No offer to Varitek
LAS VEGAS -- Except for the "offer" of arbitration, which he declined, free agent catcher Jason Varitek has not received a contractual offer from the Red Sox, a source familiar with the talks said.
Varitek's agent, Scott Boras, had been asked at a press briefing Wednesday last night whether Varitek had received an offer from the ballclub, to which he replied in the affirmative.
Here is the transcription of Boras's comments about Varitek last night, as provided by the Globe's Adam Kilgore:
On Varitek's interest in Boston:
Boras: I think that Tek has always been a person -- he's the captain of a team, which is a rare event. And certainly Boston has let us know we want him back. We're talking about it. We also have to go out and look into other situations that will be able to him.
On the Sox' interest in Varitek:
Boras: Well, I mean, look, when a major league team approaches you about a player and offers them a contract, I guess that's serious.
So he has been offered?
Boras: Yes.
Guess it ultimately depends on what your interpretation of the word "offer" means.
It does appear that Varitek's options have thinned out during these meetings. The Tigers acquired Gerald Laird, the Reds added Ramon Hernandez, and the Dodgers were one team that indicated their interest in Varitek was curtailed after the Red Sox offered the 37-year-old catcher arbitration, meaning that it would cost the team that signed him a No. 1 draft pick since he is a Type A free agent.
Chad Finn of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
Listen, I love Tek too. The guy's a staple here in Beantown. But it may be time to move on. Sign him to no more than a 1 year deal and get Jarrrod Saltalamacchia. Good, young, quality catchers are hard to come by these days.
Love the negotiations quietly going on in the media.
Boras: Sox made an offer.
Sox: (whisper)... uh, no we didn't.
And the point is?
Boras is trying to get the Mets to overpay again and the Sox are saying, "When you are done, give us a call. We'll talk about 2 years for about $14 million then, so long as your guy agrees to platooning, training his mentor and catching Wake."
Anything Boras does and says makes me want to take a shower afterwards. Congrats on being able to zealously represent your clients' interests pal, but wow are you a snake.
And Joe McDonald from the Providence Journal had this to say in his blog today:
"Red Sox GM Theo Epstein just met with the Boston writers and discussed the selections, but when he was asked about the buzz that he is close to signing free-agent Mark Teixeira, Epstein again did not get into specifics and spoke in general terms.
'We are still in the middle of the process,' he said. 'We're not at the end. We're in the middle of the process with a lot of guys.'
SO WHO DO WE BELIEVE? THEO AND BORAS OR AN UN-NAMED SOURCE?
He did admit that he made three offers to available free-agents. Jason Varitek was one of them. The other two were likely Teixeira and a pitcher.
Poor TEK... the sox did not overpay him again... they only offered him arbitration... which would have paid him $9-11 million for one year. I guess a 6 million dollar premium is disrepectful.
This makes me sad. My opinion of Boras continues to plummet. I'm wondering if Tek would be better off WITHOUT Boras.
SIGN HIM NOW!! SIGN HIM AS A PLAYER & AS A COACH
It must be said: Scott Boras is a bald-faced liar who will say anything to enhance his client's position. Which is what he's hired to do, and I don't blame him, but shouldn't journalists be in the habit of pointing out that "the following quote is probably a lie" or something to that effect?
SIGN HIM NOW!! SIGN HIM AS A PLAYER & AS A COACH
Jeff, I read McDonald's blog today also. I am just as confused as you are! It would appear that both Boras and Epstein said there was indeed a contract offer made, and yet Nick's source says there was not!
Wake me up when this is all over!
i don't know how you can report this and not cite the Providence Journal, Sons of Sam Horn or Baseball Think Factory or wherever you got this info from. God, stuff that shows up in those places shows up here all the time and you never give credit.
Tek is simply the most overrated player on the Sox, if not the league. He can't hit (last 3 years cumulative batting avg of about .235) and he can't throw out baserunners. You can get a catcher who 'calls a great game' for a fraction of what he's looking for. He has no value to any team but the Red Sox, who will probably sign him and hope to keep him on as a pitching coach. And remember most 'captains' are named by their teammates, not by the front office as was the case with Tek.
I love the line where BorA$$ says, "I think that Tek has always been a person". Really? A person? As opposed to the scum-sucking leech that you are?
"This makes me sad. My opinion of Boras continues to plummet. I'm wondering if Tek would be better off WITHOUT Boras."
how was your opinion of Boras high enough to plummet?
Tek will be wondering what happend with his master free agent plan all year. Let him do it somewhere else.
Tek has had his day in the sun. We loved ya, Jason but's it's now painful to watch you at bat. My grandmother takes fewer called strikes.
No team would be dumb enough to give up a 1st round draft pick. He lost any leverage when the sox offered him arbitration
If the Red Sox can sign Mark Teixeira, you can carry TeK's weak bat. If no Big Bat is there, then the Red Sox need to move on.
How much are the two draft picks worth that the Red Sox would get if they don't sign him and someone else does? A few days ago the Globe said many teams were reluctant to offer Tek a contract because of the draft pick compensation. Likewise the Sox should be hesitant to sign him and forgo the two draft picks. He won;t be worth any picks next time. Right now the Sox are bidding against themselves just like they did four years ago.
Boris' grease is rubbing off on Tek's image. Last year, Boris proved to be the only person alive who could make A-rod (I mean "hole") seem less greasy. Remember the whole "A-rod (I mean 'hole') opts out of his contract" announcement during the late innings of the last game of the World Series.
I think it has something to do with the name Boris. I mean Bullwinkle's nemesis -Boris Badenov; the guy who looks weird enough to play Frankenstein - Boris Karloff; and my wife's cat who would crap in our bed if we let him in the bedroom - yup, you guessed it, Boris.
I'm glad to see how much everyone agrees. Turning down $10 million a year is an insult to the team, the fans, and anyone working a real job and actually meeting expectations. I really don't care if he comes back or not, and would actually be glad if it made Boras look bad when he ends up getting less than was available via arbitration.
Re-read Boras' first line. What language is he speaking? Don;t think I'd want him to represent me.
Tek might have been a little less rich, but maybe happier if he fired Boor-Ass and did a Schilling-like negotiation with Epstein that was logical and fair to both sides.
2 years - guaranteed. $10 and $8m / year.
3rd year for $8m with a buy-out by the RedSox for $2m.
Incentives in all years for MVP and/or All-Star votes.
2 more years of wearing the "C" and moving on with dignity - priceless.
I have read about extra value that is brought to the team that makes up for lack of hitting, then why did I not read about the “Captain” kicking Manny’s butt when he was screwing his teammates by purposely not performing? If he had he’d already been signed.
On Varitek's interest in Boston:
Boras: blah blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblah
On the Sox' interest in Varitek:
Boras: blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblah
So he has been offered?
Boras: Yes.
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