Varitek remains an option

Epstein calls catching 'unfinished business'

Though Jason Varitek has been playing the waiting game since declining arbitration from the Red Sox a month ago, general manager Theo Epstein said yesterday it is possible the catcher could return to Boston.

"There's still some unfinished business," Epstein said about the catching situation. "Jason's still out there. As I said at the beginning of the offseason, he has been a really important guy here, to this organization. By no means have we shut the door on him. There's still unfinished business there, and also in the pursuit of a younger catcher."

Josh Bard, who was signed last week to a one-year deal with an option, is the only catcher on the team's 40-man roster with significant major league experience. But the Sox view him as a backup. The other catchers are George Kottaras, who is out of options, and Dusty Brown. Neither is ready to start every day at the major league level.

So Varitek could be the solution, especially if he's willing to sign a short-term deal at a discounted rate. Though Varitek's agent, Scott Boras, was looking for a multiyear deal, no market has materialized, and Varitek might have to settle for less than he could have gotten in arbitration.

Asked about Varitek's decision to decline arbitration, Epstein said, "That's always the player's decision. The player and agent get together and decide what's in their best interest. But certainly it was something we were hoping he would have accepted and get him back under those terms. But that's behind us now and we'll see what happens next.

"We haven't ruled anything in or anything out at this point."

The Sox could be on their way to another signing - beyond the upcoming inkings of Brad Penny and John Smoltz. There remains one opening: a backup first baseman, a role Sean Casey filled last season. "We've made a lot of progress in our attempt to fill that spot," Epstein said. "I think it will be important for the versatility of this club, usually only having a four-man bench because of our 12-man pitching staff, to have a backup first baseman also be able to play solid outfield. I think we're getting close to being able to fill that spot with someone that we trust to play good outfield defense and also play a good first base. Maybe more on that next week perhaps." Epstein might be talking about Mark Kotsay, who finished the season with the Sox after he was acquired in August. Kotsay was looking for a starting position, but might be relegated to a backup spot because of a slow-developing free agent market.

Mike Lowell's rehab is going well, according to Epstein and manager Terry Francona. Lowell had surgery to repair a torn hip labrum this offseason after struggling with pain the second half of 2008. "The doctors are optimistic," Epstein said. "There have been ups and downs all the way, as there are with any rehab. But it's been generally very, very positive with his range of motion, the benchmarks with his rehab. He's still on schedule. He's definitely going to show up [at spring training]. His routine may or may not be readjusted a little bit. What we're looking at as an organization is what is Mike like at the end of spring training. We want to be smart about this and not rush him back out there." Epstein and Francona declined to speak about whether the relationship with Lowell became strained with the team going hard after Mark Teixeira (with the likelihood Lowell would be traded). "I don't think I would try to say that it probably didn't affect him," Francona said. "I try to understand that, so I tried to keep the lines of communication open. But Mikey likes to play baseball a lot and I think he likes to play in Boston. These things have a way of getting better."

Jim Rice doesn't plan to do anything different with the Hall of Fame announcement coming Monday, his last shot on the regular ballot. He'll be in Boston, watching his soap opera. "I'm not getting my levels too high or too low," Rice said before receiving the Judge Emil Fuchs Award last night at the Boston Baseball Writers dinner. "It's not going to change anything. It's not going to change me." . . . Casey, in attendance to receive the Good Guy Award, said he might retire if he does not find the right situation with another ball club. "I'm looking for something that will make it worth my while to get out there and play," he said. "More than a bench role, maybe a platoon or full time, something I can justify the grind again, justify a year of the grind. A winning team." Casey said he wasn't interested in coming back to sit on the Sox bench . . . Penny was in town for his physical. He agreed to terms Dec. 28, but the Sox have not made the deal official . . . The Sox have one pitcher committed to the World Baseball Classic - Daisuke Matsuzaka - and Francona made it clear he's not interested in having any more pitchers go. Mike Timlin ended up with a tired arm after the last WBC . . . The Sox designated pitcher Charlie Zink for assignment.