers.

"Jason Varitek is paid to lead and help his team win. In past negotiations with Boston, his offense was really a very small part of his value to the franchise. There are many examples of this in the marketplace.

"When the Red Sox win, their ball club makes a lot of money and their value appreciates. Jason's largest role is about winning, and you can say that for Posada, too."

Boras already may have gauged what Varitek's market is. Perhaps he's trying to drum up interest, but the Sox seem to have a good idea of how far they want to go with their captain. It appears they don't want to commit to more than two years at his current rate of pay ($10 million per year), and they may defy any team to surpass that.

The Sox won't let emotional issues decide this. But the hammer Boras may hold is the question: "Who's better for the Boston Red Sox?" It's probably a question the Red Sox are wrestling with as they begin to search for a possible replacement.