Posada money for Varitek?
DANA POINT, Calif. -- Scott Boras may be eying Jorge Posada's 4-year, $52.4 million deal as a benchmark for Jason Varitek's future deal in free agency.
Boras spoke extensively about Varitek at the GM meetings here today.
"It's 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. In many ways his marketplace is unto himself."
Asked whether it would be tough for Varitek to go to the NL and learn 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."
More from Boras: "When you talk about Jason's 'down year' I'd have to take exception to the terminology based on his assignment, which was 70-80 percent defensive. 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 or 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 he was 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. Go back to Javy Lopez and Pudge Rodriguez. Javy hit 43 home runs. Pudge caught for a world championship team in Florida and Javy got a three-year, $8 million-a-year deal while Pudge got a four-year [deal for $10 million per season] and had nowhere near [Lopez's] production. And the reason is the Florida pitching staff improved immeasurably under Pudge, as did the Detroit pitching staff when he got there. When the Red Sox win their ballclub makes a lot of money and their value appreciates. Jason's largest role is about winning and you can say that for Posada too. Posada was injured most of the year and the Yankees didn't win."
Boras and Theo Epstein have meetings planned tomorrow.
If the Red Sox A) Give Varitek anything more than a 2 year deal and B) give him Posada type money I an cancelling my season tickets. I will not pay to watch him not even hit his weight. I am sick of hear how great he is defenivle, sure he may call a good game but he can't throw, baserunners run all over him.
Two years, $12M for Varitek, maybe with some incentives. If Boras says no. let him back up the talk. Theo has a number, and he will let Tek go, just like Pedro, Nomar and Damon. If he lets Boras fleece him again (see Drew, J.D.) he should have hi s head examined
Boras is on crack if he thinks anybody will pay Varitek $13.1 million per year. The Yankees didn't win because their pitching wasn't good enough overall and their offense underachieved.
I almost feel bad for Theo, having to sit through a meeting listening to Boras spewing such utter bs.
I love Varitek ... he may be my favorite Red Sox player of all time (Pedroia's on his heels) ... but, well, the Phillies won the World Series with Carlos Ruiz catching, and the Rays beat the Red Sox with Dioner Navarro. Are either of these guys considered in the same class as Varitek, in terms of work ethic or calling a game? Probably not. So in Boras reasoning, these guys, were they to be free agents, should be compared to Jorge Posada because their teams won. So then they should deserve Posada money? Please. Varitek was hitting .269 following a game on June 1. Following a 5-4 loss to Tampa Bay on June 30, Varitek was hitting .222.
I'm so sick of Boras using that same quote over and over again. "The REd Sox have won 60% of the games Varitek has caught..." Jesus! He catches like 80% of their games. THe only guy he doesn't catch is Wakefield. Therefor, the games where he doesn't catch isn't a reflection of how much of a drop there is between him and someone else, as it is a reflection of how Tim Wakefield pitches, since Wakefield doesn't require pitch selection. So I'm not sure how this 60% figure matters, so I wish he'd just shutup with it or someone would just point out to him that the only way for us to find Varitek's true value is for us to have the exact same team without Varitek (and please don't cite the end of '06 because Beckett sucked that year, Schilling was still transitioning into crafty-guy pitcher, and there was no Lester or Dice-K. It wasn't the same.)
Bye Jason Thanks for everything but....no
If a team will give the Capo that kinda deal...it's been fun!!! By no means should Theo go there for Varitek.
That being said, I believe that this is posturing by Boras to hopefully get 3/$30. I say they should not go past 2/$25, MAX.
If a team will give the Capo that kinda deal...it's been fun!!! By no means should Theo go there for Varitek.
That being said, I believe that this is posturing by Boras to hopefully get 3/$30. I say they should not go past 2/$15, MAX.
see ya tek, not for that money. The sox are not that stupid.
All I can say is what a joke. BYE BYE Varitek!!!!!!!!!SOX are not going to help you recoup what you lose in your divorce. You LOUSE.
how much does Boras pay reporters to pass along this garbage?
how much does Boras pay reporters to pass along this garbage?
lol Scott is truly an incredible agent!
he almost convinced me.... ive never understood why people dislike him so much.
After all, he works for the players, not for the teams.
Unto, not onto himself.
What is Boras smoking!! I have loved what Jason has done for the sox, but 13mil for a 215 hitting catcher whose best days are clearly behind him. A 36yrs old catcher getting 4 yrs contract? I wish I would have grown up to be a catcher!
Boras has a good sense of humor. The Red Sox don't pay "Yankee" money to their aging players and they don't have to with Varitek since the Yankees are not in the bidding for Varitek.
He caught 4 no Hitters????? What does that have to do with giving him four years. This Boras is really something else. The guy batted .220, cannot throw out runners anymore and we are going to give him 4 yrs at 13 per season. Give me a break.
Ha! I hope he's joking. If not, nice to know ya' V-Teck!
Just out of curiousity, what would Boras call a "down year", hitting .150?
Four years for $52M for a guy who calls a good game, but can't hit his weight? Theo-if you believe Boras' hype and sign Varitek at that $$$, you should be stripped of your title and be banned from baseball. I know you are smarter and more savvy than that!
If it takes 3-4 years, I'd give it to him. Tek's game-calling is a work of art. His catching 4 no-hitters is no coincidence. I would not be surprised if he catched a few more before it's all said and done. Even if the last year or two we end up paying for not much, keep him in the organization and get him into the coaching pipeline. I'm for keeping him in house as long as we can.
is he on crack?
thank goodness he is asking for that.... now there is NO CHANCE he will be back. kottaras and brown would be better options than varitek in 2009.
I think we've seen the end of Varitek in Boston if he wants that type of contract, no way the Sox are willing to dish out a 4 year deal and I'd say its iffy on the money side too.
This will be an interesting off season to say the least
...must re-sign Varitek...
The key problem with the logic of anchoring on the Posada contract is that Posada is grossly overpaid for his production
come now, he is not going to get Posada's deal.....dreaming
come now, he is not going to get Posada's deal.....dreaming
Boras is the biggest BS artist I've ever heard. He should be in politics.
Four years and $52 million? Are you kidding me? I love Jason Varitek but that's way too much. I understand his value to the club, but that's money for a catcher who does what Tek does, plus hits .295 and 25 HRs, and is 30 years old. $52 million to Posada, and look what happened to him. Now they're talking about him as a first baseman. I'm also not buying this sacrificing time in the batting cage stuff either. If players want to hit, they can find the time to hit. Tek has a bad offensive year, which followed a very mediocre offensive year. He is on the decline with the bat. Boras needs to get real.
boras is a joke his job is to get teams to bid against themselves. varitek is worth maybe 2 yrs at $5M with a vesting option for yr 3. if the red sox do not give it to him, he will have a very difficult time getting it from anyone else. tek has value to the red sox because of his history with the team and knowledge of the staff especially the pitchers and coaches. he has little value to another team. theo was right four years ago not wanting to give the fourth year. posado's contract came after hitting .330 and never being on the disabled list. this year he missed most of the season. couldn't happen to a more fitting franchise.
Why even report the comments made by a clearly biased Boras? This is not news! His comments have no impact on the deals his clients receive! It does not matter one ounce what Boras thinks his clients deserve, the market will determine that. Now if Boras can creative make a case that promotes his client's case, good for him, he's doing his job. All of his other nonsense about 6 years at $150m+ for Manny / or 4/$52M for Tek are just ways to keep himself in the news. Please, Globe/Herald/ESPN, stop reporting this nonsense. No one cares!!!
Trust in Theo (and James, et al). They have let players go, per Branch Rickey, "a year too early rather than a year too late."
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I have great sentimental value for Varitek and for his great performance as a player, a "Captain" of the RedSox resurgence . . . but he will be gone either way in 3~4 years and I'd rather his contract not linger.
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The Schilling deal was a model for how to treat a great player at the end of his career with respect, reasonably high compensation and a mutual share in the risk-reward of those last years. Oh, but Schilling didn't have an agent. His legacy as a champion for a great franchise might actually be more important to him than an extra $10m.
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Then again Varitek just got divorced and might need the money.
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It must be hard to do Boras' job without cracking a smile. Beyond ridiculous.
Thanks for your time with the Sox Jason. I assume it is over.
interesting
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